The following comes from a mid-October email sent by a reader of Cal Catholic. It appeared recently on the website of Les Femmes – The Truth.
Father Leo Celano, a Norbertine priest from Orange County, CA, and long-time friend of Les Femmes, was asked to replace a vacationing pastor for four Sundays last summer. On the first weekend, July 25, Father gave the homily below at two Masses. “A few persons walked out,” he said. “Obviously they did not come to receive the Lord. And just as obviously, I did not come to tickle their ears…Some got their knickers knotted…including the Assistant who called me the following afternoon to request that I need not return for the next three weekends (arranged beforehand), saying among other things, ‘I can’t take the pressure.’:
“In those days, the Lord said: ‘The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin is so grave, that I must go down and see…whether or not their actions fully correspond to the cry against them….” The opening verse of today’s First Reading, is taken from the 18th Chapter of Genesis, the first book of the Old Testament.
Are any two towns in the ancient world, both destroyed by an earthquake 3,900 years ago and now completely covered by the southern waters of the Dead Sea, better known than Sodom and Gomorrah? It’s doubtful. Each is mentioned time and again, not only in the Old Testament, but also in the New Testament – in the Old Testament by the authors of Genesis and Deuteronomy, and the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Zephaniah, and Amos; and in the New by Saints Peter, Paul, Jude, Matthew, and Mark.
What sin could be so grave as to cause such a great outcry throughout the centuries by so many historians, prophets, and saints? The sin, referred to in Sacred Scripture as an abomination, i.e. a thing disgusting and detestable, is the sin of sodomy. In Doubleday’s publication of the Modern Catholic Dictionary by Fr. John Hardon, S.J., sodomy is defined as an “unnatural sexual relation.” It goes on to say that “the term is derived from the biblical city of Sodom on the Dead Sea, destroyed with the city of Gomorrah because of the wickedness of the people, places of infamy, and sinful living. More particularly, sodomy is a homosexual act between male persons or between a human being and an animal.”
Generally speaking the consequences of sodomy and homosexuality go far beyond a private act. In a democratic society, how we view homosexuality influences, for better or worse, how we live our daily lives and vote as Catholics. Our views affect the present and future cultural, judicial, and political climates. They affect our values and how we vote on major social and moral issues. They affect our children and their public or private educational systems.
Another question we might ask this morning is, “What is more current in our daily newspapers or weekly periodicals or more heard of on daily talk shows or newscasts than so-called marriage between members of the same sex? We all know well what the secular and popular media parrot. Not only do they support and promote perversion, they also celebrate it….
To read the entire sermon, click here.
Gen 19:1-29; Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:10; 1 Tim 1:10; Jude 1:7
CCC: 2357, 2358, 2359 & 2396.
St Paul – 1 Cor 11:27-30 about condemnation for receiving Holy Communion unworthily.
CCC: ” CCC: ” 81 Sacred Scripture is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit.
And [Holy] Tradition transmits in its ENTIRETY the Word of God which has been entrusted to the apostles by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit.
It transmits it to the successors of the apostles so that, enlightened by the Spirit of truth, they may faithfully preserve, expound and spread it abroad by their preaching. “
It is not pastoral, charitable, or merciful to affirm, condone, or confirm anyone in Mortal Sin.
And the assistant priest couldn’t take the pressure! Some spiritual leader he is. No doubt he will be a bishop some day wining and dining the democratic politicians.
it was 10 years ago. Maybe you can look him up and see what happenned instead of disparaging him.
I think you’re assuming it was a priest. More than likely it was a lay administrator. Otherwise there would be no need for Fr. Leo to fill in.
The Physically Harmful / Pathological Disease spreading nature of Homo-Anal Coprophile Behaviors is a Fact – Widely Known for many centuries before last the few decades of ‘happy’ homesx propaganda campaigns, futilly trying to sanitize Behaviors which are inherently harmfully & septic.
Gaystapo Pogroms currently trying to force the ‘Conga Line of Buggery’ up the public wazoo under sham pretenses like ‘tolerance’ – Deliberately ignore not just the ‘immorality’ of such Behaviors – but All other such facts arguing against pandering to them, even those regularly reported on by the US Center for Disease Control.
However – the Facts about the medical consequences of such Pathological Behaviors remain Valid – INDEPENDENT of any Church Teaching on “Sodomy” as regards its Sinful nature…
– Although the two positions arguing against pandering to such Behaviors can and do co-exist as properly valid justifications, each solidly grounded in their own right.
For example – Whether one believes that God Created the World and with it Gravity; or one is an absolute atheist who simply acknowledges the physics of Gravity – both parties would be equally flattened if they stepped off a tall building with no parachute.
I choose not to employ the term Sodomy (although I do talk of my old home town as Sodom by the Sea) – simply because it prevents those pushing such Evil from dismissing objections to it based solely on ‘religion’ – when in this (and so many other instances) there is No Contradiction between the validity of Science and Church Teaching opposing the Behaviors.
Well said, Fr. Leo. It is wonderful sermon that needs to be heard.
Wonderful, honest to the point, right from God’s word. What a great homily! We need more priests to speak from the pulpit as such. God must be very pleased with him to share with the congregation what all of the priests etc., should be saying to us. Doing God’s work as the apostles were taught by Jesus a very long time ago.
If pastors reminded us frequently in sermons that no one, male or female, should have sexual relations outside of a lawful marriage, that to do so is a grave sin, there would be no question about homosexuality. It does not matter what one’s sexual orientation is, being heterosexual or homosexual in itself is not a sin. It only becomes a sin when one has sexual relations outside of marriage. When was the last time you heard a sermon admonishing people about this?
Sarah,
What a WONDERFUL thought, the Holy Spirit must have enlightened you!!!
It would be very difficult for a Priest to disagree with a sermon such as you mentiioned!!! If I may, I am going to try to bring it up to a few Priests :)
Bless your heart.
Wow – a priest that actually preaches the Gospel and Church Tradition without fear. Too bad his Boss is likely to give him an incoherent rant about “mercy” and such, even though Fr. Celano is clearly trying to save souls.
And, that is the issue, isn’t it, Sodomy-loving bloggers: saving souls versus having your own way sexually. In fact, the present Church is pretty much over, as can be seen by the Synod. No, not the Catholic Church, which it is promised, will endure. But, surely you see what will happen in 2015 — Francis will cull through his cronies, and cut out all the Burke-types. When all meet again in next year’s Synod, he will have a truly stacked deck.
Of course, we need to fight on, and who knows what will happen. Yet, good priests will have career stunted. And loony, craven people, like the “Assistant” who disinvited Fr. Celano, will simply not want any priest that teaches the truth.
The real question is: where is the pastor and bishop in all of this. They should look at why enough people of the parish objected to cause “heat” because they actually heard the Gospel. What had they been hearing before? And, what will they hear now? Pope Francis need not worry much — and he does not by all accounts — the “old” Church is over. He wants — and sodomites want — something far more valuable: a Church that says all that old stuff was wrong, or, just old, and will no longer be followed. There is no punishment because there is no crime. Sodomy, fornication, adultery — all are part of the “smell of the sheep” that Francis loves so much. Good work Fr. Celano, you will soon go the way of the dinosaur.
Thank you Father Leo Celano for preaching the Truth! Jesus said, “If they hate you, know that they hated Me first.” Tis always better to be a friend of God instead of a friend of the world.
“Of course, we need to fight on, and who knows what will happen. Yet, good priests will have career stunted. And loony, craven people, like the “Assistant” who disinvited Fr. Celano, will simply not want any priest that teaches the truth.” Thank you St. Christopher and you are correct, we do need to fight on. God knows what will eventually happen.. ‘”In the End My Immaculate Heart Will Triumph”
Taken from RORATE CÆLI
https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/
“Over half the Bishops (in the Synod) have already switched religion”
Alessandro Gnocchi, in his weekly piece for La Riscossa Cristiana in which he responds to letters he has received, calls our attention to this truly lamentable event that clearly shows where most of the Bishops and Cardinals are in terms of their understanding of the Catholic Faith and the immutability of doctrine. It also shows that most of our prelates have abandoned the principle of non-contradiction and live in a Church worthy to be a construction of Lewis Carroll. We are not only “back to the future”. We have also gone “Through the Looking-Glass”.
Because we all care about the opinion of people we have never heard of and who white for a paper we’ve never heard of.
And I am really glad that you liked Father Leo Celano’s sermon. I was worried you would think he was part of the homo-mafia when he said that homosexual tendencies are within the normal range of human behavior and when he said that homosexual attraction could be the occasion of great supernatural merit. I guess it depends on who is saying it and how it is presented?
“…he said that homosexual attraction could be the occasion of great supernatural merit.”
Nobody has ever denied, to my knowledge, the supernatural merit of resisting the temptations of the flesh, mous. Quite the opposite, actually. But, as you point out, I guess it is all a matter of ‘who’ says it.
For Catherine and others have done nothing but applaud those with SSA who fight against it and advocate doing as much for love of God. Those who do not applaud it, often on CCD, are those who would rather encourage those with SSA to give up carrying the Cross and indulge.
That said, what is your position on the issue. Reject temptation and earn merit for fighting the good fight – or give in for the sake of societal pressure and dismiss grace as ineffectual?
Reject temptation, of course!
“I was worried you would think he was part of the homo-mafia when he said that homosexual tendencies are within the normal range of human behavior and when he said that homosexual attraction could be the occasion of great supernatural merit.”
No anonymous, that is NOT why YOU were worried. You are worried because Pope Benedict XVI wrote that homosexuality itself was incompatible with the priesthood. “Pope Benedict XVI cited a 2005 Vatican document that drew a sharp line against priestly ordination of homosexuals. He said the document emphasized that homosexual candidates cannot become priests because their sexual orientation interferes with “the proper sense of paternity” that belongs to the priesthood.”
Perhaps you are also the very same anonymous who once posted that many priests live in fear of being outed.
Your “worry” over another priest being labeled as homo-mafia because he (Father Celano) said that homosexual attraction could be the occasion of great supernatural merit.” reveals that you are more concerned with comforting your own “worry.” instead of being able to rightly focus on simple teaching the full truth. You are trying to convince yourself that what Pope Benedict XVI said was not true so instead of thanking Father Celano you fell back into “worry” mode. You might even publicly claim that you support “all” Church teaching but privately you are “worried” and the distraction of this disorder has an effect.
It seems that Fr. Celano’s sermon certainly has separated the wheat from the chaff. A few people might have objected because children and teens were there, but, hey, don’t most of them hear a lot worse at their public schools, on television and so forth? It is constantly thrown in our faces by the media, to the point where many Catholics and other Christians do not even have a television in their home, or strictly supervise its use. Excellent sermon, Father Celano.
God bless and protect Father Leo for speaking the truth! It takes fortitude to say what he did, and it is unfortunate that more priests today do not preach as he does.
If consenting adults were to privately commit sodomy within their own homes it would be one thing.
But they want to PROMOTE and PUBLICISE their evil throughout the world, including in public entertainment, legislation, etc.
And they want the rest of us to bow down to their homosexual acts in the name of their freedom. They want to DENY OUR FREEDOM to object to their mortal sin (which we would not even know about if only done within their own private homes).
If they want to go to Hell, that is their free choice. But leave the rest of society out of it.
We aren’t asking you to “bow down”, whatever that means. All we are asking for is that you treat us with the respect we deserve as fellow human beings according to the teachings of the Church, and that you stop interfering with our Constitutional rights as citizens of the US. It is really that simple.
Ah but its not that simple YFC, just asked Donald and Evelyn Knapp, owners of Hitching Post Wedding Chapel in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. They are claiming they are being forced to conduct gay marriages by the city government ordinances. Or the lesbian mayor of Houston demanded copies of Christian pastors sermons. You see LGBTQYTOP (whatever) represent the forces of the anti-Christ which is in a headlong collision with the forces of Christ. What your ilk has always demanded complete acceptance, well your not getting it from many of us…and their is no constitutional right to sodomite marriages no matter how many legal contortionist say otherwise
The city of Houston DID overstep their bounds in the discovery motions they requested. However, they were responding to a lawsuit that YOU GUYS BROUGHT!
Anon giving the lesbian mayor of Houston a pass I can see.. no surprise BBB
The Knapp lawsuit will be thrown out faster than you can say cheese. Why? Because no body ever asked them to hold a same sex marraige and complained to authorities about it!! This is entirely a creation of their attorneys! So please do not be surprised when the court slaps them upside the head and says that they had no right to bring this lawsuit. NOBODY asked these people to marry them that they turned away. NOBODY.
What they are doing is forcing us by legislation to accept their depraved morality. I remember when President Reagan was in office liberals would say about him, “we are tired of you trying to force your morality on us.” Well I guess time heals all wounds because these homo-fascists are doing exactly what they accused conservatives of doing in the 80’s.
Activist YFC, What did God say about those who scandalized his little ones? You don’t really care what the Church teaches. Innocent children deserved to be treated with the dignity and the respect that God intended for their well being and you threw that one out the window too. This post truly calls attention to the narcissism involved in the disorder of homosexuality. It’s always a “me me me” at even the expense of an innocent child. What do homosexual activists who promote gay adoption say? They say things like, “We aren’t asking you to “bow down, whatever that means.”
It means being a slave to a disorder to such a degree that you push immorality and violence on innocent children, society and others who prefer to obey God.
Are you for God or Mammon, YFC? Do you only promote that which is of God while in Church or when attempting to silence or shame others and then promote that which is an abomination the rest of the time?
It’s that simple, YFC, as you well know.
YFC, you deserve respect as a human being, but your sins deserve contempt. (As do all mortal sins.)
We will not bow down to you or your sins.
You do not have the constitutional right to force the rest of us to accept your sins, and that is what those of your ilk intend for us to do.
You are not kidding anyone or you would be campaigning that those who do not believe in that lifestyle should not have to deal with it.
Sally, as I said, you should not bow down to me or to my sins. Of course not. However, we live in a country bound together with a Constitution, and I deserve full civil rights under that Constitution. Attempting to use religion to deny those rights is itself unconstitutional, as you are now seeing played out in the Courts. Dignity. Yes, the Church has a lot of room to grow on that stance.
These are cowardly words, “Anonymous”. You and all homosexual sexualists may win civil demands to be “married”. And, under Francis, you may even obtain some level of blamelessness for your sexual mortal sins. However, you cannot escape the Bible’s prohibitions, and centuries of Catholic opprobrium against sodomy.
What homosexuals do to each other sexually cannot be accepted within a Catholic Church (as anything other than perversion). No one here denies you civil rights. Yet a society clearly has the right to avoid degradation of its citizen. Justice Scalia was so right in his dissent in Lawrence v. Texas. Homosexual sex is right up there with bestiality, polygamy, pornography, adult incest and many other sexual events that should be crimes. This is not religion talking, but the basic good of society. What is unnatural can be controlled, and prohibited, as necessary for the common good.
Sorry I seem to be having problems gettin my name in the box tonight. I am the Anonymous oser 10-23 at 6:06 PM
I can see the little computer printout with all the correct little buzz words (which dignity and respect figure prominately) used by homosexualists of all stripes to defend their untenable and unnatural positions. The pope thought they were so great he ordered the three ‘rejected’ paragraphs containing these very buzz words in the published edition of his little synod. What is odd is Jesus never used these expressions…He referred to as sheep usually… And pretty stupid, sinful sheep, at that! Does being a homosexual somehow make you better than the rest of us? I can’t remember anyone disrespecting my dignity ( whatever that is). I have done so many times to myself through sin, however. Do you folks now think you’re not even sinners ? Pretty soon, if next years pre arranged synod has its way, we’ll be learning that homosexuality is the fast track to heaven and any “sour “, “rigid”, judgmental “so-called” Catholics had better get with the program. Thus spake yr ‘umbleness.
No unfortunately it isn’t that simple. The problem is that the “community” puts itself first, it insists that its self-concocted constitutional “rights” are paramount, and it is unceasingly intent on asserting and affirming itself, to expense of anybody and everybody else. The “community,” as such, is grounded in falsehood and it exists solely for the purpose of attempting to legitimize in the secular world something that can never be legitimate in eternity, and is nothing but a slap in God’s face. The “community” needs to give up on itself and dismantle its own worthless pride which is profitable to no one, including themselves. Close your fork-tongue mouths and pick up and carry your crosses like everyone else. We’re sick of hearing from you.
Dear Rambler – we have not “self-concocted” our constitutional rights. We have the same rights as everyone else, and we are here to claim those rights. Before gay people ever made it to the Supreme Court, it had ruled something like 14 times (plus or minus) that every American enjoys a fundamental right to marry. EVERY AMERICAN, not just religious americans, or straight americans. Furthermore, our rights are not at the “expense” of anyone else. If we have the constitutional right to marry, (which we do), nobody else is denied the right to marry as a result. It really IS that simple.
YFC, you can claim those rights all the way to Hell, and unfortunately by your activism as a blogger you probably will take others to Hell with you.
What do you not understand ?
Teaching about homosexual acts:
Gen 19:1-29; Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:10; 1 Tim 1:10; Jude 1:7
St Paul – 1 Cor 11:27-30 about condemnation for receiving Holy Communion unworthily.
CCC: ” 81 Sacred Scripture is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit.
And [Holy] Tradition transmits in its ENTIRETY the Word of God which has been entrusted to the apostles by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit.
It transmits it to the successors of the apostles so that, enlightened by the Spirit of truth, they may faithfully preserve, expound and spread it abroad by their preaching. “
“Your Fellow Catholic”: Wrong again! Your assumed “rights” to marry are non-existent (and no, it does not matter what a court of appeals says or the “pass” of the US Supreme Court, for now). And, “yes” it does a great deal of harm for a country to recognize — for the first time — the immoral and unnatural activity of man-on-man sex as a “fundamental” right.
In fact, such a policy means that polygamy, bestiality, adult incest and many other sexual activities can now be claimed as “rights” too. This is really a nice legacy, “YFC” thank you and your sodomite pals for this.
No one will ever accept your actions as “normal” including the Catholic Church. That is not discrimination, other than the kind of discrimination that says that you cannot steal from old people, or sell dope to children, or have sex with the mentally deranged. It is not ever, never, going to work “YFC”.
Repent. Ask Christ for forgiveness. Do penance. Become and live a Catholic life. We all sin, and none deserve Heaven without Christ. But we acknowledge this, something homosexual sexualists do not. Ignore people like Cardinal Chuckles-Bravo Dolan, he will lead you to hell. And do not confuse what you might attain through litigation; it will likely not matter to God.
Let’s be clear: The Supreme Court found a constitutional right to same sex couples having sex in Lawrence v Texas in 2003. In addition to the right to marriage, the Supreme Court has found many times that each American has a fundamental right to marry. In 2014, the Supreme Court let stand three circuit court decisions that that right to marriage is no different for same sex couples as it is for opposite sex couples.
Further, this is not a “right to bestiality”, polygamy, etc., which is the kind of fake argument that your side has been making for quite a lot of time now, and more and more people are realizing that is just ridiculous. A dog cannot consent to a marriage.
When you say, St. Christopher, that “no one will ever accept your actions as normal”, you are clearly wrong. If you weren’t wrong, You would never have the progress that has been made.
Finally, thank you for the call to repent. Repentance and forgiveness is something I have sought often, and all of us need it from time to time. Thank God we have such a merciful Lord!
And we gay people are tired of hearing from YOU.
There is no constitutional right to marry a person of the same gender any more than there is a constitutional right to abortion, regardless of what the Supreme Court says. That is what you have made up and you know it. Marriage was created by God as one made and one woman, not by a Constitution. Same sex “marriage” destroys the legitimacy of heterosexual marriage just as counterfeit money destroys the value of real money.
Well Rambler, keep on rambling, because many many federal judges and now the Supreme Court is disagreeing with you. Every person has a constitutional right to marry. This has been decided over and over again, going back since before the Civil War. It would be nice if you could join in the joyous occasion, but if you can’t please attend a civics class.
Any sinner can decide to change his ways and adhere to the teachings of Christ and His Catholic Church.
God gave you a free will.
Those who wish to leave may do so. Live your life as you see fit, and suffer the consequences.
So quit writing on a Catholic blog site.
Jesus did not relax (change) his teaching to accommodate many of His followers. JESUS let them LEAVE.
Jn 6:66.
Jesus also said everyone is not going to get to Heaven.
Lk 13:23-28; and Mt 7:13-14.
Yes YFC and many, many judges in Germany enforced the blood purity laws and the judges you mentioned are just wrong as they were in Germany….There is no joy in mortal sin YFC…
Have you been keeping up with what these loving, dignified homosexualists are doing in Australia to prevent a Hyatt hotel from letting Christians have a conference there? And yet anyone who lovingly but honestly tells them they can’t make their wedding cakes is run out of business. I’m way past being sick of hearing their incessant whining and contemptible selfish and heartless behaviors …now it’s jail time and probable excommunication next. Evil has NO sense of humor or the capacity to laugh at itself, carrying out satans will is serious work!
Homosexuals are way past having people like you tell them how to live their lives, who they can and cannot love, and having people like you refer to them as evil. Get real.
“…people like you.” That’s pretty judgmental, mous, and unChristian. And it is not people telling folks how to live, rather it is God and the laws of nature. Get real.
Part of what Oscar says COULD be true, but it is NOT. Even secret sins are sins, which must be confessed, and they hurt or do damage to the Church, which is the Mystical Body of Christ. All sins are wounds which effect the Church, whether secret and private, or public and out in the open. How demonic the whole homosexual network is was pointed out very clearly by Oscar in his second and third paragraph. This is all part of the diabolical disorientation that is widespread in the Catholic Church and in our society. May God have mercy on us, and Our Lady protect us.
Fr., Oscar did not say that homosexual acts are not sins. In fact many homosexuals are not Catholic.
Please reread his post.
Father karl, you should be praying for yourself, as one who expects charity to be expended upon yourself but not upon poor immigrants from Mexico.
If you want to help poor Mexicans, anonymous, do what I and my family have done…go to Mexico and help the poor.
Dana, Anonymous does not want to help anyone.
He wants to promote sin.
I have no clue why he is on a Catholic web site.
Again, there are posts on this Catholic website trying to condone sin!
Sodomites are a real menace to children. Though only 2% of the population, sodomites make up 33% of all child sex abusers. Since 33 ÷ 2 = 17.5, that means sodomites are 17.5 times more likely to sexually abuse children than are heterosexuals. See the study linked below, supported by 76 footnotes to scientific sources.
http://www.tinyurl.com/HomoAbusers
We have frequently and often pointed out to you that most of the sources you cite have already said that you are misreading their studies. Besides the fact that your division problem suffers from some serious math errors. Yes 33 divided by 2 equals 17.5, but that is not the appropriate equation here. Especially when specialists in the field of child abuse will tell you that same sex child abuse is not caused by gay people for the most part. But even if it were, your math is silly nonsense and you should be embarrassed by it. Besides all that, nobody, noone wants to set sex abusers off the hook. Nobody. No gay person advocating for equal protection under law is holding a hand behind their back and saying “ooooh don’t look at the hand behind my back”. Nobody is saying that. Gay people are much more likely than not to be law abiding citizens, just as much as straight people. Because some gay people are bad gay people doesn;t mean that good gay people don’t deserve to be citizens. To follow your logic, every priest and every straight person would be prohibited from their civil rights.
A sin is a sin, no mater who commits it. Pagans sin, Jews, Moslems, and Protestants sin. You do not have to be a Catholic in order to sin. Liberals enjoy mixing apples and oranges; the article above is about sodomy, and NOT about illegal aliens.
Fr. Karl, yes mortal sin, is mortal sin.
But some people will choose to live a sinful lifestyle (with ultimate consequences in Hell) no matter what anyone else says or does.
God gave everyone a free will.
If they choose to live a sinful lifestyle, they should not force themselves on the rest of society.
I know what the Church teaches about Sodomy, and I agree with it. Having said that, it is interesting that an article about homosexuals will fill up this site in a matter of hours. Of all of the things with which the Church must deal, homosexuality may be the least important at this stage. The Synod showed that a number of the bishops and cardinals are legalistic in their approach, which is ok. But the real problem is that people are just not getting married any more. They just live together until who knows when. Catholics, based on the polls are more liberal than Protestants on the issues of same sex marriage, divorce, etc. If the Church is to survive it must get those who don’t go to church or have left. How do you get to the thirty year old college graduate who went through rigorous Catholic schools and would’t step foot in a Catholic church because the people in it hate everyone. How do you get to the college student who is attracted to the Newman Center, but leaves when the Bishop pulls out the priests who have built it up to a successful community because the music is to avant-garde. You have lost those kids. They will never return. How do you save the young bride-to-be who wanted her wedding in the local park, but what was told simply “NO” with no explanation. She will never set foot in church again. Our job should be to bring people to the church so that we can teach them the ways of God. There should not be a litmus test for getting in. Remember, we cannot be Catholic if we are not professed sinners.
Bob One always putting the burden of proof on the Church and Truth. “the Synod showed that a number of the bishops and cardinals are legalistic in their approach, ” No Bob One they were standing up for Truth, homosexuality does not have gifts to offer the Church, this utter nonsense. You are so worried about the Church not gaining enough numbers, you want the Church to convert to the spirit of the world, you refuse to even suggest that those away from the Church convert, carry their cross and cooperate with God’s grace. When Christ met the Samaritan woman at the well He did not say to her, come back to me when you feel you are ready on your Faith journey. If the Church is much smaller in the future than so be it, it will be smaller and holier, and then we can be real witnesses, perhaps even martyred. St. Patrick converted an entire nation almost by himself, he did not compromise, as you constantly suggest we should. …Yes there should be a litmus test if you are unrepentant in your sins, then you have no place in Church, none. If you constantly demand that your sins be made sacraments then there is no place for you at all.
“Bob One” — this is completely wrong. The Church can change all it wants and it will not get one of the selfish, sex-obsessed people back as “faithful Catholics”. In fact, the more that the Church changes its basic doctrine to “reflect modern times” the more that these same times will disrespect the Church. Just look at the Episcopalian Church since it embraced homosexual clergy, women clergy, and any kind of living arrangement imaginable. They are dying!
The Catholic Church has lost people that it did not teach about the Faith, that it did not show the glories of its mission of salvation. People who have experienced the simply crazy liturgy and catechism that has characterized the Church these past decades simply no longer believe in it (and who would believe in an institution that did not believe in itself, anyway). Craven desire to be liked by the modern has led to the wholesale loss of faith by Catholic clergy, and particularly its bishops and cardinals.
The Church needs to teach the joy of Faith, and also the need for sacrifice. Study after study have shown that Catholic teens today, for example, simply know next to nothing about fundamental things about the Mass, Catholic beliefs, prayers, anything. Yet, Traditional orders and dioceses and parishes are bursting with parishoners and seminarians. Too bad that Pope Francis and his Gestapo are busy trying to rub out the very things that work in the Church today.
You are right about needing to teach people, but that is not what is being done today. In fact, what happened to Fr. Celano is precisely what is happening all over the country, where Churchmen speak up about the Faith. Pope Francis is doing exactly the opposite of what is needed today in the Church.
Good comments Canisius and St. Christopher. Amen.
Bob One, many have posted to you, and you refuse to listen.
How do we teach the Faith accurately and completely ? – which is the only way to bring people to Christ.
Have the literate read the Bible and CCC at home on a regular basis.
Priests – Preach about Sin, Judgment, Heaven and Hell as stated in the Bible and CCC in Sunday homilies.
Priests – Preach about the requirement for REPENTANCE and the need to “sin No more” in Sunday homilies.
The Apostles were great TEACHERS of the FAITH,
NOT being concerned about Bishop Conference and Diocese Bureaucracies, or about keeping the government happy and evil people in power so that financial goals for social services can be met.
The CCC also states that TEACHING is the Bishop’s FIRST TASK.
Oscar, preaching about sin, judgement, etc. is very important. But teaching about God’s love for mankind is as important. Teaching us to love one another as He has loved us is very important too. Teaching people that we are a welcoming faith is important. Teaching that we can all belong under the wide tent as we make our journey to God is important too. At every step in our lives we are learning more about God and what He expects of us, what he wants us to believe, how He wants us to live. We aren’t born with that knowledge and with the required faith and beliefs. We have to be taught them, learn them, believe them and practice them in our lives. That has always been a gradual process. I remember when people went to church out of fear of hell, not out of the love of God. The church is for incomplete persons. My small group members learn something new and awe inspiring every time we open the book to the readings for the next Sunday. That is a big part of growing in our faith.
“I remember when people went to church out of fear of hell, ” now most Catholics do not believe in the existence of Hell. Well done spirit of Vatican 2
Bob One –
LEGALISTIC really means FAITHFUL to Christ and His Church.
(Jesus said, “If you love me you will keep my Commandments”.
He did NOT state “if you love me you can change my Commandments”.)
RELAXING DOCTRINE really means CHANGING DOCTRINE.
Better that the Church becomes smaller rather than untruthful.
Oscar, try expanding your outlook a bit. For example, being faithful to Christ and His Church is what we all aim for. But first, we must know what we are aiming for. We don’t start out knowing. You can’t keep the commandments if you don’t know what they are. You can’t understand the teachings of the church if you don’t know what they are or why they exist. No one is suggesting that we change the commandments or the truth of our faith, but we must be willing to use a whole bunch of different ways to get to the people. The majority of people, I would venture, are not fans of Gregorian Chant. I may be one of the few. So, we must use other types of music and hymns to attract people. Some come to us for help with addiction. We must have an approach for them. One size doesn’t fit all. Keep in mind that less than a majority of people go to church on a regular basis. In my area, it is like 20% for all denominations. There is 80% of the population that is fertile for conversion. The question is how.
The first step is make certain that the approx. 20% (your figure) who attend Mass on a regular basis know their Faith accurately and completely.
Then these people can help evangelize the TRUTH.
Right now, many Catholic adults can not even accurately teach their own children.
This is done by promoting the reading of the Bible and CCC at home.
The rest will follow.
(Bob One, you really do not want people to know their Faith.
You constantly fight against reading the Bible and CCC by all literate persons over age 15. You constantly try to throw up “yea buts” or other road blocks. This makes your motives very suspect.)
The Church telling us to evangelize when people do not accurately and completely know the Faith is insanity.
1) they lack the confidence to evangelize due to lack of knowledge;
2) without knowledge they can evangelize error.
“….. let us ask ourselves if we have actually taken a few steps to get to know Christ and the truths of faith more, by reading and meditating on the Scriptures,
studying the Catechism,
steadily approaching the Sacraments.” – Pope Francis, May 15, 2013.
” But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God.” Mt 22:29
Oscar, you write the following: (Bob One, you really do not want people to know their Faith. You constantly fight against reading the Bible and CCC by all literate persons over age 15. You constantly try to throw up “yea buts” or other road blocks. This makes your motives very suspect.).
That is incorrect. I have never suggested that folks should not read the Bible or the CCC. How can you be a Christian if you do not read the Bible? What you say about the insanity of people evangelizing without knowing the the Bible and the contents of the CCC is accurate. I agree with that. What I have tried to say, and evidently not too well from your perspective, is that simply reading the Bible or the CCC doesn’t make you a faithful Catholic. What makes you a faithful Catholic is your relationship with Christ, your serving the poor, your prayer life, your searching for meaning in the Bible, trying to figure out how the writings help you in your life as a sinner and to live a better life in general. Yet, too many of us, my self included, refuse to participate in parish faith formation programs, small church communities that do Bible studies, attend spiritual retreats, etc. I think we can do better as Pope Francis asks of us.
It is a very good thing to read the Bible and the CCC. However, it is obedience to God’s Holy Will that renders one righteous. I believe it is God’s Will that we read and obey both the CCC and the Bible, our priests and bishops, the Pope and the Church in all things. I know of no bishop who does not promote reading the CCC and the Bible. And even if there was one, it does not mean that he has neglected his duty.
From the CCC “Bishops, with priests as co-workers, have as their first task “to preach the Gospel of God to all men,” in keeping with the Lord’s command. They are “heralds of faith, who draw new disciples to Christ; they are authentic teachers” of the apostolic faith “endowed with the authority of Christ.”
Lay people can suggest ways to make this preaching more effective, but they should not judge the bishop if they do not do so in the manner that they wish.
Bob One – ” You can’t keep the commandments if you don’t know what they are. You can’t understand the teachings of the church if you don’t know what they are or why they exist.”
Spread the word that the answers are in a Catholic Bible and the CCC.
“….the CATECHISM has raised throughout the world, even among non-Christians, and confirms its purpose of being presented as a full, complete exposition of Catholic doctrine, enabling everyone to know what the Church professes, celebrates, lives, and prays in her daily life.” – Pope John Paul II (CCC pg xiv)
Bob One, Catholics who read the Bible and the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” don’t need to be told “why” – because between the answers are already there.
The Bible and CCC are linked together as evidenced by the footnotes in the CCC.
It is the fault of many Diocese Bishops, many Parish Priests,
and heretical Catholics who want to change the Faith, – that Bible reading and studying the CCC at home is not encouraged.
A Diocese Bishop can not physically teach everyone, but these two holy Books can do the teaching for him.
Therefore, he must actively, prominently, and frequently do his part in insuring that all literate Catholics within his Diocese – including Priests, Nuns, Teachers and Parents all read these gifts from the Magisterium.
They must become required reading for EVERYONE EMPLOYED by the Diocese, Catholic Universities, Catholic Hospitals, etc.
“….the CATECHISM has raised throughout the world, even among non-Christians, and confirms its purpose of being presented as a full, complete exposition of Catholic doctrine, enabling everyone to know what the Church professes, celebrates, lives, and prays in her daily life.” – Pope John Paul II (CCC pg xiv)
I am curious as to whether you have read the Bible and the CCC?
And if you have, did you understand everything that is in them?
Bob One, which one of the teachings from GOD do you think the Church should throw under the bus ?
After all, they are legalistic according to Pope Francis, and his appointed featured speakers Kasper and Danneel at the Synod.
The Pharisees know the law, but twist it to suit their own beliefs and desires.
And JESUS said (wrongly according to you and Pope Francis) – “IF YOU LOVE ME YOU WILL KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS” (not suggestions).
Jn 14:15.
“Thou shall not commit Adultery” – GOD’s Commandment
Ex 20:14 ; Deut 5:18.
“Thou shall not covet thy Neighbor’s wife” – GOD’s Commandment
Ex 20:17 ; Deut 5.20.
Teachings of JESUS about divorce and remarriage –
Mk 10:6-12; Mt 5:32.
Teaching of JESUS about adultery, mercy, and required repentance –
“Go and SIN NO MORE”
Jn 8:11.
About homosexual acts:
Gen 19:1-29; Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:10; 1 Tim 1:10; Jude 1:7
St Paul – 1 Cor 11:27-30 about condemnation for receiving Holy Communion unworthily.
CCC: ” 81 Sacred Scripture is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit.
And [Holy] Tradition transmits in its ENTIRETY the Word of God which has been entrusted to the apostles by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit.
It transmits it to the successors of the apostles so that, enlightened by the Spirit of truth, they may faithfully preserve, expound and spread it abroad by their preaching. “
Thank you Father Celano. I knew you at St. Michael’s back in 1972. Frater Michael, then. You always had great joy. I write and edit for catholicism dot org. My baptismal name is Brian Kelly. email: bdk (at) catholicism dot org.
Everyone needs to print out and pass along the following brilliant expose of the sodomite movement. In particular pay attention to Myth No. 8.
http://www.tinyurl.com/SodomiteMyths
“Of all of the things with which the Church must deal, homosexuality may be the least important at this stage….” B.O.
Normally I just scroll past such Trolls as a waste of space, but this particular piece of sick sophistry caught my eye – if only for the incredible hypocrisy it blithely pimps.
The Homo-Anal Ephebophile Infiltration and Attack on the Catholic Church (and so many others) has and continues to cost Many Billions of $$ that could have been used to do so much good in the world – as opposed to enriching attorneys…
-But has also Ruined Countless Lives (mostly adolescent Boys) – many of whom (along with their Families) – are so far gone in Denial that rather than face the ugly ongoing consequences of the Fact these Boys were Raped by perverts -masquerading as ‘priests’…
– Have sought refuge in radical homosex propaganda that pushes Ephebophile Rape as a Normal ‘coming of age’ experience, to be celebrated and promoted.
Author Tammy Bruce dealt with the ‘turn both blind eyes away’ phenomenon in her book “The Death of Right and Wrong” – which is one reason why she remains so heavily Censored despite her ‘feminist’ credentials.
Looking on the ‘bright side’ – we can give small thanks that it wasn’t Republicans who were Raping these Boys, or the bought and paid for ‘free press’ would ceaselessly report on little else as ‘newsworthy’.
SEE
https://savecalifornia.com/harvey-milk-day.html.
Sodomy is so vile, so reprehensible…so utterly repugnant…it “Cries to Heaven for Vengeance”…there is no upside to buggery…
Bob One, Please read the gentleman’s entire story, it’s worth it.
Subject: The Badger Catholic: Cardinal Burke and the 1998 conversion of one of “Wisconsin’s most outspoken gay activists”
Date: October 27, 2014 at 8:11:50 PM PDT
https://badgercatholic.blogspot.it/2014/10/cardinal-burke-and-1998-conversion-of.html
You can read the story “Coming Out of Sodom” by Eric Hess in Celebrate Life Magazine 2011-09-29www.clmagazine.org/article/index/id/OTI2Mw/
A recent paper in the field of Dentistry on the resurgence of Treatment Resistant Syphilis and correlation to Homo-Anal Coprophile ‘lifestyles’ provides further confirmation on the objectively disordered / pathological nature of such behaviors:
SEE
The reappearance of a forgotten disease in the oral cavity: Syphilis
https://www.medicinaoral.com/pubmed/medoralv14_i9_p416.pdf
We found certain similarities in the syphilis outbreaks in the different European countries studied. The preva- lence of the disease among male homosexuals is higher than among heterosexuals in almost all the areas under analysis.
The highest number of cases recorded corre- sponds to men who have sex with other men (MSM), who in many cases were aware of their coinfection with HIV; these findings suggest that male homosexuals re- main a reservoir for syphilis, presenting an increase in high-risk sexual behaviours and a reduction in the use of protective measures.
For example, in Barcelona, 4% of cases of primary syphilis are located in the orophar- ynx (3), supporting the notion that some syphilis out-
breaks are due to the practice of unprotected oral sex.