Disturbed at how many priests are liberal

[pkshadow]

I went to confession last saturday like i always do and confessed masturbation which i continuously struggle with. My priest responds by telling me its venial at my age(i always pull back the curtain i am 17 btw) If i didn’t know any better this could have stopped me trying quit, which disturbs me. Im thinking this is the appropriate Forum if not sorry.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

I’m not sure why you equate your priest’s advice with liberalism. Habit, age (maturity) as well as physical development (hormones), and understanding of what is sinful all contribute to the ‘ruling’ of whether something is considered mortal or venial sin. This sort of judgement is true of many actions, not just masturbation. Your priest did not say your actions were not sinful at all, but he judged, based on what you said, perhaps your age, that your actions did not completely fulfill the definition of a mortal sin. As your priest and confessor, that is his perogative.

You want to stop these actions, so continue to do what you have found sucessful. Even if a priest says a sin is venial you can still ask for advice on how to stop doing something or how to change a habit. I have no advice for you on that, but I do implore you not to create a habit of questioning your absolution or discussing your confessions publicly,

 

[scylla]

Even if we have a whole diocese full of hippy priests, they are still priests, so even if they give you some crummy advice or are kinda wimpy in the confessional, confess anyways the absolution is valid. I am disturbed at how gutless the priests are in my area but that doesn’t mean all are that way. I still realize that when they are up on that altar or in the confessional, they are acting in the person of Christ, no matter how unworthy or worthy that Priest is.
I would love that more Priests are strong soldiers for Christ but unfortunately we have a divine Church with a human element of weakness. This is the year to pray for them and help them become the men they should be. I am friends with a pretty liberal priest, but he seems to be overcoming it and starting to act like a man as he gets older and more Christlike. I was a horrible Catholic most my life and God, prayer and fasting works on all of us, I am not perfect but I am a whole lot better than I once was.

Keep at the faith, it is a lot of work to let God make you into a better person, it is worth it though, be strong and pray for our priests.
Scylla

 

[Cluny]

The terms “liberal” and “conservative” are merely relative expressions, with no precise meaning.

At the time of his election, Pius IX was considered very liberal.

99% of all teenage males masturbate, and the other 1% are lying when they say they don’t.

 

[sancte_joseph]

The terms “liberal” and “conservative” are merely relative expressions, with no precise meaning.

At the time of his election, Pius IX was considered very liberal.

99% of all teenage males masturbate, and the other 1% are lying when they say they don’t.

LOL anyway… Just because everyone does it doesn’t mean it becomes a lesser sin… and if you know that it’s bad… it’s actually worse…
Everyone sins! but that doesn’t make sin good… or something we shouldn’t worry about… I’ve confessed this particular sin to my priest before and he explained how i should think about human dignity especially if i used pornography… I didn’t feel condemned or anything… but he helped me… fight the hormones and stuff… It took a while (i confessed it more than once)

 

[wraithx]

According to moral theology there are times when the seriousness of this sin is reduced. I would trust that your priest (who has no doubt studied moral theology) understands this much more deeply than any of us here and his advice should be trusted absolutely.

Moral theology manuals also point out to priests (specifically in this particular sin) that a person must be guided very gently because of the nature of the sin. It is a difficult habit to break and a priest doesn’t want the person to feel hopeless against it - because there is hope - it just takes time and a very concerted effort of the will.

For those who suffer from this difficult to conquer sin, the Church has, in the past, recommended things like:

Sleep on your right side with your arms folded across your chest
Get up immediately in the morning - don’t lie about in bed
Avoid thoughts of impurity or impure touches of other people (even the “safe” parts)
If you get thoughts of impurity, put them out of your mind immediately - think of something else

Additionally, you can consider joining the archconfraternity of the cord of St Joseph. You wear a cord with 7 knots around your waist at all times. It has indulgences and helps you to persevere in purity and chastity. A traditional Catholic priest should know how to make the cord and how to bless it and join you to the archconfraternity. If he doesn’t know, he will probably be able to find out for you. Here is more information on it:

fisheaters.com/stjosephcords.html

 

[CradleCath]

According to moral theology there are times when the seriousness of this sin is reduced. I would trust that your priest (who has no doubt studied moral theology) understands this much more deeply than any of us here and his advice should be trusted absolutely.

Moral theology manuals also point out to priests (specifically in this particular sin) that a person must be guided very gently because of the nature of the sin. It is a difficult habit to break and a priest doesn’t want the person to feel hopeless against it - because there is hope - it just takes time and a very concerted effort of the will.

For those who suffer from this difficult to conquer sin, the Church has, in the past, recommended things like:

Sleep on your right side with your arms folded across your chest
Get up immediately in the morning - don’t lie about in bed
Avoid thoughts of impurity or impure touches of other people (even the “safe” parts)
If you get thoughts of impurity, put them out of your mind immediately - think of something else

Additionally, you can consider joining the archconfraternity of the cord of St Joseph. You wear a cord with 7 knots around your waist at all times. It has indulgences and helps you to persevere in purity and chastity. A traditional Catholic priest should know how to make the cord and how to bless it and join you to the archconfraternity. If he doesn’t know, he will probably be able to find out for you. Here is more information on it:

fisheaters.com/stjosephcords.html

Very good advice. The following is from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

2352 By masturbation is to be understood the deliberate stimulation of the genital organs in order to derive sexual pleasure. “Both the Magisterium of the Church, in the course of a constant tradition, and the moral sense of the faithful have been in no doubt and have firmly maintained that masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered action.” “The deliberate use of the sexual faculty, for whatever reason, outside of marriage is essentially contrary to its purpose.” For here sexual pleasure is sought outside of “the sexual relationship which is demanded by the moral order and in which the total meaning of mutual self-giving and human procreation in the context of true love is achieved.”
To form an equitable judgment about the subjects’ moral responsibility and to guide pastoral action, one must take into account the affective immaturity, force of acquired habit, conditions of anxiety or other psychological or social factors that lessen, if not even reduce to a minimum, moral culpability.

Still, it’s a sin & a bad habit. I admire you for confessing it & I think that the fact that you did & will do so again if necessary, brings grace that will help you conquer it.

 

[pkshadow]

well my point was that most people dont goto confession unless they think they have to, so if he said this to other teens my age it might make them think well hey i dont have to go. and i never said i didn’t respect my parish priest i love him, he brought me into the faith last year and continues to be a part of my spiritual life and is there whenever i need to goto confession before daily mass i just did not think it was the proper setting to tell me that in my circumstance it wasn’t that serious

 

[pkshadow]

and why not discuss my confession as far as i know your allowed to openly talk about your confession right? the more people that know the more i feel accountable for my actions, and btw i am a part of the confraternity of the cord of st joseph its helped me quite a bit

 

[scylla]

It is quite irresponsible to say that 99% of teens masturbate and 1% lie, as I personally know that it is possible not to, and to avoid such a sin.
Advice on this, get rid of occasions to sin and it helps enormously. Just remove the things that tempt you, avoid the things that tempt you and focus on letting God make you a better person, you will live with less shame and more contentment. It will also make you a tougher person, though you might be a little grumpy sometimes you will be less shameful. Being less shameful will make you happy in the end and much more at peace.

Being faithful is difficult but not impossible. And if you fail it is our duty to repent and not sin again.

As for the term liberal, I would encourage the reading of Liberalism is a Sin as it highlights the errors that most people who consider themselves as Liberal fall into.
Here is a link, read it for free.
If you have about half an hour you can read it and learn a bit.
You can go to each chapter by clicking the links on the right.

God Bless
Scylla

 

[gmcbroom]

Okay I’ll ask the only question that truly counts towards the masturbation subject. Where in the Old or New Testament does it say masturbation is a sin?
If it is in the Magisterium thats one thing ie, a moral tradition like celibacy or even a policy. While traditions are important and yes, issues of moral conduct. They are not laws. But if it’s in the Bible thats more concrete. So please quote where it is so I can read it myself. Note my post is not meant to be harsh or in anyway insensitive. I would just like to know so we can all put it behind us. Besides there is another way to look at it. Remember only Jesus and Mary were without sin. Everyone else ever born or yet to be born will at some point sin. We are all a sinful people. Confession can help but if you need stronger motivation just remember that we all sin and though it should be fought against it should also be accepted. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Timothysis]

I went to confession last saturday like i always do and confessed masturbation which i continuously struggle with. My priest responds by telling me its venial at my age(i always pull back the curtain i am 17 btw) If i didn’t know any better this could have stopped me trying quit, which disturbs me. Im thinking this is the appropriate Forum if not sorry.

Would you prefer that your priest tell you that you are damned and going to hell for doing such a thing? Since your priest is your spiritual father, why not listen to what he says and meditate on it to determine just what it is he is telling you. Masturbation is a very, very difficult habit to control and it is something that you will never totally conquer.

 

[sancte_joseph]

Okay I’ll ask the only question that truly counts towards the masturbation subject. Where in the Old or New Testament does it say masturbation is a sin?
If it is in the Magisterium thats one thing ie, a moral tradition like celibacy or even a policy. While traditions are important and yes, issues of moral conduct. They are not laws. But if it’s in the Bible thats more concrete. So please quote where it is so I can read it myself. Note my post is not meant to be harsh or in anyway insensitive. I would just like to know so we can all put it behind us. Besides there is another way to look at it. Remember only Jesus and Mary were without sin. Everyone else ever born or yet to be born will at some point sin. We are all a sinful people. Confession can help but if you need stronger motivation just remember that we all sin and though it should be fought against it should also be accepted. Just my 2 cents.

Leviticus 15. Verse 16

 

[sancte_joseph]

Okay I’ll ask the only question that truly counts towards the masturbation subject. Where in the Old or New Testament does it say masturbation is a sin?
If it is in the Magisterium thats one thing ie, a moral tradition like celibacy or even a policy. While traditions are important and yes, issues of moral conduct. They are not laws. But if it’s in the Bible thats more concrete. So please quote where it is so I can read it myself. Note my post is not meant to be harsh or in anyway insensitive. I would just like to know so we can all put it behind us. Besides there is another way to look at it. Remember only Jesus and Mary were without sin. Everyone else ever born or yet to be born will at some point sin. We are all a sinful people. Confession can help but if you need stronger motivation just remember that we all sin and though it should be fought against it should also be accepted. Just my 2 cents.

And if that one bible verse isn’t enough…

Offenses against chastity: 2352. By masturbation is to be understood the deliberate stimulation of the genital organs in order to derive sexual pleasure. “Both the Magesterium of the Church, in the course of a constant tradition, and the moral sense of the faithful, have been in no doubt and have firmly maintained that masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered action.” “The deliberate use of the sexual faculty, for whatever reason, outside of marriage is essentially contrary to its purpose.” For here sexual pleasure is sought outside of “the sexual relationship which is demanded by the moral order and in which the total meaning of mutual self-giving and human procreation in the context of true love is achieved.”

To form an equitable judgment about the subjects’ moral responsibility and to guide pastoral action, one must take into account the affective immaturity, force of acquired habit, conditions of anxiety or other psychological or social factors that lessen or even extenuate moral culpability. (1992 Catechism).

 

[youngsaint]

I also struggle with this , and my priest said that its like learning to walk, if you fall, just get back up and try again. He said to not take it so hard when I fall, which concerns me also… Isn’t it a venial sin though? Mortal sins are serious ones like rape, murder, missing mass… right?

It still concerns me how he just pushed it aside…

 

[ridiculeddisply]

Leviticus 15. Verse 16

I find it very unhelpful to any moral argument to quote from Leviticus - Leviticus is essentially a book of laws for the people of the time it was written, with some value still contained therein, certainly, but it’s very easy to counter any quote from it by pointing out (rather legitimately) that next to that verse is a verse about what other specific instances of what is “clean” or “unclean” that we, as Catholics, consider obsolete today.

 

[Califman831]

Good thread title but then it went no where. There should be some advise on how to get these weak priests kicked out of the clergy. As stated in Goodbye Good Men, the seminaries are rejecting strong conservative priests for the sake of having a clergy of liberals, socialists, and very unfortunately homosexuals. On the other hand we have real examples of men and women that are authentic leaders of the church, people such as Father Corapi, Mother Angelica, and Father Normal Weslin.

Goodbye, Good Men: How Liberals Brought Corruption Into the Catholic Church
amazon.com/Goodbye-Good-Men-Liberals-Corruption/dp/0895261448

Weslin Arrest
youtube.com/watch?v=iiz4tfjSuPc&feature=player_embedded

 

[gmcbroom]

I’m glad someone gave me the verse to read Lev chp 15 verse 16. Now, now unclean until evening may be bad but that doesn’t mean your going to hell or even committing a mortal sin. To throw even more oil on the fire the book is concerned for the Legal Purity for priests. So unless your planning on being a priest or you already are one, you may choose to masturbate or not. If you are a priest and do it, you’ll only be unclean until evening. so there is no problem for anyone really. It’s a moral thing for the rest of us.
So the next time you choose to masturbate go ahead, just preferably behind closed doors.

This does throw a new light on the Liberal priests though. Why? because if the older more traditionally conservatives ones were screaming bloody murder then they were just putting their political views and ideas on you to control you and vent their own frustrations.
Some may not like todays more liberal priests but on the brightside they may not be so political. It’s your choice.

 

[ac_claire]

I’m glad someone gave me the verse to read Lev chp 15 verse 16. Now, now unclean until evening may be bad but that doesn’t mean your going to hell or even committing a mortal sin. To throw even more oil on the fire the book is concerned for the Legal Purity for priests. So unless your planning on being a priest or you already are one, you may choose to masturbate or not. If you are a priest and do it, you’ll only be unclean until evening. so there is no problem for anyone really. It’s a moral thing for the rest of us.
So the next time you choose to masturbate go ahead, just preferably behind closed doors.

It’s so hard to tell when people are teasing online, or being serious. I hope you weren’t being serious here. Masturbation is always sinful.

Off-topic…Do you go to Our Lady’s Maronite Church, btw? I’ve been there a few times, it’s a lovely parish.

 

[wraithx]

youngsaint: it is a mortal sin - which is all the more reason to make sure you push the thoughts aside as quickly as possible when they arise.