'No sex' ruling no surprise

[John_Higgins]

December 2, 2005

BY ANDREW GREELEY

A headline about the new Instruction from the Vatican read, “Vatican bans active gays from priesthood.” One might add that it bans active straights from the priesthood, too. Perhaps the celibacy rule will change. However, as long as it applies, those who are in sexual relationships of either sort will not be ordained. That is not new, and indeed it is not news.

In fact the new Instruction says merely that under some circumstances gays can become priests, and under other circumstances they cannot be ordained and it leaves to the local officials, bishops and seminary rectors, to decide in individual cases.

…

Copyright 2005, Chicago Sun-Times

Continued on Greeley link

A fine explanation, IMHO.

John

 

[Confiteor]

You admire Andrew Greeley’s “explanation”? Here, as elsewhere, he has disparaged the Catechism (that is where the phrase “objectively disordered” comes from) and misrepresented the recent Vatican Instruction (compare to the comments coming from the Vatican as to its intent). And why, oh why, would he publish a paragraph accusing the Pope of that once a Nazi, always a Nazi? Maybe he should stick to writing his trashy books instead of trashing Church teaching in the media…

 

[Pius_X]

I, personally, enjoy Father Andrew Greeley’s books (and some of his articles. In fact, he is my favorite author.

 

[BayCityRickL]

Greeley panders to controversy and that’s how he sells books. Why not move on to a more interesting aspect of this situation.

 

[John_Higgins]

The “objectively disordered” quote was inserted into the second edition. It was originally published this way:

2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. They do not choose their homosexual condition; for most of them it is a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

John

 

[pira114]

I don’t see a real problem with the writing. I don’t like everything he’s written, but I wouldn’t throw his writings away out of hand.

In regards to homosexuals, I don’t see anything different about them in this writing. We were always supposed to treat them as brethren. We don’t have to encourage or accept their behavior, but we’ve always been taught that they were going through trials and were to be respected.

 

[Confiteor]

pira114:

I don’t see a real problem with the writing. I don’t like everything he’s written, but I wouldn’t throw his writings away out of hand.

In regards to homosexuals, I don’t see anything different about them in this writing. We were always supposed to treat them as brethren. We don’t have to encourage or accept their behavior, but we’ve always been taught that they were going through trials and were to be respected.

Some of Fr. Greeley’s fiction borders on soft porn; pretty sex obsessed, especially for a priest. Some of it advances his dissenting positions on many Church teachings. An example would be a book called Second Spring or something to that effect. To the extent it is “fiction,” I suppose it is just a matter of what you like to spend your time reading.

Perhaps more disturbing are his comments on Church issues which often distort issues and misinform as this commentary on the Vatican instruction did. It is true that the new Instruction reiterated previous restrictions on homosexuals in the seminaries, but compare what he said about those to what the author of the instruction said, and you’ll see he’s put a spin on it that was not intended.