The following comes from an August 5 statement from Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, Bishop Richard J. Malone and Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski published on the USCCB Blog. Archbishop Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, is president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; Bishop Malone of Buffalo, New York, is chairman of the USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth; and Archbishop Wenski of Miami, is chairman of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development.
Questions revolving around marriage and human sexuality are deeply felt in our homes and communities. We join with our Holy Father Pope Francis in affirming the inviolable dignity of all people and the Church’s important role in accompanying all those in need. In doing so, we also stand with Pope Francis in preserving the dignity and meaning of marriage as the union of a man and a woman. The two strands of the dignity of the person and the dignity of marriage and the family are interwoven. To pull apart one is to unravel the whole fabric.
When a prominent Catholic politician publicly and voluntarily officiates at a ceremony to solemnize the relationship of two people of the same-sex, confusion arises regarding Catholic teaching on marriage and the corresponding moral obligations of Catholics. What we see is a counter witness, instead of a faithful one founded in the truth.
Pope Francis has been very clear in affirming the truth and constant teaching of the Church that same-sex relationships cannot be considered “in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God’s plan for marriage and family.”1 Laws that redefine marriage to deny its essential meaning are among those that Catholics must oppose, including in their application after they are passed.2 Such witness is always for the sake of the common good.
During our Holy Father’s remarkable visit to us last year, he reminded us that all politicians “are called to defend and preserve the dignity of [their] fellow citizens in the tireless and demanding pursuit of the common good, for this is the chief aim of all politics.”3 Catholic politicians in particular are called to “a heroic commitment” on behalf of the common good and to “recognize their grave responsibility in society to support laws shaped by these fundamental human values and oppose laws and policies that violate [them].”4
Faithful witness can be challenging—and it will only grow more challenging in the years to come—but it is also the joy and responsibility of all Catholics, especially those who have embraced positions of leadership and public service.
Let us pray for our Catholic leaders in public life, that they may fulfill the responsibilities entrusted to them with grace and courage and offer a faithful witness that will bring much needed light to the world. And may all of us as Catholics help each other be faithful and joyful witnesses wherever we are called.
As every school teacher learns, if you don’t discipline students who misbehave then you will lose control of the classroom, have your authority undermined, and lose the respect of the students who want to learn, making it impossible to do your job.
The Catholic bishops of the United States are in an analogous situation for failing to discipline manifest, obstinate sinners: the bishops are losing control of the flock, having their authority routinely flouted, and losing the respect of faithful Catholics.
The longer the bishops delay the necessary disciplines and remedies, the worse it will get and the more severe and frequent the eventual remedies will have to be.
A statement such as this one has no effect. Catholic Democrat…
So according to Sawyer the bishops are “having their authority routinely flouted” and “losing control of the flock.” Of course he doesn’t mean the flouting of their authority in this here blog among the vociferous lot who frequent here. And “losing the respect of faithful Catholics”? Here in this bubble perhaps, otherwise those words make no sense.
However, perhaps the charitable words one can say about the bishops’ statement here is that it is pastoral. It has reaffirmed the truth about marriage. Plus, IN A REMARKABLE WAY, it has coupled the cause of standing up for the truth about marriage as a union between man and woman with the cause of promoting the common good, which is what all elected politicians are charged to…
do, regardless of creed!
So, this is a good, well-thought out, respectful (to Biden especially by saving him face), pastoral statement. He will never mistake to do this again misdeed again hopefully.
Sawyer’s August 6, 2016 at 12:27 pm post is excellent and precisely accurate! Our bishops were not imbued with a spirit of deadly fear. This most recent limp wrist slap is an example of pastoral paralysis at it’s worst. Shame on jon for enabling cowardice and fear. Jesus was certainly not TEPID when St. Peter tried to sell the same kind/brand of pastoral cowardice that jon finds so REMARKABLE. Jesus did not find Peter’s cowardice REMARKABLE, either. Jesus said to Peter, “Go behind me Satan.” The only remarkable thing about jon’s very selfish words are that they prove there is nothing new under the sun.
Very well spoken, Sawyer. I might add, not disciplining the students keeps them in perpetual adolescence, which is where the Bidens and Pelosis seem to be.
Yes. Catholic Republican.
What does the church DO when a very prominent Catholic, Biden, ignores the very principles of his faith in a very public in-your-face way? In this case, the USCCB issued a public statement. Might the statement be stronger if it were not for the current administrations hostile actions toward all things Christian & Catholics in particular? Or if the USCCB were not accepting BILLIONS in GOV. funds? Or if the USCCB could stand tall & shout, It’s God or Nothing Folks! Or “BEGONE SATAN” like a recent martyred French priest? But I digress. Thank God for some kind of statement. PRAY they talk sternly with Biden in private so there is NO repeat & to save a confused (?) soul. To the USCCB & all priests: “don’t go to hell for anybody”.
Every time I see the photo illustrating this article it crosses my mind that these guys look like they could be brothers. Twins even.
On this slippery slope it might come to that, God forbid!
I had noticed that too. Perhaps a manifestation that homosexuality, at its root, is love of self.
Now comes Sawyer spouting more junk “facts” about the roots of homosexuality. Facts he has no expertise to show and no evidence for. Facts that have been disproven by actual professionals.
Ahem: “homo” means “same”. Homosexuality is a desire for the same as what you are; hence, at root, a love of the self.
There is more to it, of course, but to say that homosexuality pertains to love of self is not incorrect.
Fact is you wish for sin not to be sin. You wish for a disorder not to be disordered. Fact is very little of what you post here is consonant with Catholic Faith.
Twin twinks.
That is already the case, at least in the State of Georgia. There is a statute that lists the relationships of people that cannot marry one another. Unless the legislature changes the statute, two brothers can legally marry here now.
Two male cousins may also get married if they so choose.
Here is the statute, and these are the only prohibitions at the present time:
O.C.G.A. 19-3-3 (2010)
19-3-3. Degrees of relationship within which intermarriage prohibited; penalty; effect of prohibited marriage
(a) Any person who marries a person to whom he knows he is related, either by blood or by marriage, as follows:
(1) Father and daughter or stepdaughter;
(2) Mother and son or stepson;
(3) Brother and sister of the…
O.C.G.A. 19-3-3 (2010)
19-3-3. Degrees of relationship within which intermarriage prohibited; penalty; effect of prohibited marriage
(a) Any person who marries a person to whom he knows he is related, either by blood or by marriage, as follows:
(1) Father and daughter or stepdaughter;
(2) Mother and son or stepson;
(3) Brother and sister of the whole blood or the half blood;
(4) Grandparent and grandchild;
(5) Aunt and nephew; or
(6) Uncle and niece
shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than three years.
(b) Marriages declared to be unlawful under subsection (a) of this Code section shall be void from their inception.
Notice that, in Georgia, an uncle may not marry his niece. Thanks to the Supreme Court, however, he may marry his nephew.
Good posts, DJR!! Many modern “hippie leftist liberals” do not appreciate the proper laws and taboos handed down to them, since Biblical times– to PROTECT SOCIETY!!! As for the laws of Georgia, allowing two brothers or two cousins to marry?? Perhaps the lawmakers never in all their born days, ever imagined, that TWO MEN would desire to marry! Why on earth, would two brothers, or two male cousins, desire to marry?? Absurd!! The Georgia lawmakers assumed NORMALCY, I bet, when they made their laws!!
I think that the liberal Justices on the Supreme Court, are MALPRACTICING LAW– and should all be REMOVED and PUNISHED!! They are a TOTAL LIE, in their profession!
Not that I am advocating for this (I think it is sick, in fact), but why would the Georgia law worry about Mother and Stepson, as they are not related by blood? Still squeamish are we? You should be!!
Joe Biden is openly mocking and provoking the wrath and judgement of Almighty God on America by his foolish actions. We live in a world where good is seen as evil and evil is seen as good. God will not be mocked for too much longer. The only marriage instituted by God is between a husband and wife or man and woman. America turn back from the road you are taking as a nation for Jesus Christ King of Kings True God and True man is coming very soon. Please America listen to the warning from a poor sinner like me. Pray, Pray, Pray!
This problem is a direct result of decisions made by the Church Fathers, and the Pope, at the Second Vatican Council!! Maybe the Church should hold a Vatican III– and face their issues of incompetency of clergy leadership, plus other massive problems, begun in the Vatican II era! Their heads are in the sand— they refuse to face the truth!!
The Vice-President of the United States ought to know right from wrong!! He has done a PROFOUND DISGRACE to his Church and to his Nation!! SHAME ON HIM!!! Filthy acts of SEX PERVERSION all should be AGAINST THE LAW in our country– a great, big leader of the free world!! Parent all should shield their children from this MONSTER!!
I’m sorry but the last thing the cardinals who elected this pope would do at a Vatican III is right the Church. They believe in everything they’ve done, they believe in modernism, they think they’re supremely competent, and they despise tradition. They would interpret and treat another council as a mandate for changing every possible stance on any feminism derived issue, from contraception, homosexual marriage, abortion, and women’s ordination. Pray that another council is never held in our lifetimes.
Ralph, I agree with you— except, I think the Church needs a strong, truly orthodox, practicing-Catholic Pope and hierarchy– before calling another good Church council! This group of modern, post-Conciliar Catholic clergy leaders– is NOT dedicated to Christ! They are weak, worldly men, seeking the favor of the fallen, sinful, ignorant secular world, that does not know Christ!! They do not have the grace to carry out Christ’s teaching and daily religious practice, to teach, uplift, and sanctify the fallen, sinful, secular modern world, and truly “Christianize” it!! You cannot build Christ’s heavenly Kingdom– on half-truths, lies, cheating, and sin!!
Yes, blame Vatican II. As I had asked in another post, if the documents of Vatcian II is to blame how come Burke, Schneider, Mueller, Cordileone, Sarah, Morlino of Madison and other all support the Council? If you are going to denigrate the Council you might as well join your beloved SSPX (or you may have already).
Your beloved strawman, the SSPX, didn’t create Catholic doctrine, jon. They also weren’t the group that officially stated that VII didn’t set about to define anything new. So sticking to the tried and true is where it’s at.
You may want to look into +Schneider’s call for clarity on points of VII, jon. Similarly you may want to check into the legitimate origins of the Society before you indulge in your favorite fetish.
Denigrating “the council” is to make a pastoral gathering out to be more than what it is. Like those with a misunderstanding of the papacy who go about pretending that the Holy Father is some living oracle that trumps Christ and the gospel.
jon– the traditionalist cardinals of our Church, do NOT all agree 100%, on either the documents or the Council Fathers’ beliefs and statements, of Vatican II!! Try to see, also, jon– that the Council Fathers were taught a rigid OBEDIENCE TO THE CHURCH, from strong Catholic childhoods— and felt compelled to OBEY THE HOLY FATHER— and to CARRY OUT HIS WISHES– at the Council!! PERIOD!!! They are all what is called in the secular world– “company men,” who have to obey company rules and policies!! They work for the CHURCH– NOT for themselves!! Continued…
So, as I was saying– a Churchman works for the Church, and the Pope— NOT for himself! He always tries to promote the Church, and do a good job! He tries to find the best in something controversial, and promote it anyway! Many do not like the Pope’s recent “Amoris Laetitia,” and lots of theologians have called on the Pope, to re-do this document!! The head of the Holy Office (former name of the CDF) the Pope’s right-hand man– rejected Vatican II, from its inception– and even up to his dying day!! Over 200,000 clergy resigned after Vatican II, as they could not say the “New Mass,” nor serve the “New Church!”
I will say one last thing, jon. As I tried to say above– a priest or bishop, does not serve himself, he serves the institutional Church!! He knows what is possible and what is not possible. He tries to find the good, even in things he may not like to promote, such as the recent Papal documents on climate change, and Catholic Marriage. Poor Cardinal Sarah has been tragically ridiculed, recently– for his beliefs that the priest should face ad orientem, when saying Mass. All of today’s orthodox Cardinals, just try to do the best they can, and find the good– and promote what they must, for the Church!
jon, why don’t you read about Churchmen like Cardinal Ottaviani, head of the Holy Office before, during, and after the Council? See why he rejected Vatican II!! Also, why do you so strongly object to the great , orthodox Churchman and Catechist, Abp. Lefebvre?? The Vatican views Lefebvre as a fine man of God, jon!! He is NOT viewed by the Vatican as a horrible, good-for-nothing heretic, a criminal who promotes gay “marriage,” or lesbian women priests, or has committed pedophilia crimes!! There is human weakness, sin, and politics– in the Vatican!!v That’s the way it goes— only God, and His religious Truths– is perfect!
Entirely wrong is Linda Maria and A Malley, the apologists for their beloved SSPX. The reason why Burke, Schneider, Cordileone, Mueller, Sarah have a legal standing in the Church is because, among other things, they are in accord with the documents of Vatican II. The reason why your beloved SSPX do not have that legal standing is because they don’t uphold all the documents of the Council.
jon— the leadership of our Church bullies and threatens everyone, on particular things it wants– for its own selfish purposes! Especially, to promote their Vatican II!! That is also why Vatican II prelates, prior to “Summorum Pontificum” went around their dioceses, hunting down, threatening, and excommunicating elderly, sick diocesan priests— simply because they loved to privately say the old Tridentine Latin Mass! Yet, these same prelates ignored horrific cases of child sex molestation, and other crimes of their dangerous, criminal priests! This is NOT Christianity, jon!
jon, entirely skewed. You’re tagging people with affiliation that has zero to do with reality. You could just say, Linda Maria and Ann Malley, the apologists for their beloved truth of Catholic Faith and morals.
Sorry, but your pretense that VII is the end all of everything, instead of a pastoral lens that has some demonstrable clouds on it, is not going to hide the truth.
Catholics, be they supporters of the SSPX or not, are required to be upholders of Catholic Faith and Morals, hence the need to wipe off the muddying clouds on pastoral documents from Vatican II. But hey, that’s why VII, by its own “authoritative” admission wasn’t doctrinal.
Ladies and gentlemen, the responses you’re reading from LMaria and AMalley couldn’t really refute the truth that the leading figures of the Church, figures whom they themselves look up to, all support the Second Vatican Council. Because these solid leaders of the Church support the Council, the present task before the Church continues to be its faithful implementation in light of the hermeneutic of continuity as espoused by Pope Benedict. This is the way forward. The way forward is not the repudiation of the Council, which is what some people here are calling for. But rather its faithful implementation in light its continuity with the rest of the Church’s deposit of faith.
jon– because of the foolishness of the modern, “WRECK-O-VATED” Church– many so-called “Catholic” political leaders, like Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden— think they are good Catholics, following Vatican II, “following their consciences,” doing great (misguided!) social good in the world — just like YOU, with your undying enthusiasm for Vatican II!!
Yes, typical song of the beloved SSPX. Beware folks, beware.
No, jon– don’t you CARE about IRRESPONSIBLE PRELATES who do GREAT HARM?? You sound almost like the ISIS FANATICS, jon!! They don’ t care, either!! Why do you have such FANATICAL BLIND LOYALTY to the institutional Church, full of SIN?? Better to be OBJECTIVE and to STATE THE TRUTH!! Best to be loyal ONLY TO GOD!!!
LMaria: Listen to yourself. You don’t show that you are loyal to God by publicly and scandalously denigrating the clergy and Vatican II and the OF.
This is what happens when “Catholics” vote for Democrats!
All my Catholic life I was taught that such an action required excommunication.
The Church hierarchy is worthless!
God will not be mocked Mr Biden.
THIS is the best our bishops can do? What a lame, weak response. They might as well have not spoken at all. Of course, this is what we have come to expect from them. We need some real MEN in the office of bishop.
Now, I will say a few things that I believe, personally! At Vatican II, I thought that the Council Fathers should change the Church’s stance, on beliefs that other churches, and non-Christian religions, should either be converted— or else, God would send them all to Hell!! I thought that our Church should simply promote Christ-like brotherly love, kindness, and tolerance, for all non-believers– and let it go at that! Also–the clergy should have GOOD MANNERS, BE KIND TO CATHOLICS, NO THREATS OF HELL!! YOU DON’T NEED TO CALL A CHURCH COUNCIL, FOR THIS GOAL!! JUST PRACTICE CHRISTIAN LOVE!!
It is the saddest thing in the world, for a Jewish child to say to a Catholic neighbor child, when playing together–“So, your Catholic parents hate my Jewish parents, because the Catholic Church says that the Jews do not believe in Christ– and KILLED Him, too? Well, I am just a child– what do I know about all of that, anyway?” I recall the day our Pastor told us that we are all going to be very surprised, someday– to see many of our Protestant friends and neighbors, in Heaven! Only God can judge a soul, he said. And no one knows, the ways of God! He said we all should be good, practicing Catholics– and let God do the rest! He is long dead, but was much-loved, as a good priest!
EXCOMMUNICATION TIME! TIME FOR ACTION!!
I believe many people here are disappointed that the Vp was not dealt with more severely. He was not singled out, he was not given an interdict, nor excommunicated, he was not more severely punished. The bishops like any patient father and pastor know not to shame his child, or his parishioner. A good pastor’s heart is solicitous for his people. This is most assuredly one of the reasons why they were called by God to be bishops, and not us here who are clamoring for a more severe reprimand.
Rose, or jon– do you follow Christ– or the immature, human sinners, in the Vatican, and their immature, sinning bishops? It takes lots of BACKBONE, and lots of MANHOOD, jon, to follow Christ!
Yes, Linda Maria I follow Christ, because I follow the ministers of the Church, her bishops and the Pope. A proper and faithful Catholic lady does not attack her bishops, priests, and certainly not the Pope in such a contemptuous and public manner as done here routinely. If she does disagree with what the clergy is saying, a good Catholic lady ponders their teaching, prays to God for enlightenment, and discreetly holds her tongue. This is what my devout Catholic mother and grandmother taught me.
It may surprise you to know that there are actually Catholics, the majority in fact, who support the Pope and the bishops regardless of political affiliation and party platform. It’s not just Jon and myself. The bishops have appropriately…
“Rose”, your “devout” Catholic mother and grandmother may have been nothing of the sort, but rather those intent on going along to get along. Linda Maria needs no lesson how to be a good Catholic lady from you.
She is Catholic; she is a Lady; she is attempting – as we are all called to do – to be as good as grace enables us to be. Your memory box is nothing of reality, but rather a childish recollection of false perfection.
Your reference to a majority being the measure of determining where support should be is also misguided as Our Lord was never about a numbers game. The majority rejected Him, a good many of those who originally followed Him departing when the truth became too hard. That could be where your rose belongs as it…
….exudes a similar perfume of fear mongering and crowd following.
The gospel admonishes us to judge by the fruits, Rose. Not I’m okay because I’m just blindly following. Or operating under a false obedience.
You are presuming also that others haven’t prayed to God for enlightenment and been led, as a result, to speak out clearly against this charade of bishops upholding the Truth. For despite what you’ve been misled to believe, Rose, they cannot reinvent it.
reprimanded the VP without having to name him, yet it is clear whom they meant. They have defended the Catholic teaching on marriage. Since you are not content with the statement, what else do you think they should have done?
jon, do not tell a Catholic lady how she should act! I am certainly not an imbecile, following the CORRUPT, WORLDLY Churchmen, of such little religious faith– and NO MORALS AT ALL— in the Vatican! These so-called WORLDLY “men of God,” could care less about religion and morality! Among these HYPOCRITES, we have seen the tragic, EVIL crisis of homosexual clergy, and child sex abuse cases– which they all LIED about! And they also COULD CARE LESS– if our Vice-President commits a crime of conducting a false “marriage” of TWO GAY MEN, PRACTICING SEX PERVERSIONS!!! Don’t be their “YES-MAN,” jon!!
jon, or the Rose, it is best to be HONEST with religion and morality– and follow Jesus Christ, not HYPOCRITES in authority roles, whose hearts really belong to “the world, the flesh, and the Devil,” as well as egoism, power, pleasure, comfort, and money!! Such HYPOCRITES do not follow their own religion!! Before Vatican II, do you know how Christian morality was maintained, worldwide?? Not by Catholic prelates writing nice little letters to extremely sinful lay Catholic leaders of countries!! Very childish, don’t you think?? Where is the true Catholic leadership, with Authority from Christ??
“This is most assuredly one of the reasons why they were called by God to be bishops” = WRONG! STOP LYING! The once beautiful petals on your “rose” are now wilted by aphid ridden excuses. This failure to discipline is what Our Lady of Akita calls compromise! The failure to protect and guard the deposit of faith is why the following warning was given. St. John Chrysostom, like St Athanaius is also noted to have said … “The road to Hell is paved with the bones of priests and monks, and the skulls of bishops are the lamp posts that light the path.”
They say for every priest who loses his soul, 1000 souls are lost …
For every bishop who loses his eternal soul, 10,000 souls are lost!
I had asked what else the bishops could have done, and not one of these ladies could tell me. They’re only interested it seems on printing negative words against the leaders of the Church. This firm statement by the bishops is adequate and appropriate. Anything more would have been wrong.
Rose, or jon— why do you follow SINFUL HYPOCRITES in prelates’ garb– and pretend, along with them– to be following Christ?? Many excellent Catholic prelates, including the Cardinal-Prefect of the Holy Office (now called the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith) strongly advised the Pope to NOT hold a Vatican council!! Many thought it to be a BIG MISTAKE!! Vatican Council II is “pastoral”– NO NEW DOCTRINE!! Its motives are POLITICAL, not RELIGIOUS!! It is a frightened Pope’s attempt at “modernization” of a Church that is HOLY, ETERNAL— and stands outside worldly ideas and trends!!
jon– a Catholic prelate who is truly HONEST– does NOT MISUSE THEIR AUTHORITY, TO DESTROY THEIR OWN HOLY MASS, FORBID TO NOW EXCOMMUNICATE PRIESTS AND PRELATES WHO DARE TO SAY IT, and DESTROY all holy Catholic RELIGIOUS DEVOTIONS and TRADITIONS— simply because of the fear that the Catholic Church must now “change,” to suit the filthy, sinful, diabolic, pagan, Godless modern secular world!! WE DO NOT NEED DESTRUCTIVE “MODERNISM!!!” Instead– the MODERN WORLD SHOULD CONVERT TO CHRIST!!
Sorry, jon, I typed too fast, in the above post– there is problem with the third sentence! Anyway– surely you know, that the MODERNIST, VATICAN II, CHURCH “WRECK-O-VATION” HYPOCRITES (led by the Pope) threatened all of our priests and prelates with EXCOMMUNICATION– for saying the old Latin Mass, after Vatican I!! MADE ME SICK!! They couldn’t LEGALLY suppress the beautiful old Latin Tridentine Mass, by Canon Law– so they did a mean, nasty trick, to get around that problem!! Pope Benedict finally tried to fix this situation, a little bit. DISHONEST!!!
I’ve been commenting here for the past 5 years. None of you still have answered my honest question: What would you have wanted the bishops to have done. Instead we just get false accusations from you against the clergy.
We need NEW BISHOPS, and a NEW POPE, jon— who are all deeply committed, 100% reliable, strong, practicing Catholics!
This is not a serious proposal for the honest question I asked. This only proves that you truly are only interested in negativity.
jon, or the Rose– I gave an HONEST answer, to the situation of our Church — but is your question really honest?? I don’t believe in blind loyalty to anyone, jon, or the Rose– except to God!
I identified Biden as an example of the ill-behaving steward in yesterday’s Gospel in my homilies. I expect to hear from the chancery as a number of my parishioners walked by, head down and holding back their fury, after Mass. But it certainly felt cathartic to call out one who has caused such grave scandal this week.
We will likely recall the news of a letter written by Ted Kennedy to the Holy Father, although we do not know the contents, there has been some assumption it was to ask in Kennedys own way how he as a Catholic violated Church teaching to fulfill his elected positions duties. No doubt many other professed Catholic politicians will some day write a letter of the same kind to the then pope.
I believe this is the text of the letter in question:
https://fratres.wordpress.com/2009/08/30/full-text-edward-m-kennedy-letter-to-pope-benedict-xvi/
And the purpose of announcing the Gospel is so that the homilist can achieve catharsis? Is that what you learned in seminary?
No YFC. The homily applied yesterday’s Gospel message to our contemporary times in a very timely way, by showing that the most prominent Catholic layman in the US followed the bad steward’s example from the parable by mistreating the menservants and maidservants because the master was away and the steward that he had carte blanche to do evil. I then applied it to we present at the Mass– clergy and laity alike– and we can also succumb to doing evil because we may forget the presence of God, His promise to come again, His omniscience, and His judgment.
The catharsis was a secondary, though welcome, effect.
Thank you, and may God continue to bless you Fr. Michael, for not bowing down to appease the false god of politically correct confusion. Your post, is a cathartic gift to many, whether they realize it at this time or not. Keep up the much needed inspiring work that shows you truly care about the salvation of all souls, including, Mr. Joe Biden’s.
Thank you Fr M for your sermon re: the faithful teachings of the Catholic Church & Bad Biden. Maybe because of the readings but our good, ‘baby’ priest (2nd year) gave a sermon on the same topic (gay) at our parish at the Saturday vigil. Said he read an article about someone identified as a ‘Gay’ Catholic. Then he went on to explain beautifully why, you cannot be Catholic and practicing ‘Gay’. That we are ALL called to a CHASTE life as Catholics. (That’s my line too.) On the way home I asked myself, How many talks have I heard about ANY serious sin/scandal at mass? Not more then 10 in over 50 + years! Isn’t that sad? ……………
continued………………..The Holy Spirit blessed you with that good feeling of catharsis for a reason! Praying for you & God Bless You!
Well said, Fr. M. We will pray that the chancery is too busy with too many other matters to call. (As well one would think they would be.)
YFC, hopefully what is taught and learned in seminary is to preach the truth of the gospel in season and out. And, yes, it can be cathartic to preach the truth as it is a relief. The truth shall set you free. The status quo, though seemingly safe (as it may make parishioners who prefer to guide themselves by way of the politically correct ) would have learned nothing.
Sorry you missed that but glad Fr. Michael got back to you.
Ann Malley, how would you possibly know about what it feels like to preach?
YFC, Cheap shot. Stooping pretty low don’t you think?
Thank you Fr. Michael for having the back bone to speak out. You are not a
jelly fish as the Sisters at our grammar school would have said. We need to hear more from the pulpit about forming our conscience and other things pertinent to what is going on in the world. We hear nothing, nothing, nothing. Enough with raising our arms, hand holding and turning to kiss your next door neighbor in the pew. Give us something to think about….please.
This is a statement of the cowardly corrupt and is an exact example of what Judith Brown, President, of the Pro-life group ALL calls the decay and corruption that has entered our Church. They value their corrupt federal dollars over speaking and telling the truth over this beyond the beyond scandal and evil. They mention politician and scandal but fail to go to the heart of it and that’s by naming the one causing the scandal, “Catholic” Joe Biden. This sheer lack of backbone is nothing but cowardice. How can one follow these so-called “Good Shepherds” ? Days of Martin Luther all over again and they (bishops) are creating it.
No personal r5esponsibility and no accountability by the bishops.Those bishops are no doubt registered DEMs.
And they wonder why the Faithful have stopped contributing?
If these bishops were the heads of any other corporation, the stock holders were remove them. Time for Catholics to start demanding that their bishop resign if he is not speaking out in times like these!!
Recent HISTORY: WHY are we at this tipping point in this (once) great country? Our POTUS said last election, “Marriage is between one man & one woman”. Then he got elected again (sigh). Shortly afterward he said, after much thought (?), he has CHANGED his mind about marriage. BO OPENED the flood gates of Sodom & Gomorrah to SWAMP America’s Christian Values! The SUPREME COURT did their part when they overturned state laws supporting traditional marriage. Least we forget, THANKS TO ALL THE CONFUSED CATHOLICS who voted BO in AGAIN. All Christians are suffering but the WORST is yet to come if Hillary gets in & continues this WAR on religious freedoms. Wake UP!
Continued………………Wake UP and vote them out. God Help us all.
I’m sorry FT Pew, you have your facts wrong. The President came out in favor of marriage equality in the fall of 2012 just before the last election.
WHIMPER, WHIMPER, WHIMPER – Kurtz, Malone, and Wenski. The statement of these American Bishops, together with the silence of their brother Bishops, confirms in my mind that the American Hierarchy either collectively or individually do not have a backbone. Come on Bishops, is this weak, timid statement all that you can say in the face of such an affront to our Catholic morality? I am ashamed of the USCCB. I respect the offices which you hold, but have very little respect for any of you as individuals.. I am afraid that you have all succumbed to the Pope Francis “smell like sheep” effect.
Oh oh, Anonymous, time for jon the prelate and his chief drone, The Rose, to whack you into submission with the bamboo rods.
Thanks for your concern Campion, but I am much more concerned about what the American Bishops did not say concerning the recent actions of Vice President Biden and his obvious disregard for the basic teaching of the Catholic Church that marriage is between one man and one woman, no matter what the Supreme Court says. In recent years many owners of bakeries, florist shops, and photography businesses have stood up for Christian values even if this cost them their businesses and thousands of dollars in fines and court costs. In the wake of this, can not our Bishops do better? The USCCB can either stand up for traditional marriage and castigate Biden for his public attempt to join two homosexuals in marriage, or the Bishops can show…
The bishops in this statement did indeed stand up for the truth about marriage as a union between husband and wife: “we also stand with Pope Francis in preserving the dignity and meaning of marriage as the union of a man and a woman,” they have said. As for “castigating” Biden, a clear reading of the text shows that he was indeed “castigated”: “When a prominent Catholic politician publicly and voluntarily officiates at a ceremony to solemnize the relationship of two people of the same-sex, confusion arises…”
jon, I am sure that Vice-President Biden laughed at the silly letter he got, from the Bishops— just as Nancy Pelosi laughs at the Church, and does as she pleases, justifying her beliefs and actions, in the way she wants, all the time! The truth is– our Church is SPINELESS!! Where in the world, is the Authority of Christ?? In Christ’s Name, and by Christ’s holy Authority, which He gave to St. Peter, and which was passed down to the current Pope, and his prelates — Biden needs to receive STRONG DISCIPLINE!!
Yes, typical SSPX language.
If the USCCB does not publically and powerfully castigate Biden for his public, in your face, attempt to join two homosexual sodomites in marriage, then the Bishops will show their true colors – YELLOW- and the Bishops will show themselves to be spineless boys not men, who have lost their ability to shepherd their flocks. Please Bishops, grow a backbone, shower, and lead your flocks. I am waiting to hear from you…