Ministry to Gay and Lesbian Catholics?!?

[setter]

I agree, there should be ministry to gay “couples”, just as their should be (and often is) ministry to alcoholics, to those suffering from sexual addiction, to prisoners, to gossips, to the overly scrupulous, to those who have fallen away from the Church, to those who abort, to those who contracept.

But what is important is the type of ministry. In all of these cases, the Church should encourage only ministry that provokes change toward holiness (as with all ministry), but specifically a ministry that provokes change of a certain aspect of one’s lifestyle or belief system.

Having a Christmas meeting at the house of a gay couple would be similar to having it at the house of alcoholics, or abusive parents. All these need to be loved, especially in their own home. For Christ went to the sick, and so should His priesthood. But Christ ministered to change lives.

The goal of the priesthood in a gay household, as I see it, should be in order to be a good example of celibate Christian living; the way this gay “couple” should be living.

I disagree. Not every married couple who drinks in their home is an alcoholic. Not every married couple abuses their children. Every unmarried couple living together in a sexual arrangement (whether heterosexual or homosexual) is committing grave sin, and for a Catholic unmarried cohabitating couple they are a cause for scandal, which is another grave sin. No – A “Christmas meeting” ministry in official capacity to a cohabitating couple living in a gravely sinful arrangement should not occur in the house of the violating couple, as this only opens the way for greater scandal …“Yeah, we had Fr.______ over last evening for a Christmas gathering …”.

 

[Kendy]

But do you want to chase them out of the Church? It’s possible that the outreach they’re participating in is keeping them in the Church. How do you know that Mr. Whosit and Mr. Whatzit are actually participating in gay acts (the only thing sinful about their situation)? Gay couples do not sin when they wash the dishes, parent their children, watch TV or do any of the other hundreds of things that straight couples do in a day.

No one wants to chase anyone out of the church, but if they are living in sin, then they are separating themselves from the church.

Not all gay people are in a state where they can say OK, I’ll just live a celibate life as required by Courage. Just as not all straight couples choose to live a life of celibacy.

That still doesn’t change the fact that anyone engaged in a sexual relationship outside of marriage is living in serious sin. If they have not the COURAGE to be celibate, they can should ask the Lord for COURAGE. It worked for me.

There are Churches that have missions to gay couples, the Episcopal Church, The Old Roman Catholic Church, the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church spring to mind. Some of these Churches have the Real Presence (2 from my perspective, 1 from the Catholic Church’s). If you don’t wish to minister to them where they are in life, they may choose to avail themselves of these different Churches. So offering them this ministry may keep them in your Church.

I think I can speak for most people on this forum when I say we have no desire to keep warn bodies in the church for the sake of having them there. We welcome everyone to the church, but we welcome them to a life of holiness because that is what the Lord mandates. If they prefer to chase after teachings that will “tickle their ears” all we can do is pray for them. We are not permitted to water down the truth for the sake of membership.

Kendy

 

[littleone]

No one wants to chase anyone out of the church, but if they are living in sin, then they are separating themselves from the church.

That still doesn’t change the fact that anyone engaged in a sexual relationship outside of marriage is living in serious sin. If they have not the COURAGE to be celibate, they can should ask the Lord for COURAGE. It worked for me.

There are Churches that have missions to gay couples, the Episcopal Church, The Old Roman Catholic Church, the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church spring to mind. Some of these Churches have the Real Presence (2 from my perspective, 1 from the Catholic Church’s). If you don’t wish to minister to them where they are in life, they may choose to avail themselves of these different Churches. So offering them this ministry may keep them in your Church.

I think I can speak for most people on this forum when I say we have no desire to keep warn bodies in the church for the sake of having them there. We welcome everyone to the church, but we welcome them to a life of holiness because that is what the Lord mandates. If they prefer to chase after teachings that will “tickle their ears” all we can do is pray for them. We are not permitted to water down the truth for the sake of membership.

Kendy

Jesus tells us to invite just those very people over to our house. Those who cannot and will not thank us. Jesus own words were asking us why we would offer hospitality to those who thank us, we have already been thanked he said. rather invite those unsightly people. Jesus also said be with them but NOT as them.

 

[noma]

Not every married couple who drinks in their home is an alcoholic. Not every married couple abuses their children.

Nothing that I said would imply that I think otherwise. I didn’t even mention married couples specifically in my statement.

But as I strongly believe there should be a ministry that does enter into the homes of those in grave sin (alcoholics, child abusers), even at the risk of supposed scandal, I believe that this ministry should extend to homosexual “couples”.

 

[setter]

Nothing that I said would imply that I think otherwise. I didn’t even mention married couples specifically in my statement.

But as I strongly believe there should be a ministry that does enter into the homes of those in grave sin (alcoholics, child abusers), even at the risk of supposed scandal, I believe that this ministry should extend to homosexual “couples”.

I was thinking that others could be spared potential scandal by having those person’s living in this illicit arrangement meet with the outreach ministry folks at a neutral setting. Otherwise, one also risks sending a mixed message of somehow extending legitimacy for the basis for such an illicit sexual liason.

 

[noma]

I was thinking that others could be spared potential scandal by having those person’s living in this illicit arrangement meet with the outreach ministry folks at a neutral setting. Otherwise, one also risks sending a mixed message of somehow extending legitimacy for the basis for such an illicit sexual liason.

This is a very good point. I think I will change my statement, and agree that a neutral location would be the best thing. But I still do not think that it would be so wrong to go over to the “couple’s” house, so long as the purpose is clear.

But I agree, the best thing would be a neutral location.

 

[blessedtoo]

If you don’t wish to minister to them where they are in life, they may choose to avail themselves of these different Churches.

The Church wishes to minister to all. Folks who do not accept the Christ’s teachings through His Church CHOOSE to separate themsevles from Her. If they find themselves in another church, it is by their own choice and not because the Church has failed them in some way.

So offering them this ministry may keep them in your Church.

It is not the Church’s job to manipulate Her teaching in order to keep them from leaving. God has given us all the free will to choose Him or reject Him. The Church does not have to conform her policies to “keep them in.”

I suggest you read the Bishops latest document on ministry to homosexual persons to clarify your confusion.
usccb.org/bishops/index.shtml

 

[chrisb]

I had no idea my innocent little question was going to bring out Pro-Gay elements. I didn’t even know there was Pro-Gay elements in the Catholic Church…

PS: Those of you having trouble presenting the Catholic teaching against this need to reach further than a few verses in Holy Scripture and look toward the very long history of opinion on this within the early Church Fathers. (hint)

After which you might want to touch on Natural Law as the basis for Justice and perhaps Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.

Pax Vobisum

 

[KeepLearning]

Why is it a sin? Whom does it harm?

Whom does it benefit?

 

[chotock]

Just for the sake of arguement, do we even know the 2 gentlemen hosting the event are even gay? I know quite a number of men (and women) who live together as roommates that are involved in ministries. I guess because it is a “gay” ministry the mind automatically directs itself to thinking they must be gay.

 

[setter]

Just for the sake of arguement, do we even know the 2 gentlemen hosting the event are even gay? I know quite a number of men (and women) who live together as roommates that are involved in ministries. I guess because it is a “gay” ministry the mind automatically directs itself to thinking they must be gay.

Originally Posted by **chrisb **
I recently saw in my Parish Bulletin:

Ministry to Gay and Lesbian Catholics will hold it’s annual tree trimming on Friday, December 1st in the home of Jeff X and Will X.

… …either Jeff & Will are appropriate candidates for this in-home “gay” ministry program, or thay are in need of some other intervention services for signing up to be visited this ministry outreach.

 

[Steven_Merten]

I recently saw in my Parish Bulletin:

Ministry to Gay and Lesbian Catholics will hold it’s annual tree trimming on Friday, December 1st in the home of Jeff X and Will X.

How am I to understand what the Ministry to Gay and Lesbain Catholics really is in the Catholic Parishes?

Please help me understand before I go to the Parish Priest about this.

Thanks and God Bless.

Hello Chris,

I have not read all the posts on your thread. But let me tell you what happened to me.

There was a similiar ministery at a local Catholic Parish in my area. I asked the priest if he would open his specialty homosexual ministry to other sinners like the pedephiles, abortionists and adulterers also. He gave me a dirty look and walked off.

In the case in my area, it was not counsilling to practicing homosexual sinners that was the priest’s intended outcome. It was the priest’s desire to move homosexuality out of being catagorized as within the group of sinners, that was the priest’s goal.

The Catholic Church should serve all sinners equally.

 

[chotock]

… …either Jeff & Will are appropriate candidates for this in-home “gay” ministry program, or thay are in need of some other intervention services for signing up to be visited this ministry outreach.

My point setter is thatnot everyone involved in a ministry is in need of that ministry, i.e. prison ministry. The hosts of this event my not even be gay. I live with another man, doesn’t mean that we are a couple or even gay, just means we are two single men sharing an apartment. It could be that one of the hosts work with the minstry and the other justr happens to live in the same house.

Do you or does anyone in this thread have the complete info, no. If the hosts are a gay couple living a sexual relationship then yes, the event should not be held in their home. If in fact they just happen to be two men living together that work with a ministry then why can they not host the event?

No one even inquired as to whether these guys were in fact a gay couple, we automatically jumped to that judgement based on what? A clip from a bulletin. I wonder what people think when they hear about someone joining a prison ministry or an AIDS ministry.

There are some fantastic posts in this thread showing just how strong and logical the Church’s teaching on SSA and extramarital sex.