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Penny_Plain
Guest
I see it as a good example to welcome everyone and, over time and by teaching and our example, help them to come closer to the will of God.
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setter
Guest
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rlg94086
Guest
I agree wholeheartedly, as long as “welcoming everyone” doesn’t mean receiving the Eucharist unworthily. Just as a non-baptized and/or non-Catholic can not receive the Eucharist when they worship with us; a person who knowingly lives a life in a state of mortal sin (active homosexual, divorced/remarried, co-habitators, etc.) should not be receiving.
Someone with SSA who is trying to live chaste but stumbles is not the same as someone who currently rejects Church teaching and lives their life accordingly. Any outreach group needs to make that understood…in the most caring and understanding way, of course. Invite them in, pray with them, but don’t pretend their current choices are “okay.”
Someone with SSA who is trying to live chaste but stumbles is not the same as someone who currently rejects Church teaching and lives their life accordingly. Any outreach group needs to make that understood…in the most caring and understanding way, of course. Invite them in, pray with them, but don’t pretend their current choices are “okay.”
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goofyjim
Guest
Only if acted upon. I would not say that all a person with same sex attraction does is evil. He/she is quite capable of Christian love. You always seem to miss that fact.
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Lynn-D
Guest
I did say, “…committed and intend to remain so to a lifestyle and/or in a sinful relationship with another, homosexual or otherwise.”
Lynn-D
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Penny_Plain
Guest
I didn’t, and the omission was deliberate.
All you want to do is preach to the choir. Let’s get everyone we can in the door – saint or sinner, repentant or otherwise – and see what happens. Or don’t you believe that whole business about the gates of Hell not prevailing, and so forth?
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rlg94086
Guest
Do you agree that they should be given proper instruction regarding receiving the Eucharist? I’m not worried about the gates of Hell prevailing, but I am concerned for their souls.
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Abira
Guest
for about a year now i haven’t received communion… even though i’m protstant…and its not in our teachin (i never knew it was in Catholic teaching either til recently)
I feel very wrong in the whole idea of receiving communion, although this has extended into my feeling very odd about even going to church
I feel very wrong in the whole idea of receiving communion, although this has extended into my feeling very odd about even going to church
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Dale_M
Guest
Whether the number is 10% or 5% it is still a significant portion of the Catholic community and this makes it worthy of a special ministry.Dale_M:
Some have suggested that the percentile you state is bloated and the appropriate number might be closer to 4 or 5%.
I don’t think I implied such a thing - certainly I did not intend to do so. Yes, it would be inaccurate to equate persons having SSA with persons living a homosexual lifestyle. The latter is a subset of the former.
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rlg94086
Guest
Keep reading and praying Abira, and as you understand the Eucharist more, you will find that you can’t live without it (in more ways than one).
Some of us even spend time in prayer in the presence of the Eucharist, because Jesus is present in a special way.
Here is a link to a site with a lot of information, including Eucharistic miracles.
therealpresence.org/eucharst/a.html
God bless,
Robert
Some of us even spend time in prayer in the presence of the Eucharist, because Jesus is present in a special way.
Here is a link to a site with a lot of information, including Eucharistic miracles.
therealpresence.org/eucharst/a.html
God bless,
Robert
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Other_Eric
Guest
According to the Church:
Emphasis mine. In a person with same-sex attractions, the sexuality is disordered and therefore, the afflicted individual’s capacity to love is implicated. In fact if, as Father John F. Harvey says, “homosexuality has very little to do with sex,” (1) then it is obvious that the sin involved in acting upon one’s same-sex desire need not always be one of genital expression. The individual’s capacity for love is diminished in direct proportion to the degree of same-sex attraction he or she might feel. This makes it all the more important to use whatever means necessary to eradicate the temptation.
(1) Harvey, John F. “The Truth About Homosexuality.” Ignatius Press. San Francisco, CA. 1996. p. 122.
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WenckebachCath
Guest
I find the wording of the original entry also to be so carefully written as to lack substance. It is obvious that the intent is not to blatently offend conservatives by openly endorsing gay sex, and to refrain from insulting gay people who are most likely still indulging in their sexual proclivities. It’s a blandly worded piece that reminds me of the statements uttered by politicians.
I imagine that the Archdiocese on Los Angeles is very grateful to receive financial support from both liberals and conservatives in order to fund their many projects. I’ve heard that their new Cathedral was quite an expensive undertaking. There’s nothing new in the Church being pleasent to it’s wealthier patrons, this has happened throughout the centuries.
I imagine that the Archdiocese on Los Angeles is very grateful to receive financial support from both liberals and conservatives in order to fund their many projects. I’ve heard that their new Cathedral was quite an expensive undertaking. There’s nothing new in the Church being pleasent to it’s wealthier patrons, this has happened throughout the centuries.
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Grace_Angel
Guest
I agree the posting about the ministry gives no clear indication that this ministry both encourages and helps the idividuals live the chaste life, in keeping with Catholic teaching.
If this ministry does this then OK, but it doesnt sound like it does. It sounds like “you do whatever you want and we are here to support you.” Thats not catholcism. Its a lie and that lie wounds the spirit.
Grace Angel
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El_Paulo
Guest
The Catholic Church’s (as well as other denominations’) pastoral response to lesbian and gay folks is nothing short of poor, poor, poor, though I can only speak from a UK perspective.
This is why I guess this thing has been written - of course it’s not a perfect response, but at least it’s a response! The more the Church tries to talk about this, the closer we will all get to something we can agree on - other attempts will be made and I’m sure they will equally fall short - but that’s all part of the process.
It all looks quite messy at the moment but I think that’s good - in my opinion, Catholics should be the first to identify with these brothers and sisters in Christ and risk being criticised, rebuked and maybe even killed along side them (I’m under no illusion that this is happening). Isn’t that what Christ did, and wasn’t it one of the things he was ultimately killed for? Until our actions match those of the person after whom we are named, I don’t think we can speak authentically to the world on this issue.
This is why I guess this thing has been written - of course it’s not a perfect response, but at least it’s a response! The more the Church tries to talk about this, the closer we will all get to something we can agree on - other attempts will be made and I’m sure they will equally fall short - but that’s all part of the process.
It all looks quite messy at the moment but I think that’s good - in my opinion, Catholics should be the first to identify with these brothers and sisters in Christ and risk being criticised, rebuked and maybe even killed along side them (I’m under no illusion that this is happening). Isn’t that what Christ did, and wasn’t it one of the things he was ultimately killed for? Until our actions match those of the person after whom we are named, I don’t think we can speak authentically to the world on this issue.
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Lynn-D
Guest
Somehow it seems that some would advocate accepting practicing and committed homosexuals who have no intention of living a non-homosexual lifestyle to sit in the pew with the rest of us. Yes, I am opposed to that but would welcome anyone who had made a commitment of faith not to live in or welcome sin into their lives but live in a manner where taking communion would be in keeping with one of our sacraments and not be a sin. And is that not what we all do when receiving the body and blood of Christ?
If I may. Having SSA is not a sub-set of homosexuality. One is a serious inclination and the other an intentional sin.
Lynn-D
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goofyjim
Guest
We’ll have to debate this in heaven because I feel comfortable that as long as I remain chaste God will accept me there even with my ssa.
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Penny_Plain
Guest
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Other_Eric
Guest
Christ says, “Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt 5:48) He does not say to be good enough, nor does He imply that we should do the least we can in order to attempt just squeaking by. That attitude is one of sloth and gross presumption, respectively a capital sin and a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. If God accepts only what is perfect into Paradise, then it is quite obvious that whatever same-sex attraction you experience will not be there.
It seems to me that this is the sort of confused theology that these so-called “ministries” to “gays” encourage. Even when they have the intention of agreeing with Church teaching, they dilute that part of the message in a crude attempt to make the faith marketable. Consequently, we end up with a sloppy, reductionist theology whose adherents refuse any but the most superficial self-examination. As examples, there tends no longer to be any discussion about avoiding the near occasion of sin and an unsophisticated attempt to equate mere sexual suppression with the sublime grace of Chastity.
The sad truth is that we Christians do those with same-sex attractions no favors by deceiving them into thinking that same-sex attractions are some type of benign thing as long as they are ignored. Make no mistake, they are an evil that points away from Christ and they must be purged. Only then can the individual make a serious attempt to be perfect, just as our heavenly Father is perfect.
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goofyjim
Guest
You are correct that there will be no ssa in heaven but I need not rid myself of it here on earth to get there. Get this out of your head. SSa does not prevent us from following Christ and being a Christian. You are pontificating where you shouldn’t be.
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WenckebachCath
Guest
The Church says SSA is a disorder. There are many things we don’t understand, and one of them is the origins of these desires in some people. Best to withhold judgement of mysterious abnormal tendencies in some people, of which there is a huge variety of in the human race.
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