Help with New Letter to the Editor

[Kay_Cee]

A letter in my paper this morning is an attack on the Church, and I am considering penning a response but could use some help. You can read the letter at this link by scrolling down to “Questions Pope”:

sbsun.com/voiceofpeople/ci_3278254

Obviously the writer doesn’t have a clue what the Church’s position regarding homosexuality actually is. I would appreciate any help finding a quote that states the Church’s official position.

I plan to bring up Mother Teresa and the work of the Sisters of Charity with AIDS patients as a rebuttal. Anything I could quote about that would also be greatly appreciated.

You guys were such great help last time that my letter was published.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

 

[vern_humphrey]

Step one is to read the document. You can find it here: cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=40891Here’s an excerpt:

Concerning profoundly deep-rooted homosexual tendencies, that one discovers in a certain number of men and women, these are also objectively disordered and often constitute a trial, even for these men and women. These people must be received with respect and delicacy; one will avoid every mark of unjust discrimination with respect to them. These are called to realize the will of God in their lives and to unite to the Sacrifice of the Lord the difficulties that they may encounter.

In light of this teaching, this department, in agreement with the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, holds it necessary clearly to affirm that the Church, while profoundly respecting the persons in question, may not admit to the seminary and Holy Orders those who practice homosexuality, show profoundly deep-rooted homosexual tendencies, or support the so-called gay culture.

Note that homosexuals are not banned – those who practice homosexuality are (just as non-celebate heterosexuals are), those whose tendencies are too deep-rooted (defined as having a homosexual relation in the last three years) and those who support the gay culture (priests may support only one culture – the Catholic culture.)

Note that the person you’re replying to (F.A. Rosenfelt) is clearly an anti-Catholic:

As long as this religion can suck millions and millions of dollars out of your pockets and construct decadent buildings, and buy elaborate costumes and decorations, it will continue to operate the same way.

 

[Strider]

I just had a discussion with a freind about this. Try the FACTS. I know # 2358 talks up a lot of space for a letter to the editor, but you could perhaps delete some of the end, or just use the first two sentences and refer readers to the CCC for the rest.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states in paragraph #2358: “The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.” # 2359 begins “Homosexual persons are called to chastity.”
Of course, these statements are not just pulled out of the air. Bible references; Gen 19:1-29, Rom 1:24-27, 1 Cor 6:10 and 1 Tim 1:10 are cited.
Good luck

 

[Everstruggling]

Here’s an idea,ignore it.

Anyone that will think, “Hey this person’s right!” will not listen to anything that you say. The article basically says this: “Catholics are anti-gay,. Catholics are evil because they’re rich. I’m a great person.” Tell me, how much effort do you really want to put into debating this person.

And take comfort, the people who read letters to the editor are in the minority.

 

[LSK]

A very important point to remember whenever someone attacks the Holy Mother Church is to make them back up *their *statements. What “decadent” buildings is the writer refering to? Is he refering to the beautiful Cathedrals built during the Middle Ages? Why, then, has he not required the many different religions, universities, governments, athletic organizations and corporations to do the same? Why does he require only the Catholic Church to stop building ‘decadent buildings’ that were put up 500 or 600 years ago?

It might also be interesting for you to note that the Navajo Nation has also banned same sex marriages, and yet no one has yet to attack them.

I always like to point out that it is my opinion that the reason the Catholic Church comes under attack by the media for its beliefs, its dogmas and its doctrines is because deep down people suspect that the Church represents the true teachings of Jesus Christ. If no one thought it did, no one would give a rat’s patoot what we did, what we practiced or what we believed as long as we were not breaking any civil laws.
An attack on the Catholic Church today is an attack on Jesus Christ’s followers, in much the same way as pagan Romans attacked us almost 2,000 years ago.

 

[RobNY]

Everstruggling:

Here’s an idea,ignore it.

Anyone that will think, “Hey this person’s right!” will not listen to anything that you say. The article basically says this: “Catholics are anti-gay,. Catholics are evil because they’re rich. I’m a great person.” Tell me, how much effort do you really want to put into debating this person.

And take comfort, the people who read letters to the editor are in the minority.

Hehe. I think you’re right… but.

But, people sometimes are suprised when they see a vigorious defense of the Catholic Church put up, because, quite frankly, they never even knew the Church was defensible. It’s one of those, ‘but wait, if the Church isn’t evil incarnate, then they might be right about other things too?’

Yet, there are still millions and millions of people starving to death, and they will only be fed by the Roman Catholic Church if and when they turn to the Roman Catholic beliefs. Do you think that is how God wants us to live? I don’t think so.

Since when do Catholics, as policy, only give to other Catholics?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Kay Cee:

A letter in my paper this morning is an attack on the Church, and I am considering penning a response but could use some help. You can read the letter at this link by scrolling down to “Questions Pope”:

sbsun.com/voiceofpeople/ci_3278254

Obviously the writer doesn’t have a clue what the Church’s position regarding homosexuality actually is. I would appreciate any help finding a quote that states the Church’s official position.

I plan to bring up Mother Teresa and the work of the Sisters of Charity with AIDS patients as a rebuttal. Anything I could quote about that would also be greatly appreciated.

You guys were such great help last time that my letter was published.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

“The Creator created homosexuals and many other different people and subjects.”

God creates Human beings. How they turn out is a product of enviroment and how they developed. Saying God created Homosexuals is like saying the God created the cancer patient or the serial killer! God created human beings who happened to develop cancer or the person who happens to not be able to deal with anger and rage.

“As long as this religion can suck millions and millions of dollars out of your pockets and construct decadent buildings, and buy elaborate costumes and decorations, it will continue to operate the same way.”

The thing to remember is that God owns everything anyway. Nothing we have is ours except that God gives it to us to use. If we build buildings to honor Him and decorate those buildings to show His glory so be it.

“Yet, there are still millions and millions of people starving to death, and they will only be fed by the Roman Catholic Church if and when they turn to the Roman Catholic beliefs. Do you think that is how God wants us to live? I don’t think so.”

One needs to remember that the Catholic Church feeds and cares for more poor and homeless people than all other agencies combined. The Catholic Church established the first hospital in the middle ages and today operates the largest non-profit healthcare system in the world.

Money well spent i’d say.

 

[Kay_Cee]

My first draft:

**I disagree with F. A. Rosenveldt’s attack on the Pope and the Catholic Church (Questions Pope, Letters, Dec. 5). Rosenveldt shows he does not understand the Church’s stand on homosexuality at all. The Church condemns sex outside marriage, and this includes fornication, adultery, and homosexual acts. Homosexual tendencies, however, are not condemned. The Church teaches that homosexuals “must be received with respect and delicacy; one will avoid every mark of unjust discrimination with respect to them.” **

Rosenveldt goes on to state “this religion can suck millions and millions of dollars out of your pockets and construct decadent buildings.” First of all, the Church has never “sucked” so much as a penny out of my pockets. Everything I have given has been voluntary. Secondly, I would like to know which buildings Rosenveldt considers “decadent.” Notre Dame? The Sistine Chapel?

Rosenveldt also states “there are still millions and millions of people starving to death, and they will only be fed by the Roman Catholic Church if and when they turn to the Roman Catholic beliefs.” That is absurd. The Church operates many soup kitchens and programs for the hungry but does not question anybody about his religious affiliation before providing aid.

Perhaps Rosenveldt has never heard of Mother Teresa and her Sisters of Charity. They opened facilities to care for AIDS patients back when nobody else would touch them. They have provided care for the poor and destitute for years in India, which is mostly Hindu.

Rosenveldt would do well to investigate what the Church actually teaches and how it actually operates before criticizing it.

It’s a bit long, and I know from past experience that the paper may edit it.

Comments? Suggestions?

P.S. A big thank you to Vern Humphrey for the quote!

 

[Kay_Cee]

Just a quick note to let you know my letter was published yesterday. You can read it here: sbsun.com/search/ci_3306042 (Scroll down to the letter entitled “Religious Clarity.”)

As I anticipated, my letter was edited. I had already cut it somewhat myself, but the paper cut it further, which they always seem to do, even though others have had letters much longer.

But at least they published it. One of the nuns at our parish thanked me this morning for writing it, but I would like to thank all of you who helped. You guys are the greatest!