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Guest
Greetings to all interested Catholics.
A little background. Maybe a year or so ago, the El Paso city council decided to extend benefits to unmarried partners of city employees. This really translates primarily into a homsexual issue and is a stepping-stone to recognizing the legitimacy of same-sex “marriage.” There was much resistance to this on the part of the citizenry and it was forced to a vote. At the polls, the people of El Paso rejected this measure. Now the city council, in a stunning rejection of the vote of the people, has taken legal means to quash the vote and extend the benefits anyway.
During this whole controversy, Father Rodriguez has been at the forefront, simply presenting what the Church truly teaches, on TV, on the radio and in the newspaper. The only members of the Catholic hierarchy to speak out about the issue have opposed Father Rodriguez. This includes the bishop and Father Ed Roden-Lucero.
The bishop basically dismissed Father Rodriguez’ presentation of Catholic teaching as being “personal opinion” in a column a few months ago.
For those of you who are a bit more motivated to take some action, you might consider writing to our bishop and congratulating him for having such a courageous priest as Father Rodriguez, willing to uncompromisingly present true Catholic teaching. Obviously, it must be your own thoughts so that it does not appear “cookie-cutter.”
Obviously, letters disrespectful to or criticizing His Excellency or other priests or persons would do more harm than good. There are plenty of positive ways to address Father Rodriguez’ good work without straying into other sorts of comments.
His Excellency, Bishop Armando X. Ochoa
Catholic Diocese of El Paso
499 St. Matthews St.
El Paso, Texas 79907
As Father Rodriguez has no support at all from his brother priests, a copy of your letter to the bishop sent to Father Rodriguez might be a nice touch, just to show your support for him.
Rev. Fr. Michael Rodriguez
San Juan Bautista Roman Catholic Church
5649 Dailey St.
El Paso, Texas 79905
Catholics must stand against all attempts to redefine marriage
By Michael Rodriguez, Guest Columnist
El Paso Times, Dec 26, 2010. Opinion section, page 9B
Fr. Michael Rodriguez is the parish priest at San Juan Bautista Catholic Church.
A little background. Maybe a year or so ago, the El Paso city council decided to extend benefits to unmarried partners of city employees. This really translates primarily into a homsexual issue and is a stepping-stone to recognizing the legitimacy of same-sex “marriage.” There was much resistance to this on the part of the citizenry and it was forced to a vote. At the polls, the people of El Paso rejected this measure. Now the city council, in a stunning rejection of the vote of the people, has taken legal means to quash the vote and extend the benefits anyway.
During this whole controversy, Father Rodriguez has been at the forefront, simply presenting what the Church truly teaches, on TV, on the radio and in the newspaper. The only members of the Catholic hierarchy to speak out about the issue have opposed Father Rodriguez. This includes the bishop and Father Ed Roden-Lucero.
The bishop basically dismissed Father Rodriguez’ presentation of Catholic teaching as being “personal opinion” in a column a few months ago.
For those of you who are a bit more motivated to take some action, you might consider writing to our bishop and congratulating him for having such a courageous priest as Father Rodriguez, willing to uncompromisingly present true Catholic teaching. Obviously, it must be your own thoughts so that it does not appear “cookie-cutter.”
Obviously, letters disrespectful to or criticizing His Excellency or other priests or persons would do more harm than good. There are plenty of positive ways to address Father Rodriguez’ good work without straying into other sorts of comments.
His Excellency, Bishop Armando X. Ochoa
Catholic Diocese of El Paso
499 St. Matthews St.
El Paso, Texas 79907
As Father Rodriguez has no support at all from his brother priests, a copy of your letter to the bishop sent to Father Rodriguez might be a nice touch, just to show your support for him.
Rev. Fr. Michael Rodriguez
San Juan Bautista Roman Catholic Church
5649 Dailey St.
El Paso, Texas 79905
Catholics must stand against all attempts to redefine marriage
By Michael Rodriguez, Guest Columnist
El Paso Times, Dec 26, 2010. Opinion section, page 9B
Code:
Jesus Christ’s praise of John the Baptist is without parallel, “among those born of women, no one is greater than he” (Luke 7:28). Thus, in John the Baptist, a “voice crying out in the desert,” we’re given the greatest prophet.
Well, how did he meet his end?
Faithful to God’s law, John the Baptist rebuked Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee, and told him he couldn’t take his brother’s wife as his own. As a result, Herod had John arrested, bound, imprisoned, and eventually beheaded (Matthew 14:3-12).
St. John the Baptist suffered martyrdom for crying out in defense of the institution of marriage!
Fifteen centuries later, in England, another saint and martyr, Sir Thomas More, was beheaded for witnessing to the truth about marriage.
Another political leader, this time King Henry VIII, sought to redefine marriage in order to suit his own particular agenda. The king wanted to obtain a “legal divorce” from his wife, Queen Catherine of Aragon, in order to marry Anne Boleyn.
Thomas More, lord chancellor of England at the time, and second in rank and power only to the king himself, courageously opposed Henry’s sin. This cost More his life.
St. Thomas More was beheaded on July 6, 1535. He shed his blood out of love and fidelity to Christ, the Catholic Church, and the sacrament of marriage.
Today, in the year of our Lord, 2010, in El Paso, Texas, a number of our City Council members appear to be morally blind, if not depraved. They seem intent on abusing their political power and undermining the institution of marriage, all in the pursuit of an agenda which could, at best, be described as misguided.
If in the future, a majority of City Council members are adamant in seeking government recognition of same-sex unions under the cloak of “toleration, fairness, and equal rights,” then every single Catholic must reject these machinations which are tantamount to a blatant corruption of public morality.
Catholics can never permit a “non-discrimination amendment to the city charter” which intends, or will allow, gravely sinful relationships to be equated with the Holy Sacrament of Matrimony.
Rome has been very clear in mandating that all Catholics must oppose any and all government attempts to legalize same-sex unions.
The U.S. Catholic bishops, in their November 2009 pastoral letter on marriage, have written, “One of the most troubling developments in contemporary culture is the proposition that persons of the same sex can ‘marry.’
“This proposal attempts to redefine the nature of marriage and the family and, as a result, harms both the intrinsic dignity of every human person and the common good of society.”
They teach further, “to promote and protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman is itself a matter of justice.”
The Roman Catholic Church is categorically opposed to the legalization of same-sex unions, and with good reason.
This position has nothing to do with discrimination.
Discrimination is against persons; we Catholics are opposing sinful actions. It’s irresponsible and irrational to ignore the essential moral distinction between a person and his/her actions.
No one has a “civil right” to redefine the institution of marriage!
It’s an utter breakdown in basic logic to speak about “fairness and equality” without first settling the issue of right vs. wrong! The latter is the moral foundation of the former!
Dear Catholics, it’s in our blood to be voices crying out in the desert, witnessing to the truth with love!
St. John the Baptist, pray for us. St. Thomas More, pray for us.