The following comes from a Mar. 6 story in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
A former gay-porn actor who says his Catholic faith saved him from a world of pornography, homosexuality and the occult is scheduled to make a presentation today in Santa Rosa to a religious group called Courage, an apostolate of the Catholic Church that ministers to people with same-sex attractions.
The program, which will be held at the Faith Room of the Parish Life Center at St. Eugene’s Cathedral, will feature Joseph Sciambra, an author and missionary who has said, among other things, that “gay identity is tantamount to imprisonment of the soul within the disorder” and that anal sex releases “into the world these rare demonic entities.”
The planned presentation has raised concerns among some local Catholics that the Santa Rosa diocese is sanctioning religious tactics that harken back to the days of reparative therapy, aimed at changing people’s sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual.
The presentation comes amid a focus by Santa Rosa Bishop Robert Vasa on traditional Catholic teachings about homosexuality, birth control and abortion.
Vasa said Thursday that Catholic doctrine is clear on one point: homosexual behavior is sinful.
“The proper ordering of the sexual faculty is toward procreation,” he said.
Whenever people use the “sexual faculty” in ways that are not aligned with this order, “even in a vague kind of way, then we would say it’s not properly ordered, it’s out of order.”
Vasa’s strict interpretation of long-held Catholic doctrine has upset some parishioners in his generally liberal diocese, which has 165,000 members and extends north to the Oregon border. The bishop has acknowledged a need for church leaders to become more “pastoral” in their work following comments by Pope Francis that have been widely seen as conciliatory toward gays.
Vasa said that Courage’s teachings bear similarities to spiritual encouragement centered on chastity that is given to teens.
Other diocese officials dispute that the local Courage ministry resembles reparative therapy. They say the presentation, like regular Courage meetings, is aimed at offering prayerful support to those with homosexual inclinations.
“Courage does not do therapy. Therapy is left to the professionals,” said John Collins, superintendent of Catholic education for the diocese.
Collins, who is the coordinator of the local Courage group, said the point of the presentation, as well as that of regular Courage meetings, is to give people spiritual encouragement that, among other things, “leads them away from homosexual behavior….”
To read the entire story, click here.
To read Joseph Sciambra’s blogsite, How Our Lord Jesus Christ Saved Me From Homosexuality, Pornography, and the Occult, click here.
It was a great presentation, I saw it on Mr. Sciambra’s YouTube site. How I wish the Diocese of San Bernardino where I live would adopt the Courage/EnCourage apostolate instead of “Ministry to Families with Gay and Lesbian Catholics” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3_O6jXTf3o&list=UUdmeFWgwF_oB0h_rkzRowiw
God bless this man for turning from a vile, despicable mortal sin. His judgment that “anal sex releases into the world these rare demonic entities” is spot on, in line with the biblical view that sodomites and Muslims are the two riders of the Pale Horse of the Apocalypse: Death and Hades (Rev. 6:7-8).
Yes God bless this man. I appreciate the truthful message he is giving today. May God continue to protect him and bless him to stay on the right path. He needs our prayers.
Bishop Vasa is one of the Faithful Bishops – faithful to God and to the teachings of His Church.
Helping those with Same Sex Attraction temptations is good.
“Courage” has been a good organization that teaches homosexual acts are mortal sins, and that those with SSA can get to Heaven if they do God’s will rather than their own wills. (-this is true of all of us).
Gen: 19:1-29; Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:9-10; 1 Tim 1:9-10.
CCC: 2357, 2358, 2359, & 2396.
and
Letter to Bishops on the Care of Homosexual Persons
https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19861001_homosexual-persons_en.html
It is never pastoral to condon Mortal Sin.
It is never pastoral to ignore or approve Mortal Sin.
” Vasa’s strict interpretation of long-held Catholic doctrine …”.
NO! This is the ONLY interpretation of Catholic Doctrine.
See the Bible passages, and the paragraphs from the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” that I have posted.
CCC: “2396 Among the sins gravely contrary to chastity are masturbation, fornication, pornography, and homosexual practices.”
Grave sins are MORTAL Sins. Without repentance and the intention to sin no more, they will send Souls to Hell.
As far as I know Courage and Encourage are the only Vatican approved ministries to those with SSA and their families and friends. I have been a member of Encourage and myself all those i know who are involved in both ministries have had help to stay committed to the whole Truth the Church teaches. J. Sciambra’s testimony gives hope to those who are seeking The Truth. Nothing is stronger than God’s love, even those lost in homosexual behavior.
It sound like this man knows what he’s talking about. Any one who has looked the Beast in the eye and been able to turn away has my prayers and support. If the bishop is towing a hard line be encouraged that here is a line so that there will be a firm boundary to any presentation and that clarity is firmly in place so that there is no question about the speaker’s words. The ministry to people who suffer with SSA is delicate. We must minister to sincere individuals who are truly willing to leave that sin behind and away from their new life in Christ. Those people have my loving prayerful support. Those who refuse the love of Christ, they have my prayers that someday they will have the graces to repent.
Mr. Sciambra is courageous, as is Bishop Vasa for insisting on his presence to serve as a warning beacon to those that are active sexual homosexuals. Unfortunately, the paper, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, paints an incorrect picture of caution and woe, in its attempts to qualify the Bishop’s act of charity as one that skirts the “new mainstream” being established by Pope Francis. As to that, Pope Francis remains an enigma to many, but his words are truly twisted by the media in attempts to make him seem something that he is likely not: a liberal. Bishop Vasa, too, still needs to move away from trying to please the “Press Democrat” people (the so-called “liberals” of his diocese), and towards a fuller teaching of the Catholic Faith. Satan loves the press, and the conceits of “progressivism,” seeking to encourage all to love mankind for its own sake, and not for God’s glory. Too bad too many within the Church today share that belief. Mr. Sciambra does not, however, and his witness to the truth will infuriate many, particularly the Devil. Too bad that more bishops do not likewise try to involve Mr. Sciambra in their diocese. And, what is wrong with “reparative therapy” anyway? The LBGT crowd — ever on the search for the “gay gene” — are enormously threatened by anything that suggests that they choose their sexual preference. But, whether they do or not, their sexual activitiy is a mortal sin, mortal as in Hell-bound. The Church should work tirelessly with them to avoid the decades of scandal caused by clergy (including many bishops and a few cardinals) that saw nothing really that bad about homosexual sex. Perhaps Mr. Sciambra could be considered to be a cardinal; much better that than the silly recent prattle about a women being so named.
St. C. If I did choose to be gay I certainly don’t remember it. Do remember making a concious decision to be straight?
Dear “St.” Christopher:
Do tell me: Do you believe gay people existed centuries before the sex abuse scandal? Do you think there were gay priests before the sex abuse scandal?
Thanks in advance for your answer,
“St.” YFC
I applaud Bp. Vasa for his commitment to true Catholic teaching. Too many so-called “liberal” Catholics are more than happy to assist homosexuals to Hell by not telling them the truth about homosexuality. Homosexual behaviour leads to both physical and spiritual death. It is no kindness to be tolerant about something so terrible.
This article’s title is misleading. In his own words, Mr. Sciabra said: “I have same-sex attraction but I don’t identify myself as gay,” he said.
He is not an “ex-homosexual”. His orientation is and will be that. How he chooses to live with or deny living with it is another matter.
One should not identify himself by his temptations.
Same Sex Attraction is a temptation.
being gay is a “temptation” in exactly the same way as being straight is a temptation. Both are tempted to have sex in ways that are sinful, and it is up to the individual to choose how to act. So, please don’t identify as straight either.
Tell me, Jim: Do we regard a recovering alcoholic or drug addict as being “in denial”? Is alcoholism an “orientation”? I think we regard alcoholism as a disorder, and a temptation that can nevertheless be resisted by therapy and God’s grace. Recovering alcoholics are admonished to remember that (in a sense) the disorder is always there, even if it does not currently disturb their ordinary living. Might not SSA be something similar?
Said God to Cain. “If you do well, will you not be approved? Sin crouches at your door. Its desire is for you, but you must master it.” God Bless those living with SSA who do so!
Not at all.
Tom, I think you raise good questions, but I’d ask that we keep in mind that different people mean different things when they refer to the word “disorder”. In common parlance, and in medical parlance, a disorder is some set of symptoms or signs that indicate disease. Something is not functioning as it should. Thus, a heart valve issue is a disorder. Plantar warts are a disorder. Bipolar disorder is a disorder. Tay Sachs is a disorder.
In moral theology parlance, a disorder is something that tends to not further the moral end of the activity in question.
The differences are subtle, but if we mix medical usages of the terms (and how to react to them) with moral theological concepts (and how to react to THEM), then we have before us the roots of the frequent talking past each other that I see both the Church and the gay community. If we can somehow sort this out, we might actually get somewhere.
No we won’t. not until gays stop with their in your face tactics, most of us don’t want to see you parading around in your skivvies saying “look at me I am gay, you must accept me”….
I’m glad he found peace. Keep in mind that 99.99% of gay people are neither porn actors or occult members.
2% of the population and yet 33% of all child sex abusers.
Repeat a lie often enough…
Both your numbers don’t jive with what I’ve read.
Thank you Joseph Sciambra for trying to take your brothers and sisters out of the darkness into the light, and perhaps thus saving some or many of them from some serious sorrow. We have all been hurt by someone at times but doing something destructive to ourselves and/or others is just not the answer. I have been trying to stay off of here since sometimes I think my comments do not always help the situation, and I get tired of the bickering, but I just had to tell you that. May the Good Lord ever guide and protect you, and may St. Charles Lwanga intercede for you, and may the Josephs in the bible — Joseph who was sold into slavery and accused of something he did not do, Joseph who protected the Holy Family, Joseph the cousin of Jesus and Joseph of Arimathea, who were righteous men, intercede for you at the throne of God. You are going to get “flack” from all sides, may they help keep you strong.
The Politics of Adversarial terminology = seeking to pit those who are ‘light hearted and gaily happy’ versus the mean ole rigidly linear and unbendingly straight liners – is in itself a form of hateful propaganda… Most often pushed by the Gaystapo Trolls who infest this board with their degrading Anti-Catholic Lies.
The individual in question clearly sees that Church Teachings clearly correspond to Rational Reasonable Fact Based Logic and Morality – particularly in regard to the alliance between the Homo-Amal Coprophile population and the Separatist / Neo-Exterminationist Misandry (Hatred of Men & Boys, Masculinity & Normal Heterosexuality) of the Twysted Systerhood.
Hence – anything or anyone who dares to expose the lies behind the curtain of sanitized euphemisms is like the skeptic in the audience who exposes the cheap tricks of a ‘magician’ to the crowd.
Bravo for Bishop Vasa – a True Leader of the Church. And although the demicrat legislature wants to make it illegal to help those caught up in such nightmares of Evil – at least Courage is acting Courageously.
How much better if there were no need for Courage – but the Homosex Abuse of Adolescents (by ‘priests’ and others – like Larry Brinkin & Allen Ginsberg & co) keep adding to the harm caused by this filth – and it is here where it is best stopped, before therapy to overcome childhood abuse (even if not ‘remembered’) from ruining lives.
Oh Ye Euphemistic One: If a tiny portion of your regular charges held up to be true, public opinion would be gathering around you with such force you would gasp for air. However, all your charges, including every tiny portion of your regular euphemistic charges, escape reality. Hence you are left with playing with words, with capitalization of your sentences, with uber-trumped charges.
People see through this scam you perpetrate. “Neo-exterminationist” is just one example. Hint: Overreach by people like you is what is causing the public to flee to the other side…the pro equality side. You do much more harm to your own side than you do to my side. So thank you for that. I just hope that the poor teenager, considering her options, will look beyond your cruel statements and look towards the love available every hour from our savior, who accepts all, consoles all, and calls us all to be at peace.
YFC, pro equality? you mean gay fascism… ie we will accept your views or be fired from our jobs, ostracized, mocked etc…. If we believe marriage is between a man and woman your gang will boycott our businesses, … Remember this Our Savior is coming to judge the living and the dead, and he will not asked if we were tolerant of gays but if we told them that they are committing acts that cause them to be damned to Hell….
Serge, I believe he might very WELL ask if people were tolerant of gay people, among a very very long list of other concerns. He might well ask whether we bare false witness against our neighbors, including our gay neighbors. He might ask whether we told the truth when we claimed we’d be fired from our jobs for upholding segregationist tactics. I wouldn’t be so sure that the salvific equation tilts to your favor if I were you. But, thankfully, Christ is infinitely merciful to us all.
Ahh YFC, many of us want to and will be segregated from your perversion we will not accept you or your threats… we will resist you and your kind without end. And No Our Lord is more concerned Truth than tolerance….
“C&H” and “YFC”: As to history, it is difficult to say how many people acted on same gender attractions, as such activities were, for centuries, punishable by death, or other severe sanctions. The point is not attraction, but acting on that impulse, versus seeking assistance to cope with it and live a useful life within the teachings of the Catholic Church. The present LGBT issues are only political, which makes finding irrefutable truth that “we can’t help it” so important. Two problems with this approach: (1) it avoids looking at homosexual activity as a moral issue, with deadly peril to the souls of its practitioners; and (2) it attacks any efforts by society to also seek a “cure” or a method of permitting a person to better cope with homosexual tendencies. Remember that the homosexual sexual support group does not care about anything, except public acceptance. Unfortunately, the Catholic leadership does not think that homosexual sex is wrong either, just look at that dope, Cardinal Dolan, prattling on about a college football star “coming out”: “Good for him,” is what the Cardinal said — imagine. And then his office said that, oh yes, the Cardinal fully supports the Church’s teaching on homosexuality and the sinfulness of its sexual component. His activity is so fully bizarre as to warrant his dismissal on grounds of shear incompetence. But, who knows, it is likely that the Devil is lining up someone like Cardinals Dolan or O’Malley to be the first American Pope. And this, while the man — Cardinal Burke — who carries with him the true torch of Faith, is virtually ignored, and increasingly dismissed from Church leadership. Peace be with you.
Meh.
St. Christopher, I just submit that you seem to not understand the Church’s teaching on homosexuality. If you did, you might have more room in your world view for a bishop who supports the coming out of an individual. Instead of it being an occasion for you to delve more deeply into the mysteries of church teaching, you opt for an occasion to bash a bishop. That’s just too bad, for you, for him, and for our Church.
SPARTAN Analysis
Those who would understand the true nature of today’s Gaystapo Totalitarianism should familiarize themselves with the classic ‘homo-utopia” so accurately depicted in the BBC Series “The Spartans” by Bettany Hughes.
Modern movies like ‘The 300’ and sequels have sold younger audience on ‘homo-erotic’ themes glammed up to hide the great Evil of this Slavery Based Pederast Kult – who eventually died out from a fixation on Homo-Anal Pederasty that so reduced the population to the point of extinction.
The ‘Feminist’ ideals of Separatist Misandry were also an important part of the Spartan Rise and Decline, as the practice of taking and indoctrinating adolescent Boys in to the Homo-Kulture of the Spartan Warrior class – all but eliminated Normal Heterosexuality in the culture, even to the point of shearing and dressing young Girls to resemble Boys – in order to foster copulation with Boys who had no experience of sex save as Ephebophile Rape victims.
Hence – when those pushing the ‘born not made’ that way scam – encounter the reality of Sparta – which relied on Heterosexual Slaves (Helots) to provide the basics of food and infrastructure – under a harsh pederastic warrior class and their female partners – the myth gives way to the same reality as today – that most who engage in Homosex behaviors do so as part of Childhood Trauma, and not inherent inclination.
SEE
“Hughes reveals the secrets and complexities of everyday Spartan life; homosexuality was compulsory, money was outlawed, equality was enforced, weak boys were put to death and women enjoyed a level of social and sexual freedom that was unheard of in the ancient world.”
https://www.bettanyhughes.co.uk/the-spartans
A short video segment is found at:
I’ve never seen these movies. Have you? I’m pretty sure the gay movement for equality doesn’t look to ‘300’ for inspiration.