Courage conference to minister to those with same-sex attraction

[Holly3278]

Bridgeport, Conn., Jul 2, 2013 / 04:00 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Courage apostolate’s upcoming annual conference seeks to strengthen the faith, and the confidence in Christ of Catholics who have same-sex attraction, helping them to live their call to chastity.

“The Church finds herself in the unhappy situation of having to say ‘no’ to things she knows to be contrary to the human good,” Fr. Paul Check, director of Courage, told CNA July 1.

“But whenever there’s a ‘no,’ and of course Our Lord also said ‘no’ to certain things in the Gospel, there has to be a corresponding ‘yes.’”

catholicnewsagency.com/news/courage-conference-to-minister-to-those-with-same-sex-attraction/

Courage is an excellent ministry for people who suffer from same-sex attraction and who are Catholics. I don’t know a whole lot about the ministry but I have known that it existed for a few years now. I am glad that such a ministry exists.

I am a Catholic lady who suffers from same sex attraction but I am primarily attracted to men. I am glad that a ministry like this exists for people like myself.

 

[SpeakInSilence]

catholicnewsagency.com/news/courage-conference-to-minister-to-those-with-same-sex-attraction/

Courage is an excellent ministry for people who suffer from same-sex attraction and who are Catholics. I don’t know a whole lot about the ministry but I have known that it existed for a few years now. I am glad that such a ministry exists.

I am a Catholic lady who suffers from same sex attraction but I am primarily attracted to men. I am glad that a ministry like this exists for people like myself.

Amen, I am soon to be engaged to a lovely woman, yet I suffer from SSA also, however I feel more loved within the Catholic Church then any other place. Thank Christ our lord for giving us a home.

 

[CarolNoel]

Amen, I am soon to be engaged to a lovely woman, yet I suffer from SSA also, however I feel more loved within the Catholic Church then any other place. Thank Christ our lord for giving us a home.

God Bless you and best of luck with your engagement.

 

[Marie5890]

Courage is an excellent ministry for people who suffer from same-sex attraction and who are Catholics. I don’t know a whole lot about the ministry but I have known that it existed for a few years now. I am glad that such a ministry exists.

One of the problems with COURAGE is that it stereotypes people who happen to be gay. It lables them as “something is wrong with you, you are not normal, you being you is a cross”

I have family members and friends who happen to be gay. They dont see their being gay as a cross. They dont think that anything is wrong with them.

I understand the Church is trying, withing it’s doctrines, to address this, but it fails in so many ways when it labels people “you being you is wrong, you being you means something is wrong with you”

My family members who happen to be gay dont feel like it’s a cross, They feel its as natural as the color of their eyes.

 

[bcuster]

How do people just “happen to be gay?” When we take a good look at the situation we find there are antecedents. It takes “courage” to do this. (Pun slightly intended). God bless the ministry of Courage. I don’t think that they come to people pointing fingers saying “something is wrong with you being you.” They help and support people to live chaste lives just as all heterosexuals are called to live.

 

[Marie5890]

How do people just “happen to be gay?”

= being born that way.

Happen to be gay. They dont chose it. They are born that way. =happen to be gay.

 

[markomalley]

= being born that way.

Happen to be gay. They dont chose it. They are born that way. =happen to be gay.

People are born with a withered arm. We try to fix it where possible and help the person where fixing it is not possible. We don’t attempt some sort of canard to claim that this is perfectly normal.

People are born with fetal alcohol syndrome. If it were possible, we would try to fix it. In the interim, we try to help the person cope. We don’t attempt some sort of canard to claim that this is perfectly normal.

People may be born with Tourette Syndrome. We try to help the person in society. We certainly don’t claim that because somebody has Tourette with Coprolalia that all of society must be adjusted to accept outbursts of foul language. (Well, in some quarters language is tolerated…),

Being born with something does not automatically imply that society must tolerate the consequent behavior. The authentically charitable reaction of society is to help heal the person where possible and, where a cure is not yet possible, to help the individual cope. It is certainly not charitable to try to fool the person into believing that he or she is normal. It is even less charitable to try to twist societal mores into believing that aberrant behavior is actually normal.

This is doubly true when the aberrant behavior in question will cause those involved to spend eternity in hell.

As recently stated by Papal Theologian Rev. Wojciech Giertych, there is a need to treat persons with homosexual inclination with dignity, adding that dignity means telling them the truth. What truth? “Homosexuality is against human nature.” And what is needed is to “pastorally help such people to return to an emotional and moral integrity.”

 

[Marie5890]

People are born with a withered arm. We try to fix it where possible and help the person where fixing it is not possible. We don’t attempt some sort of canard to claim that this is perfectly normal.

People are born with fetal alcohol syndrome. If it were possible, we would try to fix it. In the interim, we try to help the person cope. We don’t attempt some sort of canard to claim that this is perfectly normal.

People may be born with Tourette Syndrome. We try to help the person in society. We certainly don’t claim that because somebody has Tourette with Coprolalia that all of society must be adjusted to accept outbursts of foul language. (Well, in some quarters language is tolerated…),

Being born with something does not automatically imply that society must tolerate the consequent behavior. The authentically charitable reaction of society is to help heal the person where possible and, where a cure is not yet possible, to help the individual cope. It is certainly not charitable to try to fool the person into believing that he or she is normal. It is even less charitable to try to twist societal mores into believing that aberrant behavior is actually normal.

This is doubly true when the aberrant behavior in question will cause those involved to spend eternity in hell.

As recently stated by Papal Theologian Rev. Wojciech Giertych, there is a need to treat persons with homosexual inclination with dignity, adding that dignity means telling them the truth. What truth? “Homosexuality is against human nature.” And what is needed is to “pastorally help such people to return to an emotional and moral integrity.”

Which goes back to my original comment of the message sent to people who happen to be gay…

“There is something WRONG with you”

Most people who happen to be gay, dont feel that there is something wrong with them, medically or otherwise.

It’s a message that fails.

The Church’s message fails because it doesnt understand that those who happen to be born gay dont feel that they are born disordered. They feel and see themselves as as much whole as heterosexuals.

So the message fails. Big time.

 

[markomalley]

Which goes back to my original comment of the message sent to people who happen to be gay…

“There is something WRONG with you”

Most people who happen to be gay, dont feel that there is something wrong with them, medically or otherwise.

It’s a message that fails.

The Church’s message fails because it doesnt understand that those who happen to be born gay dont feel that they are born disordered. They feel and see themselves as as much whole as heterosexuals.

So the message fails. Big time.

I remember having this conversation with a couple of homosexual gentlemen back in the 70s. The point they were making at the time was “You don’t think I know it’s not normal? What man in his right mind would choose to be gay? Don’t you think if I could stop being gay I wouldn’t?”

Things sure have changed in the past 40 years.

Society has devolved as well. It was perfectly common sense back then for society to recognize homosexuality as aberrant back then (the reaction to it would vary from person to person, but there was no question as to the normalcy of the condition). Now, the aberrant behavior is to not fully accept homosexuality as normal, if not superior to heterosexuality.

The epitome of Isiah 5:20

[bibledrb]Isa 5:20 [/bibledrb]

So is your solution to abandon God with the rest of society and say that this perversion is perfectly normal and good and healthy and virtuous?

 

[Marie5890]

I remember having this conversation with a couple of homosexual gentlemen back in the 70s. The point they were making at the time was “You don’t think I know it’s not normal? What man in his right mind would choose to be gay? Don’t you think if I could stop being gay I wouldn’t?”

Things sure have changed in the past 40 years.

Society has devolved as well. It was perfectly common sense back then for society to recognize homosexuality as aberrant back then (the reaction to it would vary from person to person, but there was no question as to the normalcy of the condition). Now, the aberrant behavior is to not fully accept homosexuality as normal, if not superior to heterosexuality.

The epitome of Isiah 5:20

[bibledrb]Isa 5:20 [/bibledrb]

So is your solution to abandon God with the rest of society and say that this perversion is perfectly normal and good and healthy and virtuous?

Im pointing out that its a message that fails in the 21st century, regardless of the conversations you had 4 decades ago.

It’s a message that fails in the 21st century.

 

[McCall1981]

Which goes back to my original comment of the message sent to people who happen to be gay…

“There is something WRONG with you”

Most people who happen to be gay, dont feel that there is something wrong with them, medically or otherwise.

It’s a message that fails.

The Church’s message fails because it doesnt understand that those who happen to be born gay dont feel that they are born disordered. They feel and see themselves as as much whole as heterosexuals.

So the message fails. Big time.

The Church can’t make someone believe the Truth if that person doesn’t want to. All the Church, or any of us, can do is present the Truth is a compassionate way, which is exactly what this conference is doing.

Clearly not all homosexual people reject the Truth or this conference wouldn’t exist, so some are embracing it. For those that don’t, there is really nothing else that can be done other than to be patient and continue to offer the Truth.

In your opinion, what should the message be that wouldn’t “fail”?

 

[Marie5890]

In your opinion, what should the message be that wouldn’t “fail”?

Fair question.

One that didnt tell people who happen to be born gay that their being born gay makes their very being born was a cross. That their being born gay was a curse, a mistake, a medical condition.

Being told “something is wrong with you, and has been wrong with you from the day of your birth” is gonna make people tune out----and in large numbers.

 

[rlg94086]

One of the problems with COURAGE is that it stereotypes people who happen to be gay. It lables them as “something is wrong with you, you are not normal, you being you is a cross”

I have family members and friends who happen to be gay. They dont see their being gay as a cross. They dont think that anything is wrong with them.

I understand the Church is trying, withing it’s doctrines, to address this, but it fails in so many ways when it labels people “you being you is wrong, you being you means something is wrong with you”

My family members who happen to be gay dont feel like it’s a cross, They feel its as natural as the color of their eyes.

Wait, I’m confused. Your family members don’t consider having sexual desires they can’t act on a cross? I struggle with lesser concupiscence that I consider a cross, so I don’t get how some born with a desire contrary to nature could not see that as a cross.

 

[McCall1981]

Fair question.

One that didnt tell people who happen to be born gay that their being born gay makes their very being born was a cross. That their being born gay was a curse, a mistake, a medical condition.

Being told “something is wrong with you, and has been wrong with you from the day of your birth” is gonna make people tune out----and in large numbers.

But this is just saying that sinners (which is all of us) don’t like to be confronted with the fact that we’re sinners (which is also all of us). This is of course true, but that’s the very nature of fallen humanity, we can’t change it.

No one likes to shown (or admit) when they do something immoral, we all have the pride that wants to resist and justify whatever we do. But it is the heart of the Christian faith to present the Truth to others and do our best to help them see.

Yes, unfortunately, some will will reject the Truth, but just because some reject it, it doesn’t mean we stop presenting it. Jesus presented the Truth to the world, and the world rejected Him so very much that they crucified Him. His message was so poorly received that almost no one stayed loyal to Him through the crucifixion, even His own Apostles. The Church had always been presecuted for presenting the Truth, and always will be. The message of Christianity will never be popular because it goes against the ways of the world by definiton.

So our “success” isn’t determined by how popular our message is, or whether people want to hear it. Our “success” is in being faithful witnesses to the Truth.

 

[Marie5890]

Wait, I’m confused. Your family members don’t consider having sexual desires they can’t act on a cross? I struggle with lesser concupiscence that I consider a cross, so I don’t get how some born with a desire contrary to nature could not see that as a cross.

They considered being born with same sex attraction equal to being born with whatever eye color they have been born with. Normal.

They see being born with blue eyes or brown eyes as normal and they see being born with SSA s the same.

The Catholic message of “something is wrong with you” tunes then out as much as if " if you are born with brown eyes , there is something medically wrong/disordered about you. Something is WRONG with you from your birth"

They reject that message out right. And they are not living the extreme gay life style. They are every day people. Nothing extreme.

And the Church’s message fails to touch them. They dont fit the extreme stereotype that so many buy into.

They have whatever eye color they have and happen to be gay.

 

[Marie5890]

But this is just saying that sinners (which is all of us) don’t like to be confronted with the fact that we’re sinners (which is also all of us). This is of course true, but that’s the very nature of fallen humanity, we can’t change it.

No one likes to shown (or admit) when they do something immoral, we all have the pride that wants to resist and justify whatever we do. But it is the heart of the Christian faith to present the Truth to others and do our best to help them see.

Yes, unfortunately, some will will reject the Truth, but just because some reject it, it doesn’t mean we stop presenting it. Jesus presented the Truth to the world, and the world rejected Him so very much that they crucified Him. His message was so poorly received that almost no one stayed loyal to Him through the crucifixion, even His own Apostles. The Church had always been presecuted for presenting the Truth, and always will be. The message of Christianity will never be popular because it goes against the ways of the world by definiton.

So our “success” isn’t determined by how popular our message is, or whether people want to hear it. Our “success” is in being faithful witnesses to the Truth.

Again,they equate happen to being born gay as as normal as being born with brown eyes. Someone telling them their being born gay is disordered or wrong makes as much sense to them as someone saying “your having brown eyes is disordred. Something is WRONG with you. You being you is a cross. Your existance is a cross to you”

They reject that message out right.They find it as bizarre as someone telling them their eyes being brown is a cross.

They see it as completely ignorant and a poor attempt at being stereotyped by the ignorant.

 

[McCall1981]

Again,they equate happen to being born gay as as normal as being born with brown eyes. Someone telling them their being born gay is disordered or wrong makes as much sense to them as someone saying “your having brown eyes is disordred. Something is WRONG with you. You being you is a cross. Your existance is a cross to you”

They reject that message out right.They find it as bizarre as someone telling them their eyes being brown is a cross.

They see it as completely ignorant and a poor attempt at being stereotyped by the ignorant.

Well, people have free will. They can ultimately choose to reject the Truth and there’s not much the Church or any of us can do about it other than be patient and pray about it.

 

[Marie5890]

Well, people have free will. They can ultimately choose to reject the Truth and there’s not much the Church or any of us can do about it other than be patient and pray about it.

Yes, we are all free to reject spiritual realities.

We must never be naive as to why the Church’s message fails however, for whatever reason.

 

[edwest2]

Yes, we are all free to reject spiritual realities.

We must never be naive as to why the Church’s message fails however, for whatever reason.

We must be aware of why the Church teaches what it does first.

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20030731_homosexual-unions_en.html

Eye color or left or right handedness is not a sin. Only we can decide to act on this or that behavior no matter where we think it comes from.

Peace,
Ed

 

[ivebeenshown]

Yes, we are all free to reject spiritual realities.

We must never be naive as to why the Church’s message fails however, for whatever reason.

It’s not the Church’s message that fails, Marie. It is the hearts of others that fail to receive it, for whatever reason. But with that in mind, it would be a waste of effort to pitch such a truth to individuals whose hearts are in that sort of place. Now, to other Catholics, it is useful to reiterate that message for strengthening and affirmation.