The following comes from a November 22 Church Militant article by Bradley Eli:
The 2017 Religious Education Congress (REC) hosted by the archdiocese of Los Angeles is again hosting speakers with pro-gay, pro-transgender and pro-unchaste messages delivered to Catholic educators and youth alike.
The four-day event, scheduled for February 2017 in Anaheim, will host pro-LGBT speakers like Arthur Fitzmaurice, resource director for the dissident Catholic Association for Lesbian and Gay Ministry (CALGM). Objecting to the Church’s teaching that homosexual behavior is “intrinsically disordered,” Fitzmaurice accused the Church, saying, “It is gravely evil language.”
The REC was started in 1968 by Cdl. Roger Mahony, the archbishop of Los Angeles who paid out hundreds of millions of dollars in sex abuse claims to people who were victims of homosexual priests. He will be a guest speaker at the 2017 REC.
The Congress was begun as an institute for religious education teachers but has since grown to include people of all vocations and different faiths. The event boasts of roughly 200 speakers, more than 300 workshops, 16 various liturgies, and exhibits of religious art, music and other publications.
Overseeing the event now is Abp. Jose Gomez of Los Angeles. The event continues to be notorious for its liturgical abuses, including liturgical dancing, and for offering workshops on transgenderism that openly question Church teaching on gender ideology and homosexuality.
Last year Abp. Gomez stunned the faithful by having a gay couple bring up the gifts at the closing Mass and then blessing the adopted son of the gay couple. The entire event was televised throughout the archdiocese, with the camera lingering on the same-sex couple as they proceeded to the High Altar.
Past speakers of the REC include Fr. Richard Sparks, C.S.P., who in 2000 spoke to some 18,000 Catholic educators on Catholic sexual morality. During the recorded talk, he said of Our Lord, “Jesus had to go through puberty. … He might have even had a prom date with Mary Magdalene. They might have even necked a little in the back seat of a car. … He might have even petted her once or twice.”
In spite of the blasphemous remarks, the archdiocese invited Fr. Sparks back the following year. This time he spoke about the physical intimacy between Joseph and Mary. “Now all I’m saying is — even if they didn’t have sex, did they ever neck? Or did they maybe cuddle and snuggle? Did he ever sort of fondle his wife? Did she ever kind of fondle him?”
A repeated guest is Fr. Greg Boyle, a dissident priest who publicly supports so-called same-sex marriage and women’s ordination. Another priest, Fr. Bryan Massingale of the archdiocese of Milwaukee, participated in the REC last year. At a progressive Pax Christi Conference in 2013, Massingale wrote, “For the young people I teach, equality for gays and lesbians is their civil rights issue. … For young people, the litmus test of the credibility of a religious institution is their stances on LGBT rights.”
There are many speakers at the event who are not only pro-gay but who dissent from basic Church teaching regarding chastity. One such youth leader in the Los Angeles diocese made a video in which she says, “For me being LGBT has been a gift and has been a blessing.” They hold that chastity is kept even when living contrary to Church teaching, which they believe can change.
Archbishop Gomez was recently elected vice president of the U.S. Bishops’ Conference.
So, I read the article a couple of times. The examples given of statements by the presenters do not even intimate something against church teaching. Descriptions of the liturgical dancing didn’t include the fact that it occurs before the entrance procession. Would you deny blessing a child simply because he was adopted by a gay “couple”. Really? Do you believe that college and high school kids don’t use our stance of LGBT issues as a litmus test? Why do you think so few go to church? We need to go to the streets and meet people where they are.
“Why do you think so few go to church?” Go look in a mirror, Bob One. Your lukewarm Catholicism inspires no one.
gravey, I took your advice! I looked in the mirror. What I saw was a highly committed Catholic who believes what the Church teaches, what it encourages us to do to live good lives, how to help others at the peripheries, and how to live the Gospel. No one who knows me would say that I am “lukewarm.” Too many, with little real information or experience, call for the end of REC. Yet, it is the number one training conference in he world focused on those who teach the faith. Too often, those who ask questions about our beliefs are thought to be against them. Nope!
If you believe what the Church teaches, Bob One, then why are you dissing Church teaching for turning the youth away? The litmus test of “do you accept the sins I’ve been taught to believe are healthy and good despite even the physiological dangers they represent” is properly culminated by a firm rejection of that which is sinful.
Our Lord spoke the hard teachings and let those who had previously followed Him WALK AWAY. Chasing after people, especially youth by saying, “No, wait, you can do whatever you want, just don’t leave me,” is no imitation of Christ. It is teaching children that there is no truth, no objective reality, and that if they whine or threaten you will change.
Bob One, the simple fact is that the child should never have been adopted by a homosexual couple in the first place. Preference should be given to married heterosexual couples, and in many states it is the other way around. In some areas now if a married heterosexual couple goes to adopt, they are asked if they approve of homosexual and lesbian couples adopting. If they say they do not, they do not get a child. That is just plain evil. Every child has a right to a mother and a father, or a reasonable facsimile. If the child is a single man or woman’s natural offspring, then they alone should be bringing their child for any blessing.
Correction: he or she alone should bring his/her child for any blessing.
You would prefer a meth addicted and abusive mother bring her biological child up for a blessing than the child’s adoptive parents? Really?
That is not what I said. I was talking about single or divorced people who have custody of their own children. Stop trying to twist it.
Anne T., clearly you did not say anything directly about a meth addicted or abusive mother.
What you did was to make a very general statement which assumes that if there was a living biological parent, any of them would be better suited to parenthood than the adoptive parent. I just think readers need to understand that biological parentage is not always the best parentage, and that if it were so, there would be much less need for adoption agencies in the first place. VERY few adoptions result from the death of both biological parents.
What a grace it would be for a meth addicted and abusive mother to bring her biological child up for a blessing. Really.
And what a blessing it would be for you to look at the spiritual damage done to a child who is reared to believe that a homosexual marriage is normal.
Great post Ann Malley. The person who calls himself YFC knows that the space is limited on our posts, therefore it is not always possible to be too specific, so he likes to put in his own twist.
Bob One, if you do not see the problem with this conference then YOU are part of the problem. Do not be afraid of college and high school kids rejecting the Faith because it says NO to mortal sin. Respect them by telling them the truth – this conference is not about truth, it is about calling everything OK, and those who disagree, judgmental. Bob One, if you have been confirmed then you are a Soldier of Christ. Stand up man, and do not flee the battlefield!
Bob One, are you sure that you are not a Methodist? You don’t sound Catholic. Or are you just well-conformed to the World? One wonders.
Remember well what Our Blessed Mother Mary said to the three shepherd children at Fatima in 1917 when she showed them hell that more people go to hell for sins of the flesh than any other sin. Next year will be the 100th anniversary of Fatima. I urge everyone to pray the Rosary every day and reflect well on what Mother Mary said to the three children. Our Lady of Fatima pray for this lost world that everyone may convert and repent before the coming of your son Jesus Christ King of Kings Lord of Lords True God and True Man.
Archbishop Gomez, please stop holding this “Religious Education Conference”. Your role is to lead people to heaven, not scandalize them with confusion and false teachings. For the sake of souls, yours included, put an end to this awful parade of dissidents.
The last REC I participated in was over five years ago. I am very surprised of what has happened since then. I agree it should return to Catholic doctrine or ended. Archbishop Gomez seems to have little concern in this area, as does the Vatican. Deacon Vince
Runner: Academics Are Stunned by Trump’s Win … and That’s a Bad Thing
https://www.capoliticalreview.com/capoliticalnewsandviews/runner-academics-are-stunned-by-trumps-win-and-thats-a-bad-thing/?
Schools, public and private, college and 3rd grade, have become sanctuaries for the sensitive, hate filled, anarchists and those that do not believe in free elections.
Worse, those in charge, from principals to college presidents are agreeing with the anti-freedom cry of “elections are won by the Left and stolen by the Right.” The adults refuse to remind the students we still live in a free country. Those in charge are providing teddy bears, “cry-ins” allowing students to be truant, allowing them to miss tests.
“Liberal instructors…
As I have posted previously, this congress is a pagan debacle. To prove my point, how many Catholic youth who were taught by the teachers who were trained by this abomination are TODAY practicing the Catholic faith ? How many religious vocations have come about because of this corrupt encampment? NONE Children must be carefully taught, and taught well. Thanks to the modernists in the chancery offices, and the banning of the Baltimore Catechism, ignorance and stupidity abound in Holy Mother Church.
bishop gomez’ willingness to host the REC seems parallel to the ‘mystery’ observed concerning pope Francis’ ambiguit y and alleged hiding of hints of real intentions in footnotes. it is not impossible that he (gomez) is following ‘guidleines’ from somewhere else, he will probably be judged by his adherence to ‘lineamenta’. but didn’t the words of Jesus set the guidelines already, ‘let your yes be yes and your no be know”? did not the natural law and it’s validation from above in scripture also set the guidelines, not to mention the continuity of church and synagogue moral teaching ?
severe typo:…’let you no be know’ ‘know’ should be ‘non
. also, ‘he will be judged by his adherence to lineamenta’ refers to his superiors who cross-check his performance and goals achieved withe the agenda they periodically mail to him….NOT to an eschatoligical judgment . iti is only to be expected that bishops would receive ‘position protocols’ and guidelines so that they can respond iniformly and expediently to situations , kind of mlike the people hired for ‘dcript continuity’ cheacking on ongoing television series. the quarterbacks have coaches and none shoot from the hip.
Thank God I was born many years ago, and that my parents enrolled my siblings and I at a decent Catholic school. As far as I know, this school in Los Angeles is still functioning, and never had any teacher attend this heretical and ungodly congress. Our Blessed Lord warned us that if we caused scandal to the children, it would be better for a millstone to be fastened around our necks and then have us cast into the sea. I shudder when I think of all the souls who lost their faith because of this demonic coven.
Sad to say’ many in Catholic education are forced to give mandatory attendence to this abomination. The loyal little worker ants then bring the poison back to their home parishes where it is fed carefully to the unknowing recipients. I went once years ago and was amazed at what was put forward by this unholy conference. I was in hope that Gomez would abolish this travesty that Mahoney was so enamored of, but no such luck. It is an abcess that should be drained.
In any organization, a main goal is to increase membership and have loyal followers. This is not happening in the Catholic Church. She is imploding, suffering from the cancer of modernism, which is causing Her to rot from within. All species desire to protect themselves, but the Church seems to have a death wish. This is diabolical disorientation. There are no fruits of V2, just destruction. Ave Maria Purrissima !
The influence of Mahony must still be very strong in the LA Archdiocese. Arbp Gomez had his chance to distance himself from the man and even tried, but quickly backtracked. Now they seem like two peas in a pod. I have two questions: will the brewing schism over Amoris Laetitia be addressed, and particularly the five dubia in an intellectually honest way, and in general, will the REC bring in speakers defending traditional (and orthodox) teaching on sexual ethics?
With all this terrible news concerning the meltdown of the Catholic Church, I am tempted to do what Rush Limbaugh instructed his listeners to do during the final weeks before the election. He told us not to watch or listen to the news, as the mainstream media was distorting the truth by being heralds of Hillary. Well, daily there is one scandalous article after another about the mess in the Church. I will continue to read them, but I shall pray more, so Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart may triumph.
The characters that Jesse Watters interviews on the O’Reilly Factor are more intelligent than both the speakers and the attendees at the annual CCD Congress.
Stop being shocked by this every year folks, nothing has changed under Gomez and never will, only when Rome returns to the Holy Faith and the TLM will this long long nightmare come to an end, until then seek out the TLM wherever you can find one seek shelter from this evil that Vatican II has wrought.
Ah, yes— the NO is the source of all evil in the world and allowing only the TLM will solve everything. Nonsense. “Magical thinking” at its most bizarre extreme.
Roberto, your rather instense hatred of the ONE TRUE MASS is very evident why so much hatred? Granted you must enjoy, altar girls, hand holding, kiss of peace, drums, guitars, girls in leotards prancing around the altar, heretic lesbian nuns, felt banners, communion in the hand while standing, shorts, flip flops, tank tops, this is the NOVUS ORDO Sir!!
Where, exactly, are felt banners and tank tops to be found in the Roman Missal? Sorry, I must have missed it. Can you please show me exactly where it says that they are the Novus Ordo?
Romulus, WHAT intense hatred for the TLM have I ever expressed. I’ve challenged you to point one out. You don’t. You just double down on the accusation.
Lest there be any doubt: I believe that the TLM and the NO are BOTH valid and sacrificial ways of celebrating the Mass. CLEAR? GOT IT? You, however, deny that the NO Mass is valid, because that’s what you’re by the disobedient and renegade SSPX.
It seems that the various apologists for Apb. Gomez have FINALLY gotten the message. This will not change under the current administration.
No I don’t “GOT IT” the Holy Mass was changed inside and out after Vatican II which is FORBIDDEN to do so do you “GET THAT”??
Again I state: You may have your dancing girls, altar girls, kiss of peace, hand holding, drums, guitars, banjos, protestant hymns, communion in the hand while standing, rock, mariachi, folk, lesbian nuns with incense bowls, clowns, giant puppets, tank tops, flip flops, lay lectors, sir I can go on and on the Novus Ordo is full of such pagan drivel.