Minneapolis Archbishop Condemned for Giving Catholic Teaching on Homosexuality

[peary]

Originally Posted by **Antithesis **
I know Im not a Catholic, I dont have problems with his stance on this issue but when he makes commets like this

“I do not come as a politician but as a priest, as one who sees his life as being a bridge between God and his people”

Isnt this the point of Jesus? He came to us, and is the bridge. This bishop can help people understand and what not, but in no way can he bridge the Gap between man and God. If he thinks he can do that well thats a whole lot of pride there and I will take all his directions with a grain of salt.

The problem is, we perceive sin through our own eyes. We don’t believe we are sinners or, if we are, we don’t sin that much. Unfortunately, we don’t see sin through the eyes of God, Who has a much better grasp of what it means to sin and what is sin, as He is the sole judge of our hearts. This bishop sees his ministry as a bridge between God and His people and, as such, the Truth needs to be told. The people need to hear it, whether they like it or not. Their eternal souls are at stake.

 

[saylo]

That is not being a bridge. God is infinately perfect to reach God you must be perfect. A bishop holy as he can be can not reach God because he is not perfect.

Jesus appointed 12 imperfect men to establish His Church. The continuance of His Church for 2,000 years have been in the hands of “imperfect men.” By your thinking then THERE IS NO CHURCH?

Only God can come down to where you are and bring you closer. How He does it is up to Him. Likeusing a bishop orthe lady down the street or the abandoned Saint stautue. However I would never ever say that Im am the way to God. God is only the way to God

“Only God can come down to where you are…”

BUT HE DOES! HE COMES DOWN AT EVERY CONSECRATION OF THE BREAD AND WINE AT THE MASS.

 

[OriginalJS]

Archbishop Nienstedt is getting off to a rocky start in the St. Paul Minneapolis Diocese. He will replace Harry Flynn who is widely loved and respected and who has over the years demonstrated love and respect for all people. The difference in the two clerics’ editorials is striking. Flynn writes with the concern of a bishop wanting the best for his people; Nienstedt writes in a stiff, academic style that grates after the diocese experience with Archbishop Flynn. This is a liberal area. It remains to be seen how the new Archbishop will be accepted.

 

[ethant]

Archbishop Nienstedt is getting off to a rocky start in the St. Paul Minneapolis Diocese. He will replace Harry Flynn who is widely loved and respected and who has over the years demonstrated love and respect for all people. The difference in the two clerics’ editorials is striking. Flynn writes with the concern of a bishop wanting the best for his people; Nienstedt writes in a stiff, academic style that grates after the diocese experience with Archbishop Flynn. This is a liberal area. It remains to be seen how the new Archbishop will be accepted.

Being from the St. Paul / Minneapolis diocese, I welcome some tough love here. You’re right, this diocese is liberal in general which means there are some parishes that won’t like to hear an authoritative, orthodox bishop tell them to shape up.

I welcome his style. I think it’s sorely needed. God bless Archbishop Nienstedt!

 

[NewUlm1976_2000]

Archbishop Nienstedt is getting off to a rocky start in the St. Paul Minneapolis Diocese. He will replace Harry Flynn who is widely loved and respected and who has over the years demonstrated love and respect for all people. The difference in the two clerics’ editorials is striking. Flynn writes with the concern of a bishop wanting the best for his people; Nienstedt writes in a stiff, academic style that grates after the diocese experience with Archbishop Flynn. This is a liberal area. It remains to be seen how the new Archbishop will be accepted.

I think that he will tear out many key parts that make the Archdiocese so great (he did a similar thing in the New Ulm diocese). The Archdiocese is more than just following the rules. Nienstedt’s greatest weakness is an inability to connect to the people he shepherds. Enforcing the rules is not leadership. Flynn will be missed more than ever.

 

[brycelaliberte]

Nice to see some actual Catholic teaching from the Twin Cities! Being near the archdiocese, their decisions tend to influence my diocese in strange ways…

Of course, reading the article, I couldn’t help but notice the usual slander and rhetoric;

…critics such as Mary Lynn Murphy of Catholic Rainbow Parents, condemned the archbishop’s column as “extreme talk” that should be considered offensive to all Catholics because it “gives license to hatred and violence against us all.”

Of course, because that is what we’re promoting, violence and hatred. Sounds like a Catholic should learn some Catholic teaching. I am certainly not offended at all, except at her apparent attack on my character.

 

[Harmony1988]

That is not being a bridge. God is infinately perfect to reach God you must be perfect. A bishop holy as he can be can not reach God because he is not perfect. Only God can come down to where you are and bring you closer. How He does it is up to Him. Likeusing a bishop orthe lady down the street or the abandoned Saint stautue. However I would never ever s
ay that Im am the way to God. God is only the way to God

Infinite or not, just like there is a path from 1 to infinite.

There is a path from man to God, just like we will never reach infinity, counting from 1 onwards gets you CLOSER, similarly, the bishop is the bridge, like counting numbers. Not only is this mathematically obvious, but it’s also common sense.

He has dedicated his life into the service of people so they may grow closer to God, that’s what he means.

 

[Anna_Elizabeth]

Archbishop Nienstedt is getting off to a rocky start in the St. Paul Minneapolis Diocese. He will replace Harry Flynn who is widely loved and respected and who has over the years demonstrated love and respect for all people. .

…except those of us who begged for someone in a leadership position to teach us Catholic truth and moral theology, and those of us who looked on in horror at the travesty the “Rainbow Shash” group (as someone calls them), made of the Mass, as well as the thousands of Catholic parents who have been frustrated in their efforts to bring up well instructed Catholic children in an Archdiocese of mixed signals. Perhaps before he leaves he could at least have the courtesy to apologize to Human Life International for having refused to say Mass for them for fear of alienating some nonCatholics.

Was it “love and respect for all people” to leave us dangling in ambiguity for so long in a society that is rapidly discarding its Christian identity?

tsk!

Anna

 

[Anna_Elizabeth]

. The difference in the two clerics’ editorials is striking. Flynn writes with the concern of a bishop wanting the best for his people; Nienstedt writes in a stiff, academic style that grates after the diocese experience with Archbishop Flynn. This is a liberal area. It remains to be seen how the new Archbishop will be accepted.

And while we’re on the subject: Funny you should mention the contrasting editorial styles of the two bishops. Years ago, after the fiasco with HLI, it occurred to me that anyone so intent on pandering to the local religious community (read: Protestant and Jewish), should certainly have someone edit his poorly written and extremely ungrammatical editorials. Finally, after one exceptionally egregious example, I got in my car and drove over to confront the editor of the Catholic Spirit. He was surprisingly apologetic about the whole thing and explained that the staff had been given very explicit directions to NEVER under any circumstances change anything in what the archbishop sent for publication. They, of course, were equally concerned with the errors, but there was nothing they could do.

My early assessment was that Archbishop Flynn was speaking in a folksy, conversational way to us as northern Louisianans, not realizing that adjustments should be made! You say that this is a liberal area, but it is also an area of higher than average educational levels, and that should be kept in mind. In any case, many uf us have wandered in this liberal pseudo-Catholic desert lo these 40 years. Surely, we now deserve an archbishop that speaks to and for us. This we will have in Archbishop Nienstedt. Praise God.

Anna

 

[Brendan]

I think that he will tear out many key parts that make the Archdiocese so great (he did a similar thing in the New Ulm diocese). The Archdiocese is more than just following the rules. Nienstedt’s greatest weakness is an inability to connect to the people he shepherds. Enforcing the rules is not leadership. Flynn will be missed more than ever.

Why do you think that shepherds carry croxiers? It so they can drag the sheep that won’t follow away from the danger.

THAT is part of being a shepherd. It means using your voice to tell the sheep to follow you. For those that don’t, it means dragging them after you bleating and kicking if necessary.

Oh yea, the croxier is also there to strike the wolves that might prey upon your sheep.

So yes, it DOES seem like +Nienstedt is an excellent shepherd, he knows how to use all the tools of his trade

 

[peregrinus_WA]

I think he can make a great start by suppressing St. Joan and creating a new parish.