Is it time we welcome the gay community to ours?

[JRKH]

IMHO, any member of the gay community
is welcome to take his or her place
standing in front of me or behind me
in the confession line.

 

[Diana_Catherine]

Anyone, anywhere is welcome in God’s Church. Yes, we should embrace them and love them and the doors are always open for them but living out the homosexual lifestyle is a sin. Like someone else said they are welcome before me or behind me in the confession line. Jesus is waiting for them.

Also, don’t you think it would be wrong for the Catholic church to be like the rest of the world and change its position on same sex marriage, accept it just for popularity and growth with the rest of the world. Isn’t that what politicians and novelists and many others of the world are doing. Agree with same sex marriage and get a vote. Write a novel for teens about a homosexual boy and make money, become popular at another’s expense. Get or keep a job at another’s expense.

cdc.gov/hiv/risk/age/youth/

To really love someone is to want their good and sometimes it isn’t what they think it is.

We need to love the gay community with everything we have but God’s ways are always the best ways, otherwise we are no better than the rest of the world. We would just be using their struggles for our own personal gain; popularity. And then in the process cause great harm to the gay community.

You are right. The Church is getting smaller but that is what is meant to be. The storm is coming,

 

[KimberlyCat]

When did we stop welcoming them?

 

[Brendan_64]

The church has always welcomed the gay community. But they are subject to the same regulations as every other catholic must fulfill…purity. If the church made an exception to this then it would be remiss in carrying out the mission of Jesus to sanctify them but every catholic as well.

But they are still welcome to come to our spiritual hospital.

That is my view.

That is completely correct.

We cannot change our position on the nature of marriage, and the sinfulness of sex outside marriage.

Yes, the numbers attending our churches are not as we would like, but what we must not do is mould ourselves to fit with secular society in order to attract people into our churches. Our church numbers are less than we would like, not because what we have is somehow faulty and needs to be revised, the problem is the nature of secular society. There is a battle for souls going on around us, and Satan has his himself well entrenched in secular society. How can we relax our stance on morals, just so that we can increase our numbers?

 

[LegoGE1947]

That is completely correct.

We cannot change our position on the nature of marriage, and the sinfulness of sex outside marriage.

Yes, the numbers attending our churches are not as we would like, but what we must not do is mould ourselves to fit with secular society in order to attract people into our churches. Our church numbers are less than we would like, not because what we have is somehow faulty and needs to be revised, the problem is the nature of secular society. There is a battle for souls going on around us, and Satan has his himself well entrenched in secular society. How can we relax our stance on morals, just so that we can increase our numbers?

Seems people want to be entertained, whether it is at church or wherever. Hence Protestant churches where you have theater-style seats, concession stands in the lobbies, services that resemble stage shows and places that put out big neon signs with the slogan “A DIFFERENT WAY TO DO CHURCH”!

 

[kozlosap]

I add to the above a specific command of St. Paul [1 Cor 5:9], “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people”

Paul also said that women should not teach men or be able to attend worship services in the main chapel. Goodness sakes, the Church is not hateful towards gay individuals or their private lives, unlike many posters here on CAF. I certainly don’t ever expect Papa Francis to ever describe gay people as disgusting.

 

[LegoGE1947]

Paul also said that women should not teach men or be able to attend worship services in the main chapel. Goodness sakes, the Church is not hateful towards gay individuals or their private lives, unlike many posters here on CAF. I certainly don’t ever expect Papa Francis to ever describe gay people as disgusting.

My son in law has a brother that is gay and is “married” to his partner. They seem to be nice enough guys but I’m still saddened by it.

 

[Slaney]

** Lets be honest the popularity of the church is declining at an alarming rate.**

So what is your view?

If God wanted quantity He would have told us to walk the wide road which has a bigger catch, but He told us to take the narrow road, it’s the same for gays as it is for the rest of us. It’s not a popularity contest, some walked away from Jesus because of what He said, which wasn’t popular …

 

[Starrsmother]

As the Apostle says, “do not even eat with such a one”. As Scripture says of the sexually immoral, “abhore even their clothing”.

Unless the immoral person repents, we should not embrace and welcome them as acceptable members of the community. Though we are all sinners, those practicing immorality, especially publicly, must repent.

Although Jesus came to save sinners and often “ate and drank with them”, Jesus says in the Gospels, “Unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish.”

Lest anyone think that Sodom and Gomorrah are Old Testament and pastence, St. Paul says, the “sodomite”, the “unchaste” will not enter Heaven.

Besides, even if you don’t accept the Gospel and the Apostles and Scripture, homosexuality is disgusting! Why would you want to keep company with it?

To me, with respect, you are representing the exact far opposite spectrum of Jesus’ teachings–and certainly not the Catholic community approach which Pope Francis’ views in seeing the church as a “hospital for sinners”. Homosexuals are disgusting are they? Well, so were the lepers that Jesus loved and so are many of the poor and filthy of this world today! We need to teach and live God’s word and love for each other–which is how Jesus said that the world would recognize us as His followers! This means that we can accept a homosexual at Mass, and welcome him or her for showing up as even that is a step in the right direction–even if in our heart, we know that they are a practicing homosexual. Conversely, we should do this, welcoming sinners as brothers and sisters in Christ, without trying to change God’s law and attempting to approve marrying two homosexual partners to each other in the Catholic church–which would, indeed, be a terrible sin! However, with attitudes like the one you express out there and “good Catholic” noses turned so sharply in the air in disgust, I doubt that many homosexuals would ever wander near a Catholic church where such judgment was proclaimed. Infact, I doubt I’d feel “pure enough” to be welcomed…

 

[Tantum_ergo]

I’m a definite believer yes they should. Lets be honest the popularity of the church is declining at an alarming rate. And we need to get people excited about coming again and not chastise any walk of life we deem unfit.

Ps. I’m straight and catholic

So what is your view?

I wasn’t aware that the importance of the Catholic Church rested on how ‘popular’ it was. . .

or that sinful behaviors (and it is homosexual behavior, not people that is the moral problem) were something that people just ‘deemed’ to be moral or not, without any kind of (name removed by moderator)ut from God. . .

so where did you get the ideas you are stating?

 

[Bruised_Reed]

(…)
Besides, even if you don’t accept the Gospel and the Apostles and Scripture, homosexuality is disgusting! Why would you want to keep company with it?

That is exactly the kind of sentiment that will cause any person who identifies as gay or lesbian and is searching to turn away from the Church and never look back. There are people who will read that sentence and never finish this thread or be open to anything else about God. Just what they were looking for; one more place that hates them…

 

[Starrsmother]

It seems to be in some parishes. There was a picture of Cardinal Dolan attending a “gay mass” and by the look on this face he seemed to enjoy it.

My question would be what is a “gay Mass”? Is it a Mass where gays attended as a majority–or heaven forbid something entirely different? In the first case, I’d say good for him for reaching out to this particular community of sinners! Maybe someday he’d attend a mass for old sinners from the 60’s that often swear, have been known to share an off-colored joke and enjoy a beer–or two or even three–with other such old sinners on the weekend as often as possible, in which case I’ll be setting right up front–first pew on the left! BUT, if you meant something else entirely–well, what did he do, I hesitate to ask? Anymore, one just never knows!

 

[Slaney]

What is a gay Mass, is it a Mass were everybody is smiling, cheery ?

 

[LegoGE1947]

My question would be what is a “gay Mass”? Is it a Mass where gays attended as a majority–or heaven forbid something entirely different? In the first case, I’d say good for him for reaching out to this particular community of sinners! Maybe someday he’d attend a mass for old sinners from the 60’s that often swear, have been known to share an off-colored joke and enjoy a beer–or two or even three–with other such old sinners on the weekend as often as possible, in which case I’ll be setting right up front–first pew on the left! BUT, if you meant something else entirely–well, what did he do, I hesitate to ask? Anymore, one just never knows!

Let’s just say he didn’t pull a John The Baptist on them! He kind of sat in his chair and looked like he was laughing his ***** off. The cloth over the “altar” was rainbow color as was the vestments of the priest:shrug:

 

[Starrsmother]

That is exactly the kind of sentiment that will cause any person who identifies as gay or lesbian and is searching to turn away from the Church and never look back. There are people who will read that sentence and never finish this thread or be open to anything else about God. Just what they were looking for; one more place that hates them…

AMEN Bruised Reed! My own lesbian daughter would read that far and say “See-I told you the Catholic church hates gays!” Then, she’d shut the computer off and that would be the end. Frankly, I will forgive this person’s ignorance–because that is the right thing to do–but let me tell you something: my lesbian daughter is wrong and she is living in sin and she’s pretty arrogant about it–but she is NOT disgusting in any way. PERIOD! The foolish person who posted such a remark needs to look in the mirror–disgusting my A*S!

 

[epan]

My view is no we shouldn’t, one thing I love about being Catholic is we never back down on our views. The church teaching your talking about is dogma, it’s something they can’t ever change. These are really bad times we’re living in, and now especially is not the time to make changes.

Now wait a minute. The Church has backed down on executing heretics. The Church has backed down on the sinfulness of money lending. The Church has backed down in practice in the area of divorce. The Church has changed its opinion on slavery. There was a pope who enjoyed shopping in the slave markets of Rome, and who owned a slave. That would not happen today (if it were possible).

It is true that the Church is slow to change. But the claim that it does not moderate important moral positions over time is untrue.

 

[Slaney]

Let’s just say he didn’t pull a John The Baptist on them! He kind of sat in his chair and looked like he was laughing his ***** off. The cloth over the “altar” was rainbow color as was the vestments of the priest:shrug:

Rainbow colour, you serious ? do you have a link to this story, which sounds like mockery to me ?

 

[rfournier103]

I’m a definite believer yes they should. Lets be honest the popularity of the church is declining at an alarming rate. And we need to get people excited about coming again and not chastise any walk of life we deem unfit.

Ps. I’m straight and catholic

So what is your view?

Popularity has nothing to do with anything. Right and wrong does.

There are several denominations that not only accept homosexual behavior, but even seem to encourage it (United Church of Christ, for example). I can tell you THEIR pews aren’t bursting at the seams with faithful believers trying to find a seat on Sunday morning.

You seem to be thinking that if the Church embraces this deviant behavior, the parishoners will come flooding back. Not so.

This behavior and lifestyle cannot be condoned by the Church. They are welcome to come to Mass, but like the rest of us, they are called to holiness.

Gay people are welcome, but the sin of gay sex is not approved

Single straight people who have pre-marital sex are welcome, but the sin of pre-marital sex is not approved

People who masturbate are welcome, but the sin of masturbation is not approved

Thieves are welcome, but the sin of theft is not approved

Sinners are welcome, but sins are not approved.

Well said. That’s what so many can’t seem to understand. So sad…

there is a saying, God loves you just the way you are but He loves you too much to let you stay that way. I am assuming that what you mean by “welcoming” is that someone can do whatever they want to be a Catholic. This has nothing to do with popularity. God’s design for sex is between a man and a women IN marriage and anything else is a sin.
God’s call all of us sinners to change and to following God’s plan for sex and marriage and children.

IMHO, any member of the gay community
is welcome to take his or her place
standing in front of me or behind me
in the confession line.

I LOVE this. I’m going to use it, if you don’t mind…

 

[Brendan_64]

The Church has backed down in practice in the area of divorce.

Has it?

As far as I was aware the teachings of our Church is still that divorce is wrong and that a person who is divorced and remarried is not permitted to receive Holy Communion as a result of that state being grave matter.

 

[Jessie5000]

I’m a definite believer yes they should. Lets be honest the popularity of the church is declining at an alarming rate. And we need to get people excited about coming again and not chastise any walk of life we deem unfit.

Ps. I’m straight and catholic

So what is your view?

If the pope does not judge gays, who am I to judge. I figure Christ would welcome them into our church, it is the right and loving thing to do. It saddens me to read the judging comments and hatefilled self-righteous comments following your post. I guess it is easy to forget that none are without sin and all need a savior. What makes people think they are better than homosexuals… it seems overly self-righteous to me.