How a married gay Catholic couple live their faith

[SyroMalankara]

Regardless, Rev. whatever his name is could have simply attended and been on his way, quietly. Both the couple and he were trying to make some contra-Catholic point by pointing out his priesthood and his pro-gaymarriage stance. Why else mention it, or anything about it to the media? Who’s exploiting whom? Seems the priest wants all the recognition and standing of the Catholic priesthood, while disparaging the institution.

 

[JimG]

How do they live their faith? In accord with Catholic moral principles?

 

[SAVINGRACE]

I just found another reason why I may never again be a practicing Catholic if the teaching is one can’t attend a non Catholic ceremony for a family member, in this case a close nephew. The priest and nephew recognize the ceremony is invalid in the Catholic Church.

If you keep looking for reasons to support preconceived notions you are bound to find them, even where they don’t exist.

NEWSFLASH: You will find sinners in every church you attend. You are fooling yourself if you think you won’t find people, opinions or teachings you disagree with or make your blood boil. The trick is to accept that we are all sinners “pray for them” “love thy enemy as thyself”.

 

[SAVINGRACE]

How do they live their faith? In accord with Catholic moral principles?

The Priest uncle said he attended the wedding because the Church “needs more examples of holiness” but doesn’t say how this wedding or the behaviour of the men involved is “holy”.

 

[ProdglArchitect]

The Priest uncle said he attended the wedding because the Church “needs more examples of holiness” but doesn’t say how this wedding or the behaviour of the men involved is “holy”.

I think the priest was making the mistaken implication that “tolerance” equates to holiness. >_>

 

[marymary1975]

I think the priest was making the mistaken implication that “tolerance” equates to holiness. >_>

Or maybe the priest has an agenda.and.is trying.to push homosexuality into.the church from the inside.

 

[JimG]

The Priest uncle said he attended the wedding because the Church “needs more examples of holiness” but doesn’t say how this wedding or the behaviour of the men involved is “holy”.

Which makes me wonder just how it is that they are living their faith. The priest might have said the same of a young couple celebrating their shacking up with a housewarming party, or of a boy whose father rented him a prostitute for his 14th birthday party. “Living their faith,” presumably means living their faith, but how?

 

[Bookcat]

He did nothing to contravene his vows or Church teachings. He stated his opinion and attended a ceremony of family member. I’m pretty sure it has happened before that a priest has attended the wedding of a family member who was divorced and did not have their marriage annulled.

Actually he *did *(according to the story).

A Priest (or any Christian) may not affirm or approve of such or make such statements. They are contrary to the Catholic Faith and the Priestly obligations.

 

[Bookcat]

Catechism:

Chastity and homosexuality

2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity,141 tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered."142 They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

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 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.

• even if they are not committing sexual acts…such is still not to be approved.

 

[SAVINGRACE]

Actually he *did *(according to the story).

A Priest (or any Christian) may not affirm or approve of such or make such statements. They are contrary to the Catholic Faith and the Priestly obligations.

 

[Bookcat]

Catechism

1868 Sin is a personal act. Moreover, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them:

• by participating directly and voluntarily in them;
• by ordering, advising, praising, or approving them;
• by not disclosing or not hindering them when we have an obligation to do so;
• by protecting evil-doers.

scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s1c1a8.htm#V

 

[zz912]

I won’t try to go on with the very deep specifics of why one should or shouldn’t attend etc.a gay marriage; but I do appreciate your above comment and it drives right to the heart of what I’m getting at. I’m not really asking everyone here to jump up and down about gay marriage. But there has been a very disproportionate response to the situations we have been discussing.

Gay people are people. In the context of gay marriage, **two gay people are expressing a love for each other **that the Catholic church does not support as a sacrament or carnally. However we are talking about **two people that love each other **and want to have each other’s backs for life. You don’t have to support it; but there are WAY worse things going on in the world.

The Church teaches that this is a flawed and erroneous view of love.

 

[LongingSoul]

Which makes me wonder just how it is that they are living their faith. The priest might have said the same of a young couple celebrating their shacking up with a housewarming party, or of a boy whose father rented him a prostitute for his 14th birthday party. “Living their faith,” presumably means living their faith, but how?

In the light of Pope Francis “who am I to judge” comment, I think there is this new emphasis on another facet of what impels people to seek marriage or commitment. Even though the union is between two intrinsically incompatible parties, the desire to commit to a permanently binding union with another, itself is a human good. This isn’t just a baseless idea because it’s been developing in the field of criminal law ethics as well over the last some decades, which is stirring a lot of people up. It’s a major factor in the abolition of death sentences.

 

[Bookcat]

Our surrounding culture can effect us in ways we do not realize…

A splendid quote:

"Only in truth does charity shine forth, only in truth can charity be authentically lived.

Without truth, charity degenerates into sentimentality. Love becomes an empty shell, to be filled in an arbitrary way. In a culture without truth, this is the fatal risk facing love. It falls prey to contingent subjective emotions and opinions, the word “love” is abused and distorted, to the point where it comes to mean the opposite."

~ Pope Benedict XVI

CARITAS IN VERITATE

w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20090629_caritas-in-veritate.html

 

[SAVINGRACE]

I would suggest two actions:

1. We pray for all parties involved and the parishioners in Fr Ron’s parish.
2. We express our disappointment in his “publicly expressed view” by emailing his Bishop who can admonish and counsel Fr Ron. The Bishop may already be aware and onto it.

Please bear in mind upon re-reading the article that some of the comments attributed to Fr Ron were made in private to his nephew and partner who chose to publicise it.

 

[ProdglArchitect]

In the light of Pope Francis “who am I to judge” comment, I think there is this new emphasis on another facet of what impels people to seek marriage or commitment. Even though the union is between two intrinsically incompatible parties, the desire to commit to a permanently binding union with another, itself is a human good. This isn’t just a baseless idea because it’s been developing in the field of criminal law ethics as well over the last some decades, which is stirring a lot of people up. It’s a major factor in the abolition of death sentences.

We believe that the underlying reason for any sin is the desire for some good. Sexual sins are born of the inordinate desire for intimacy, gluttony is born of the inordinate desire for the good of food, etc.

While these people may be desiring good, they are replacing the truth with a lie, and ultimately engaging in an evil act. Pope Francis’ comments were in regard to one, specific individual about whom he was asked, and the response was in light of the fact that this homosexual individual is living according to God’s will rather than giving in to base desires. Unsurprisingly, this very, very important bit of context has been left out of pretty much every instance of reporting on the subject. This was not some general comment on the nature of homosexuality, it was a specific response to a specific question about a specific individual.

Also, the field of criminal law sadly has very little do do with moral law anymore.

 

[mdgspencer]

According to the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” homosexual acts should never be approved (section 2357 in the Catechism).
This priest gave his approval, if this story is accurate.

 

[3DOCTORS]

We believe that the underlying reason for any sin is the desire for some good. Sexual sins are born of the inordinate desire for intimacy, gluttony is born of the inordinate desire for the good of food, etc.

While these people may be desiring good, they are replacing the truth with a lie, and ultimately engaging in an evil act. Pope Francis’ comments were in regard to one, specific individual about whom he was asked, and the response was in light of the fact that this homosexual individual is living according to God’s will rather than giving in to base desires. Unsurprisingly, this very, very important bit of context has been left out of pretty much every instance of reporting on the subject. This was not some general comment on the nature of homosexuality, it was a specific response to a specific question about a specific individual.

Also, the field of criminal law sadly has very little do do with moral law anymore.

Yes. A counterfeit coin or bill may resemble strongly that which it attempts to be taken for. But it can be determined to be counterfeit by what it lacks, in this case the defining properties of a marriage.

 

[TCEL]

One situation involves killing and the other does not - and we wonder why we have trouble getting non-believers to listen. This reminds me of trying to explain how murder and the use of artificial birth control are both mortal sins…

I can’t help but answer that legally speaking, the lawyers argued successfully for abortion and appealed to contraception as their precedent. I have the pertinent parts selected, but this thread isn’t about that. But, people can find this if they dig.

 

[Sy_Noe]

If you keep looking for reasons to support preconceived notions you are bound to find them, even where they don’t exist.

NEWSFLASH: You will find sinners in every church you attend. You are fooling yourself if you think you won’t find people, opinions or teachings you disagree with or make your blood boil. The trick is to accept that we are all sinners “pray for them” “love thy enemy as thyself”.

Yes but some churches allow more leeway in being able to disagree.