I agree, perhaps we shouldn’t discuss hypotheticals, but I think it points to the fact that we ought to be more sensitive to these issues than we are. Yes, this applies to all sins not just homosexual acts. First and foremost it’s important we remind everyone no matter their sins that God and Jesus loves them, make them feel welcome before discussing their sinful nature.
Even if he did put the message that way there is still nothing at all wrong with what he said or did! Sometimes in this world what we need is for people to admonish other sinners without treating them like preschoolers. I am not saying that we should be uncharitable but there is nothing at all uncharitable about coming right out and telling someone else that they are sinning and that they need to stop. Many saints did just that!
Maybe. But if the student was engaging in homosexual activity, then the priest would be totally justified in telling him that he was doing immoral stuff. And in the way of these gay-activist things everywhere, the student would likely then claim that he was being accused of being immoral as though it were an attack on his worth or capability rather than an admonishment against immoral action.
He’d been an altar server for some time. He was considering the priesthood. Making people feel welcome is all well and good, but that doesn’t mean pretending that our failures aren’t real, or aren’t that bad.
Well, I think it might be presumptuous to think they were engaging in homosexual activities. Even granting that my point is very simple, as Cardinal Dolan recently pointed out the clergy could do a much better job ministering to the LGBT community and make them feel more welcome to hear the message of the church. I think it is likely that this Priest wasn’t terribly welcoming after finding out said student was gay and was in a relationship. Now I don’t think that’s justification for his removal, he didn’t say anything contrary to Catholic theology.
It is of course possible that the priest was less than welcoming, but we only have the student’s word for it, and given that there have been countless similar situations where a gay couple got furious and tried to close business because of a (documentedly) civil refusal to be part of a gay “wedding”, I am hesitant to take the student at his word.
The difference being that in May 2012 they demanded his resignation. Now they are trying to have him forcibly removed.
My sentiments exactly!Oh, the horror!!!Ok, so they are trying to get a priest removed for counseling them with proper Catholic teaching.
I am by no means defending them trying to get rid of this Priest. I only say that our church in general could be more welcoming. The comments on this forum sometimes alarm me. I have a bias since I am a gay catholic myself. I don’t expect the clergy or people in general to accept me, but I would prefer they not judge me and at least make me feel welcome in the faith.
One doesn’t have to be judgmental in order to admonish a sinner. One can easily take a firm stand against it without coming across as judgmental.
This would indicate homosexual activities if they are in a relationship, granted that would not necessarily mean sex, but at the very least the temptation or occasion of sin. Granted, I don’t know any of them, and don’t know what they do. But aren’t we all called to live a chaste life whether homosexual or heterosexual. Understandably, the language of the message of Truth can sound harsh, and there is a lot of misunderstanding when it comes to the teaching of admonishing the sin not the sinner. My wife (non-catholic) tells me I’m a bigot and “racist” because I don’t agree with homosexual marriage, though I feel, while defending the Catholic teaching, I have been welcoming to many friends I’ve had over the years who are SSA even if I don’t agree with their lifestyle.
Understandable, I think we may have simply been misunderstanding each other - each claiming that depending on things we do not know different things could have been possible.
Yes, but temptation to sin, is not the same as sin. As for chastity I think one is called to chastity not being forced upon one another. I understand this isn’t the Churches position, although I’ve read that Pope Francis I might revisit the issue of chastity in the Priesthood, granted it would be very limited and presumably would involve marriage.
No, but for heterosexual couples discerning marriage (what dating is for), it would be a necessary occasion of sin - that is, part of determining if this person is someone who you would want to marry. Since two men or two women cannot marry, it would be an unnecessary occasion of sin (and purposefully seeking occasions of sin without good reason is generally sinful), as well as generally encouraging a relationship to head in a direction that it should not head.
If the student was wrong then correction was needed and the priest was obligated before Christ to tell the student.