Hypothetical Question: What will you do if the Catholic Church accepts gay "marriage"?

[JRKH]

After reading the OP and the replies above, My first inclination was to join those who say “It will never happen”. (I believe that).

However I had a thought that troubled me.

Suppose the Supreme Court ruled against states that ban gay marriage and same sex marriage became the law of the land. Now what would the Church do?

She would continue on as she has…

Could a gay Catholic couple bring suit against the Church for refusing to perform a marriage ceremony.

Sure - and they would lose.

• • • OR - - -
      The Church would simply stop performing civil marriages. Currently, Catholic priests are licensed to perform weddings by the state. It’s a convenience for everyone. BUT if the state were to say that anyone licensed to perform weddings MUST perform the ceremony for anyone who may legally wed…then the Church can simply turn in their license.
      Then we would work in here in the U.S. in the same manner that they already do in Italy. First a brief civil ceremony at the courthouse and then a Sacramental wedding at the Church.
      Or maybe the Church would work out with local officials to have someone right there at the Church to handle the legal aspects while the priest handles the sacramental …

In other words we would work around it.

Could gay activists demand that the Church cease teaching that same sex marriage is wrong and the Catechism should be changed to reflect that?

They can demand whatever they like…In fact they already are…

Could gay parents bring suit against Catholic schools for teaching that their marriage was not acceptable?

As I say - sure they can…Anyone can sue for anything…winning is another matter…

Peace
James

 

[OraLabora]

The Church would simply stop performing civil marriages. Currently, Catholic priests are licensed to perform weddings by the state.

This is the most likely scenario and in fact it exists in several countries already where the Church’s clergy are not licensed to perform the legal aspect of marriage. Couples go and get married at the courthouse then come to the Church for their sacramental marriage which has no legal status in those particular states.

 

[catholictiger]

I don’t mean to hurt anyone by asking this. The way I see it is, it is most likely going to happen. The gay mafia is actively working on making sure it will happen. Most Catholics, even ones that go to Church accept this. We are already seeing increasing hostility to anyone who says that marriage is only between a man and a woman.

The Catholic Church is their ultimate goal. It is against everything they want and they will relish only if they destroy her.

George Soros is funding “progressive Christianity”:
theblaze.com/stories/2011/06/15/why-is-atheist-george-soros-giving-money-to-a-faith-project/

Let’s not look at hypotheticals, let’s rather look at the possibility of this happening. I realize that the culture is moving towards a wide acceptance of Gay marriage. It is one of the most heavily debated topics in the media. But the Church has made it clear it’s view on marriage. The purpose of Marriage is the Unity of Spouses and the generation of children. Scripture tells us that love is a gift of self, a man makes himself a gift to the women and out of that self gift comes another person, a father and mothers own flesh and blood. The trinity is actually the greatest example of this Love. There is a three fold aspect of the Love in the trinity. There is a love between the father and the son and out of this love comes the Holy Spirit. If marriage is founded on love is a gift of self, and out of that gift of self comes another person, than a man and a man, or a women and a women can never fully live this out. There is nothing wrong with love between the same sex, but loves truest meaning is found in intimacy in marriage, and it can only find it’s fulfillment through the love of man for a women.

To put it simply, the Church will never change it’s view on gay marriage because, at the center of Marriage is love and intimacy. This love and intimacy causes unity of the spouse and the generation of an off spring. A gay couple can never experience this, because no matter how intimate they are with each other, they can’t on their own produce an off spring.

 

[runningdude]

I don’t mean to hurt anyone by asking this. The way I see it is, it is most likely going to happen. The gay mafia is actively working on making sure it will happen. Most Catholics, even ones that go to Church accept this. We are already seeing increasing hostility to anyone who says that marriage is only between a man and a woman.

The Catholic Church is their ultimate goal. It is against everything they want and they will relish only if they destroy her.

George Soros is funding “progressive Christianity”:
theblaze.com/stories/2011/06/15/why-is-atheist-george-soros-giving-money-to-a-faith-project/

I accept the Catholic Church at its face value; that it is dogmatically infallible.

If it contradicted itself on a dogmatic question, then that would be proof not only that the church is false, but that God himself were false.

The Church leadership is very aware of this issue. Their entire claim to authority rests on perfectly preserving the deposit of faith. The optimist says they will always do this because the church is true. The pessimist says it is because they want power. Either way, the church will never contradict itself on such an issue.

The faithful can only trust in God.

 

[catholictiger]

I am just saying the Church will more or less look like any other Protestant denomination. They have actively rejected the Bible. We have bishops who support it. It’s only a matter of time we have a liberal pope who wants to make the Church “inclusive”

There is a common mistake made about the Pope. The Pope isn’t God, he doesn’t have the power to change any Church teaching as he sees fit. I doesn’t matter if we elect a Pope who does think the Church should accept gay Marriage. Christ himself, established marriage, not a Pope or bishop or council of the Church. Because it was Christ who established that marriage is between man and women, that can never ever change.

 

[johnnyc176]

But really, perhaps the Church might relax its focus on secular same-sex marriage –

Nah that’s not gonna happen either…the Church is not going to hide from the public square. It’s mission is to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to save souls. It will always be out front proclaiming the Truth of Jesus Christ and His Church. Now maybe some Bishops and Cardinals might not have the stomach for it but the Church as a whole will always proclaim the Truth. The World Meeting of Families in 2015 is a good example.

 

[McDale721]

I am not talking about US bishops. Bishops all over the world are currently speaking out publicly AGAINST Church teaching. And it has happened before that bishops formally dissent and are not removed, but continue to promote disorder and disunity through their wayward leadership.

I think this is verging on slander of our bishops and is disrespectful.

 

[Deus_tecum]

I am just saying the Church will more or less look like any other Protestant denomination. They have actively rejected the Bible. We have bishops who support it. It’s only a matter of time we have a liberal pope who wants to make the Church “inclusive”

Most of the Protestant Churches that have accepted gay pastors and agree with gay marriage are old line Protestant churches, and this is why so many Evangelical denominations have sprung up and have thousands of members per church; because they DO believe the Bible and they do not endorse gay marriage, so good Christians leave the old line denominations and join the Evangelicals.

 

[MarianCatholic]

I don’t mean to hurt anyone by asking this. The way I see it is, it is most likely going to happen. The gay mafia is actively working on making sure it will happen. Most Catholics, even ones that go to Church accept this. We are already seeing increasing hostility to anyone who says that marriage is only between a man and a woman.

The Catholic Church is their ultimate goal. It is against everything they want and they will relish only if they destroy her.

George Soros is funding “progressive Christianity”:
theblaze.com/stories/2011/06/15/why-is-atheist-george-soros-giving-money-to-a-faith-project/

We have the promise of Christ that the church are to be free of dogmatic errors and that it never will fall into the hands of the evil one.
So as others already have mentioned, it will never happen.

But if I where to play along with you in this imaginary world then YES I would’ve left the Catholic Church in a heartbeat and joined the Orthodox Church as they would’ve been right all along.
My belief in the papacy would’ve been destroid and all of the dogma and doctrine that we now hold sacred that divides us from the Orthodox Church would suddenly be heresy.

But again, this will never happen because Christ won’t let it happen.

Yours in Jesus and Mary

• MarianCatholic

 

[gracepoole]

I’m just curious (and truly not trying to thread-jack): would those who say they’d leave the Catholic Church and become Orthodox if Catholicism accepted same-sex marriage suddenly be okay with the Orthodox Church’s teaching on remarriage?

 

[marimagi]

Gays are fighting for legal marriage rights; accepted by the State with all benefits and liabilities. No religion is obligated to perform rites it does not believe in performing. For example, a divorced person can legally remarry, but cannot be remarried in the Church,

 

[cornucopian1984]

The “gay mafia”?

Oh, man.

 

[MarianCatholic]

I’m just curious (and truly not trying to thread-jack): would those who say they’d leave the Catholic Church and become Orthodox if Catholicism accepted same-sex marriage suddenly be okay with the Orthodox Church’s teaching on remarriage?

I can’t answer for others than myself, but remarriage is of lesser importance than homosexuals marrying in the church.

I can understand the Orthodox arguments that support remarriage even though I disagree, but to bless what God hates is unthinkable to me and in a situation like the one caricatured by OP I would just have to look past minor disagreements like remarriage.

Also if I where to believe that The Orthodox Church are the real Catholic Church I would have lesser of a problem to obey their church’s teachings (such as remarriage among other issues).

Your brother in Christ

• MarianCatholic

 

[oldgraymare2]

I personally just cannot ever imagine this happening, either.

I agree with the poster catholictiger, who said that, “Because it was Christ who established that marriage is between man and women, that can never ever change.”

I also agree with JRKH’s post, too:

“Just as a brief example relating to this subject…
The Church teaches that sex is reserved for marriage and it’s purpose is pro-creation. Two people of the same sex cannot engage in the sex act - period. They can engage in all sorts of activities of a sexual nature, but they cannot end the act in a manner fitting with the Church’s definition.
So - in order for the Church to accept homosexual marriage, they would have to first change the teaching on the purpose of sexual activities.”

 

[EasterJoy]

The “gay mafia”?
Oh, man.


The Catholic church is not the “ultimate goal” of homosexual people, and those who support same-sex marriage. They just want the church to leave them alone and let them live their lives.

Still, I think you are right in the feeling that a revolution of thinking is evolving on this topic and that gradually, more and more people will feel that supporting same-sex marriage is the humane and more loving way to go.
I don’t think the Catholic church would ever accept same-sex marriage.
The thing is…many people would leave the church if they ever do (as per the posts here) and many people will leave the church if they don’t.

PS–I do think, tho, that the church might change their views and decision on female priests in the future.

.

There are some baptized Catholics who disagree with you. Some of them started an organization called Roman Catholic Womenpriests. They have been excommunicated, but claim to have “rejected their excommunication.”

The Church is not going to change its stand on same-sex marriage, but it is not because there are no homosexual Catholics who want them to do it. Not every Catholic who disagrees profoundly with the Church and the constant teachings of the Church is willing to just go start a new denomination, be very sure of that.

 

[gracepoole]

I can’t answer for others than myself, but remarriage is of lesser importance than homosexuals marrying in the church.

I can understand the Orthodox arguments that support remarriage even though I disagree, but to bless what God hates is unthinkable to me and in a situation like the one caricatured by OP I would just have to look past minor disagreements like remarriage.

Also if I where to believe that The Orthodox Church are the real Catholic Church I would have lesser of a problem to obey their church’s teachings (such as remarriage among other issues).

Your brother in Christ

• MarianCatholic

Thanks for entertaining my question. But I’m not sure why remarriage is of “lesser importance,” since according to the Catholic Church, Christ specifically and directly forbad it. I’m not trying to argue – just curious. Still, to each his own.

 

[spedteacherita]

I don’t mean to hurt anyone by asking this. The way I see it is, it is most likely going to happen. The gay mafia is actively working on making sure it will happen. Most Catholics, even ones that go to Church accept this. We are already seeing increasing hostility to anyone who says that marriage is only between a man and a woman.

The Catholic Church is their ultimate goal. It is against everything they want and they will relish only if they destroy her.

George Soros is funding “progressive Christianity”:
theblaze.com/stories/2011/06/15/why-is-atheist-george-soros-giving-money-to-a-faith-project/

The Christian Church as a whole is under attack and many are buckling under the “need” to be tolerant and accepting of many sinful practices. I have been watching EWTN for over a year now and this gives me confidence to say that I really do not see Pope Francis or any future Pope giving in to social pressures and allowing an unbiblical practice to be a part of its dogma. Unfortunately, we do see some Protestant churches giving in to these pressures but there are many who are not as well. We must hate the sin but love the sinner…

 

[mommamaree]

I think this is verging on slander of our bishops and is disrespectful.

No, slander would be different. Slander involves making public false accusations to ruin someone’s reputation. Commenting on the fact that we have had in the past and that we also have now bishops that speak out against Church teaching is simply stating a fact. I haven’t even named any bishops, but we do in fact, in the Catholic Church, have bishops who are saying that contraception should be allowed and that priests under their authority may not participate in pro-life prayer vigils and that homosexual behavior is acceptable. We need to be aware of this and pray for them and our Church. To ignore their errors is not charitable to them or to our fellow Catholics in the pews. Recall that in the history of the Church, we have gone through periods where the majority of the bishops were embracing heresy, like in the Arian crisis. I respect our bishops, even when I disagree with what they promote, when they are objecting to Church teaching.

 

[Jeanne_S]

I am just saying the Church will more or less look like any other Protestant denomination. They have actively rejected the Bible. We have bishops who support it. It’s only a matter of time we have a liberal pope who wants to make the Church “inclusive”

Nope,it is not ever going to happen. Now if you mean accepting those with SSA the Church takes no issue with this.Only when it is acted on,does it become sinful.

 

[MarianCatholic]

Thanks for entertaining my question. But I’m not sure why remarriage is of “lesser importance,” since according to the Catholic Church, Christ specifically and directly forbad it. I’m not trying to argue – just curious. Still, to each his own.

Lesser importance was a poor formulation by me.
Im well aware of our church’s view on devorce and remarriage as its explicitly described as a highly immoral action in the Cathecism and I obviously agree with the church teachings, but to me personally it would be easier to swallow remarriage than same-sex marriages.

I see it as the difference between heresy with big H and small H, same-sex marriage are Heresy at its worst while remarriage is heresy with an small H.
(My personal opinion obviously).

So the heresy commited in the Catholic Church if we where to allow same-sex marriage is of such a nasty character that I would be left with no choice, but to leave.
And to me there is no other opotion than the Orthodox Church as they are apostolic too.

( btw I’ve been Protestant and trust me, I’ll never go down that road again)
As I said in my previous post, I speak for myself only).