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1. ImMoreThanGay

   9 months ago

   Though i completely understand your views and have a great respect for you and your faith. But, I disagree, as it is my right to do so. I'm a lesbian and I'm Catholic. I have faith and believe in God with all of me. I have given myself to Him and my heart is good. I'm not speaking on behalf of all gays and lesbians, but i will say God makes no mistakes. And i love. But you're right, if you feel it is wrong, by all means feel it. Obviously, i don't. And I know He loves me, because He made me. And come my time to go home, I have no doubt in my mind or heart that He will accept me with open arms. We are taught as Catholics to believe if you ask for forgiveness of your sins you will be absolved. I am not sorry for loving truly as I could and I'm not sorry for being loved back or other people feeling uncomfortable with who I am. But this article was interesting and I appreciate it. Thank you.

2. Judy Claar

   11 months ago

   Rob: Thank you so much for sharing your post. It was one that should definitely Wake Us up! Causing us to Stop and Think. I know I did! I was Shocked! But I understand your message. If I and my husband were younger, your post of evangelization would speak volumes! What you and your wife are doing is Love in one of its truest forms. I am glad you have the Health and Energy to do it. God Bless you and your wife, and all True Christian couples who partake of this engaging experience. May we All pray, for the Holy Spirit to bear fruit among Catholics and Christians, and have our world reconciled to Christ and His Church. We are all given many talents...but, as the parable in the Gospel tells us, we must use them. No matter what stage of Life we are in. Dear brothers and sisters, we have talents or a talent to offer to Our Lord.
   "Sacred Heart Of Jesus, We Place Our Trust In Thee."

3. RichStine

   11 months ago

   @David D.
   Thank you for your thoughtful response. I blame myself for lack of clarity. I agree that we of the faith are called to evangelize. To spread the Good News. (Good News = Gospel)
   I believe this is accomplished in our speech, our writing, and any additional forms of communication God has graciously made available to us.
   Including (but not exclusively) the method of living by example. Evangelization, or the Catholic, Apostolic exhortation of evangelism, “Evangelii Nuntiandi” ("The Gospel Must Be Proclaimed") is those who are already believers, sharing the Good News that the Lord has come. Our Redeemer liveth.
   
   I also believe that edification, exhortation and even rebuking, are towards those already in the faith. Believers. And falls under Church instruction. Catechism.
   
   To try and instruct non-believers without first having them receive the gospel via evangelizing is something Jesus more or less described to the apostles. He sent them out to evangelize. He told them that some would reject the gospel, and him. They were to waste no more time with them, then. Why? Because they'd made their choice. They were to 'shake the dust from their feet' and move on. (see Luke 9:3-5). Rejection. It happens.
   
   My point I was trying but failed to make, is this: By supporting an inherent right of freedom that operates within the confines of the law, is not a bad thing. In this case, what is at issue is Homosexuality. Now, I understand that many will tie together hot issues like abortion to gay rights. As members of the Church we are supposed to be against both abortion, and Homosexuality.
   
   Since the focus of the article is on homosexuality, let me say this. Homosexuality is not murder. If consenting, law abiding adults wish to unite legally, they should have the right to do so. You may evangelize. But they have the right to reject your point of view, true or not. I spent time in the military, and I am very proud that this country affords freedom to its occupants. Trust me. It isn't like that around the globe. I don't think that non-believers should be penalized because they do not share certain ideas of what it means to be a Christian. Or a Catholic.
   
   The clincher is a thought: Let's say in the beginning there was strictly male and female. Nothing else.
   But due to sin, and human nature being what it is, needing a savior and all of that, who is to say that people are not born gay, now? With all of the chemicals, hormones, god-playing for profit, etc. --we have proof that there are definitive changes in what we perceive as and know to be 'normal'. Like fish in polluted waters having male parts that are supposed to be female. And it's not just sexual organs that are affected. People are born without limbs because of food and drugs consumed by pregnant moms. If it can affect what we see on the outside of a person, what of the inside? Heart defects. Other vital organs. The brain.
   
   I am not afraid to evangelize. I like catechism. But I think that there's still a lot more that we don't know. That does not make me a bad Christian. It only makes me a grateful one. I know I need a Savior, and in Whom I believe. And I wonder if I have said too much. I doubt this will be posted.

4. Rob

   11 months ago

   I have found in my own life that the teachings in regards to homosexulity have been the hardest for me to reconcile. At an intellectual level, particularly when you consider the natural law, I know what the Church teaches is true. But those teachings become really hard for me as I have interacted and befriended those who are homosexual over the years. This has happened in the course of my employ or having various neighbors. For me, this has been a true test of love the person, hate the sin. It's also been a test of seperating the "homosexual movement" from those who are homosexual as I have found that these movements often do not speak for all of them (same could be said about many "movements, pacs or political front groups"). I have always believed the best way to evangelize to my homosexual brothers and sisters is to love them. I will leave the rest to those more skilled in these issues than I to argue. But I have a short story. My wife and I became licensed foster parents. And for the two months of training the majority of those willing to step up and take these children in who had no where to go were mostly gay couples. This could have just been a coincidence for this training cycle, but it spoke very loudly to me. Sure, in a perfect world it would be great if every child who entered the foster care system went to a good,Christian home, but sadly not many Christians are stepping up to do this. So they go where they can. They go to those who are stepping up and accepting this role. They are allieviating the suffering of God's little ones. David, to your thought about God asking us what we did to build his kingdom, I think we all better spend sometime really thinking about what exactly God's kingdom is. We had better spend sometime accepting the fact that God does not love us because we are catholic or "good" but he loves us because He is good....He is love. He loves us as well as our homosexual brothers and sisters. We better make sure that our catholicity is more than orthodox beliefs or memorization of the catechism. Because if we have no love, none of that matters. We have a fight to make for sure in regards to marriage etc, but we better ensure we don't throw love for our fellow man out the window to do it.

5. David D.

   11 months ago

   RichStine ... God Bless you for your 'zest and zeal' ... but at the same time I am concerned for you. If I may offer my concern and a similar call to all those who might read such posts and leave telling themselves, "yup, I guess I am doing a pretty good job, I live a good life, am kind to people and small dogs, I say my prayers at night, and go to Mass on Sunday." As Catholics we are called, and should feel compelled to reach out to all those whose paths we cross. To evangelize. And sometimes, as uncomfortable as it may feel, that calls for identifying sinful behaviors for what they are ... sinful. And in no uncertain terms sharing the facts regarding the impact that such behaviors have on individuals (spiritual and tempral), the family unit, and society. Yes, yes, I know, there's that "Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if you have to." (thank you St. Francis) that people toss about (much too casually) with the thinking that by living our lives as faithful Christians we are fullfilling God's WIll and purpose for us. ... uhmmm, nope, sorry, nuh-uhh, if that's the sum total of our existance, we're not. If we aren't supposed to preach the Gospel except when necessary by words, St. Francis must have though it was necessary ... A LOT! He taught his guys to preach, and they preached on street corners and in churches as did he as a Deacon. The importance of the saying is it's not a cop-out from sharing the Gospel with words. It's don't share the Gospel with words without realizing that your actions can contradict and thereby undermine those words. Talk the talk and walk the walk! Recall the parable of the talents. What's the message? Then there's Christ's revelations to Sister Faustina. "Today, bring to Me all mankind, especially sinners and immerce them in the ocean of My mercy. In this way you will console Me in the bitter grief into which the loss of souls plunges Me." God is calling, we are responding ... both through our prayers AND actions. And then, "Blessed are the peacemakers." Notice Jesus didn't say peacekeepers. There is significant difference in those two words. Read Matthew 25:44 - 46. We sin when we neglect. And finally, Pope Benedict has had a comment or two on the mission of the Church which can be found at www.catholic.org/hf/faith/story.php?id=40083 (you don't even have to leave this site) and more extensively on the USCCB website ... a good starting point is www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/new-evangelization/
   
   What am I trying to say in all of this ... simply, I'm pretty sure one of the questions God will ask each of us at our time of judgement is going to be, "What did you do to build my Kingdom?" I'm hoping and praying that we all have a good answer to that one.

6. Judy Claar

   11 months ago

   Your message is clear Jennifer. And you brought up many points offering much food for thought. In my mind, your written words went beyond mere black and white, as well they should. I turned to my own heart. Then I asked myself: "How did we get here?"...."What caused this terrible mess?"...I further asked myself if it started with: "The Culture of Death?"...The '60's w/new freedoms?... or, After WWII when Divorce became wholesale. Perhaps it is a combination. But whatever, this did not happen without Catholic or Christian participation. I am not pointing the finger. I am saying that we need to follow our First Christian brothers and sisters. They were known for letting their lights shine. The light of Christ. Pagans converted. They were true and stood for Truth. They did not misuse the body, abort, or set out unwanted daughters or children born w/defects out in the elements to die. They were different. Christ's Love Shined in them. "Sacred Heart of Jesus, We Place Our Trust In Thee."

7. RichStine

   11 months ago

   Fear.
   It is a powerful thing, fear.
   Love. Perfect Love Casts Out All Fear.
   God is Love. And:
   The Lord IS my Shepherd.
   Whom shall I fear?
   
   Marriage. Marriage, by tradition, has always been between men and women. Note: I did not write 'a man and a woman.'
   
   Tradition. Traditionally, insofar as we are able to conclude historically, has been between one man, and many wives.
   
   Marriage has a rich history. And if we wish as a country to have the word, 'marriage', be a reference to infer that it is a union between one man and one woman (since polygamy is no longer legal, at least in this country of the USA, and frowned upon by most religious institutions), I say, right-o. Amen. So be it.
   
   That said, regardless of what one may or may not adhere to as personally acceptable, because we are a free country, we do not have legal precedent to deny law-abiding, tax-paying adults rights given to everyone else, simply because of personal convictions and religious beliefs.
   
   Those who wish to unite in legitimate ceremony should not be denied that right. Nor should they be sanctioned against or unceremoniously disregarded as citizens...with full legal rights to those benefits which befits such legal union.
   
   Fear. Fear is a powerful thing.
   The Lord is My Shepherd. Whom shall I fear? Certainly not those whose path differs from my own. My concern is that I live up to what I believe my faith requires of me. I am responsible, as a citizen and a Christian, to live my life in a particular way. If others see this, and want to practice the faith I do, I welcome them. If they do not, it is not for me to judge or despise them. Deny them food, water, respect and common decency. I'm thinking about Jesus and the Samaritan woman, as I type. It was rather risque` for Jesus, a Jew from Nazareth, to be seen with this woman, who was considered an outcast, and not only that, but a woman living in sin with a man who wasn't her husband. He did not berate her. He did speak his truth to her. And, Wow. Did he have an impact.
   
   I think that Christ is bigger than what I or anyone else thinks. He's my hero. That thought, alone, takes the pressure off of me to make judgments, feel fear, or worry about things that are not mine to be concerned with, in the first place. Love. Perfect Love casts out all fear.

8. beatrice

   11 months ago

   I pray for them families marriages and my brothers and sisters so they can become God's people and stay from the evil of this world i pray that God will help them so they can learn from their mistakes Amen

9. mms

   11 months ago

   By their own admission, Homosexual activists are NOT concerned with "equal rights".
   
   They already have access to the rights that any legal union of two people.
   It turns out that "gays" they are really concerned with complete societal endorsement of their behavior. Homosexuals want the society to stop telling them that what they are doing is ‘wrong’ so they can feel better about what they are doing:
   
   At least SOME homosexual advocates (and many homosexuals themselves) are honest about their TRUE GOAL to first trivialize marriage in order to destroy it, as can be seen in their own statements :
   
   1. “The first order of business is DESENSITIZATION of the public concerning gays and gay rights... To desensitize the public is to help it view homosexuality with indifference instead of with keen emotion. Ideally, we would have straights register differences in sexual preferences the way they register different tastes for ice cream or sports games....At least in the BEGINNING, we are seeking public desensitization and nothing more. We do not need and cannot expect a full ‘appreciation’ or ‘understanding’ of homosexuality from the average American. You can forget about trying to persuade the masses that homosexuality is a good thing. But if you can only get them to think that it is "just another thing"...then your battle for legal and social rights is virtually won” (The Overhauling of Straight America, Guide Magazine, November 1987)
   
   2. “We [want] ... to see government and society AFFIRM our lives” (United States Congressional Record, June 29, 1989.)
   
   3. “The teaching that only male-female sexual activity within the bounds and constraints of marriage is the only acceptable form should be reason enough for any homosexual to DENOUNCE the Christian religion” (Advocate, 1985.)
   
   THEREFORE it can be seen that:
   IF marriage was really a universal legal ‘right’ available to anyone and everyone who desired it, the institution of marriage would have to be redesigned as a contract available to ANY group of parties no matter what kind of alliance they might choose.
   
   If consenting adults have the universal legal ‘right’ to be married, is this ‘right’ then extended to any and all combinations of consenting adults? Why could it not eventuate, for example, extending the number of adults to more than just two that can be united in marriage? Why could it not eventuate that society no longer has to restrict adult siblings from marrying one another? ... or go to crazy extremes and include a pet?
   
   No, "gays' are not really interested in "equal rights".
   They already have the same rights as any two people who want to draw up a union.
   They really want to appropriate the word "marriage" in order to trivialise real marriage and to eventually destroy it.
   
   Don't allow this to happen. The basic family unit, where children are allowed to live in safety, is already under unprecedented attack!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

10. JoAnn

    11 months ago

    R.C: The best investment you could ever make is the purchase of the "Catechism of the Catholic Church." It can answer any question about the Faith that you are wanting to know about. Regarding your questions, the Catechism can go into more detail but here it is, plain and simple. No, Jesus never had sex. Mary is a perpetual virgin, therefore, she never had sex with Joseph. Since the sacrament of marriage was instituted for the prime purpose of procreating, masterbation is a grave sin as it is self gratification and a waste of the human seed. God bless.

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