On Friday, May 17, the (Jesuit) University of San Francisco will hold the 2013 commencement exercises for their School of Nursing and Health Professions. The commencement speaker and recipient of an honorary degree will be Barbara Garcia, director of health at the San Francisco Department of Public Health. Ms. Garcia was appointed by then-Mayor Gavin Newsom in 2010. She is an open lesbian.
Garcia is probably best known to the wider public following national news coverage of a decision of the San Francisco board of supervisors that the city’s Healthy San Francisco program—that is, the taxpayers—will, in addition to coverage for abortion and contraception, provide free “gender reassignment surgery.” As director, Garcia will be in charge of implementing this program. On November 10, 2012 Gay Star News reported “San Francisco will now offer mastectomies (removal of the breasts), genital reconstructions and other surgeries recommended for some transgender people under the city’s 5-year-old universal health care plan.” Garcia justified the procedures: “The community felt the exclusion on Healthy San Francisco was discriminatory and we wanted to change that as the first step.”
As the San Francisco program shows, there are many people who take gender reassignment surgery seriously, rather than seeing it as a mutilation born of mental illness. To put “gender reassignment surgery” into a proper perspective, let’s examine an identical syndrome called Body Integrity Identity Disorder.
The noted bioethicist Wesley Smith, writing at the Human Exceptionalism blog at National Review, describes it: “BIID, also known as ‘amputee wannabe,’ is a terrible mental illness in which sufferers obsesses and truly anguish about becoming an amputee–which they perceive as their true identities.” He went on to explain his experience at something called the “transhumanist” conference:
“At the (‘transhumanist’) conference, the transhumanist speaker argued that [disorder] sufferers should be able to have healthy limbs amputated. On one hand, I couldn’t believe my ears. On the other, I wasn’t surprised. These days, we often don’t treat mental illnesses, but instead, tend toward acceding to and normalizing them. The speaker also argued, that since we have long permitted sex change surgeries, why not amputations? Truth to be told, there is logic there.”
There is indeed. Smith continues:
“A year or so before Patrick’s (a person suffering from [the amputation disorder]) operation, a psychologist asked him if he would take a pill to make his disorder go away, should such a treatment exist. It took a moment for him to reflect and answer: maybe when he had been a lot younger, but not anymore….”
Smith reflects: “Radical individualism is now the avatar with powerful forces urging that self identity become the be all and end all–no judgment allowed–perhaps even to the point that one day it will mean permission to chop off healthy limbs and other body parts.”
ABC WHERE ARE YOU????
Lesbians and Gays are now favored as minorities, and they do not need to carry the stigma of being black or Hispanic. Go ahead, all is the same, nothing is better.
If a person is unhappy with his/her life, the person should seek psychiatric treatment, not transgender surgery. Perhaps if the person were less egocentric (me, me, me) and thought more about others and less of him/herself, he/she would find happiness. How about helping those less fortunate? What happens if after the surgery, the person is unhappy with the new gender? Can they have the surgery reversed, have hormone treatments and gender re-reassignment back to the original gender? I doubt if all those people are suddenly happy and have no problems. There is no perfect happiness in this world.
This begs the question: How many times, dare I ask, can an individual change his or her sexual identity? Just whenever one decides one is bored and wants a change of pace looking endlessly for “excitement?”
I stand with the Church on transgenderism. It is a serious suffering for those who are afflicted with it. They do receive psychiatric treatment. And yes, there is reversal available, but it is partial. It is not a trivial thing. The doctors and the patients take it seriously. It is not done on a whim. These and all people are in need of your prayers.
Linda,
you are ignorant to how the a person “decideds” to change gender, it is not a decision that happens lightly or out of boredom or excitement, in fact it is a life long struggle for most and agony to many. For some not realizing what the struggle is about at first and for many accepting themselves is another long struggle before the idea of surgery even comes into the picture.. i can share some resources with life stories on people who have had this type of surgery or those who would like to, let me know if you want to learn more about this, Best!
Has anyone contacted Archbishop Cordileone?
It’s his job to oversee everything Catholic within his own Diocese, and
He has the authority to remove the right to use the advertised name “Catholic” by SFO, and enforce Canon 1399 to excommunicate anyone as necessary because of the mortal sin of Scandal.
Has anyone contacted the US Papal Nuncio in Washington DC?
Has anyone contacted the USF Board of Trustees?
Leigh, the acronym SFO means “San Francisco International Airport,” which I don’t think is what you are referring to here.
Sadly, though, in spite of the good sense in your post, the fact is that ANYONE can use the word “Catholic” to describe themselves, and this misleads many people.
We have loons calling themselves “Catholic priests” who will do weddings on the beach (for a nice fee, of course), but they are not connected to our Church at all. Unfortunately, the Holy See does not have a trademark on the name Catholic, although I really, really, really wish it did!!!
Michael, although the Church cannot civilly enforce use of the name “CATHOLIC” amongst non Catholics and excommunicated Catholics to the best of my knowledge, we all have an obligation to expose FRAUD.
FRAUD can be civilly punished.
However all US Bishops must start enforcing “Code of Canon Law” amongst all Catholics or publically EXCOMMUNICATE them as appropriate.
According to “SACRAE DISCIPLINAE LEGES” (1983) – Apostolic Constitution by the Supreme Pontiff Pope John Paul II – “Finally, the canonical laws by their very nature MUST be observed.”
Many US Bishops ignore Canons 915, 1399, and 1369, 216. Thus, there is much Sacrilege, Scandal, Confusion, and Relativism amongst many many Catholics.
Can: “216 Since they participate in the mission of the Church, all the Christian faithful have the right to promote or sustain apostolic action even by their own undertakings, according to their own state and condition. Nevertheless, no undertaking is to claim the name Catholic without the consent of competent ecclesiastical authority.”
Bishops have the responsibility to expose and correctly teach against heresy and schism within their own Diocese.
Under Obligations and Rights of ALL the Christian Faithful – Code of Canon law ” 212 §3. According to the knowledge, competence, and prestige which they possess, they have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful, without prejudice to the integrity of faith and morals, with reverence toward their pastors, and attentive to common advantage and the dignity of persons.”
Nope, nobody has ever tried those suggestions before.
Another ugly man hater getting an award….
I will be contacting the Archdiocese and Archbishop Cordileone, and I will be contacting The Papal Nuncio, forget about the corrupt USF Board of untrustworthy Trustees, complete waste of time!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
She doesn’t look ugly to me. Lots of people wear glasses.
Of course you would see beauty in an agent of evil PA
For what it is worth, you couldn’t find 20 people in San Francisco who would object to this speaker. Being gay/lesbian is not considered abnormal by the majority of the people in The City. You/we may not like it, but that is the reality. As for his authority, the good Archbishop, whom I know personally and admire, has no moral teaching authority in The City. It was lost by all the Bishops before him throughout the country who messed up the Priest abuse cases. In a recent survey, when asked what first comes to mind when you hear the word Christian, the majority answer was hatred of gays.
Bob One, there are many surveys … either you’re an idiot in believing every one of them or you’re intentionally attempting to deceive people … or both. I’d guess both.
BobOne –
You are correct regarding the civil authority of Bishops.
However, you are NOT correct regarding everything “Catholic” within his Diocese.
Please start reading your “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” and “Code of Canon Law” both of which can be found on the Vatican web site.
The University of San Francisco (Jesuit) advertises itself as being “Catholic”, even on its own web site., and is therefore under Church teachings and Church law.
You may also be interested in reading the following prior to posting again on this topic: “APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION of the SUPREME PONTIFF
JOHN PAUL II on CATHOLIC UNIVERSITIES” which also can be found on the Vatican web site and includes:
– – – § 2. A Catholic University, as Catholic, informs and carries out its research, teaching, and all other activities with Catholic ideals, principles and attitudes. It is linked with the Church either by a formal, constitutive and statutory bond or by reason of an institutional commitment made by those responsible for it.
– – – § 3. Every Catholic University is to make known its Catholic identity, either in a mission statement or in some other appropriate public document, unless authorized otherwise by the competent ecclesiastical Authority . The University, particularly through its structure and its regulations, is to provide means which will guarantee the expression and the preservation of this identity in a manner consistent with §2.
– – – § 4. Catholic teaching and discipline are to influence all university activities, while the freedom of conscience of each person is to be fully respected(46). Any official action or commitment of the University is to be in accord with its Catholic identity.
AND includes
Article 5 § 2. ” Each Bishop has a responsibility to promote the welfare of the Catholic Universities in his diocese and has the right and duty to watch over the preservation and strengthening of their Catholic character.
If problems should arise concerning this Catholic character, the local Bishop is to take the initiatives necessary to resolve the matter, working with the competent university authorities in accordance with established procedures(52) and, if necessary, with the help of the Holy See.”
That’s pretty much what Lot found, as well, Bob one…couldn’t find one good soul in the whole city of Sodom to save. Thanks for the heads up about the city on the hill…or is it the city on the bay where a singer who wants ALL drugs legalized left his heart? Anyway, there you are.
And any reader of CCD knows why that is so.
People need to realize that homosexuality is a true psychiatric disorder. Previously it was listed as such in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatric Disorders. Political correctness was the reason for its removal. Gender Identity Disorder is a form of OCD which if recognized as such can be treated with therapy and medication. Many people who have these disorders are not treated as it they are told that, “yes, you are gay or transgender, welcome to the club”. Some very young children are told that this is acceptable behavior and are encouraged in their behavior. I think that the pendulum has swung too far in the wrong direction and these poor souls will not get the help that they need.
The USF staff is helping to make this accepted behavior by inviting this woman to their university. May God have mercy on their souls.
Homosexuality is the consequence of sin, according to St Paul. The major societal sins that leads societies to institute sodomy are adultery and idolatry. The western world has become overwhelmed with both, as both adultery and idol worship are entrenched western social institutions. The likes of St Francis of Assisi are the answer … only this time around it needs to be the society which strips itself of its fine garments and takes up sack cloth and ashes. If this is not done voluntarily, then God will see to it that it is done by force.
Skai, I’m a big devotee of St Francis, and one of my favorite places in all of SF is the little pond in Golden Gate Park with a statue of St Francis in the back. I have spent many hours praying in his shadow in that spot.
But I think St. Francis might be appalled at some of the things that get said about gay people on this site. I think that in all things, Francis wanted the Church to be rebuilt, not torn down, and especially not torn down with untruths and lies. I make no claim about what Francis would have thought about gay people or gay sex — but I imagine he would have been as kind to the former as he was to the lepers, and would have been appalled at the way these modern day lepers are treated by society.
Have you no shame, YFC?! To dare to compare yourself to those who suffered so terribly for something they had done nothing to deserve…they had no choice,and certainly no pleasure from their sufferings. I’m truly shocked that you would say something so utterly inhumane. It goes beyond anything I’ve ever read on CCD and that’s saying something. You’re no leper, but you are unconscionable, I’ll give you that! St. Damien is one of my favorite saints, and one of the most important things he did was bring dignity to those who suffered such shame and degredation…he brought dignity by teaching them the beauty and truth of obedience to God’s word and giving them a purpose for living. I can tell you what he thought about adultery, and I doubt it was any different from St. Francis. And neither saint would have believed two men would want to marry and dare think the Church should accept such behavior.
PS, I would be the first to give you the biggest hug you ever had if you could forgo your sexual pleasures and offer up your chastity for our loving God (who I know loves you as much as anyone). You’re a very caring person, and I wish we all more kind and accepting, because you’re in no way a leper, YFC. You care about the Church and I’m sorry I sound so unloving. It’s just so hard, because what you’re asking us to do is love your sin. I’m sure you’re a very likeable person and not deserving of such censure all the time…but what if I were to be criticising you because I wanted you to accept my gossiping, for example. I just don’t know but I sure do not like myself carping at you! Please accept my heartfelt apologies, MFC because you as fragile as the rest of us, and I sure want you to be with us in heaven…as I want to be there too. I’ll try to be less critical…as you can see it’s MY besetting sin. Try to bear with me, and I will with you.
Dana I appreciate your latter post, thank you.
Joannie, I think you are wrong in your assessment. It is not a phychological illness at all. People are born gay or not. It is not something that is changeble. The Church, it its teachings says that we must love the gay person. We do not have to love gay sex, which is a distortion of the natural law. However, what I don’t see happening very often is equal condemnation of adultry by heterosexual people which is against one of the commandments. If the church is to have any effect in society it must condem both equally. Otherwise it come across as anti gay. What would you do if one of your children announced that they were gay? Would you disown them? Chastise them in the public square? March them to the priest for confession of something that is not sinful? Everytime we talk about “them”, we need to remember that they are someones child and foremost a child of God.
Thus spake Zarathustra. wiser than St. Paul, more knowledgable than the entire Bible, 2000 yr.s of Church teaching, thousands of priests, bishops and 267 popes… when are you going to open your west coast office, bob1?
The biggest lie since the Third Reich is that gays are born that way. They have repeated it to the point that the Modernists have included it in the V2 catechism. The odds of being born with this sexual impediment are very small as has been scientifically demonstrated a number of times over the last half century.
Anyone could claim that alcoholism, bestiality, pedophilia and other sexual preferences cannot be avoided and that we are born that way. Some go as far as to claim that God made them that way so they should comply with the will of God. To accept those lies is to accept the argument that there is no such thing as perverse behavior; it is just something imagined by religious extremists.
The great lie of course has originated from the King of Liars and his disciples are spreading the word with zeal within western culture as you can see on this comment section.
There is nothing in the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” (V-II) that states homo-sexuals are born that way.
Baron, in fact it clearly contradicts your statement.
It does state: ” Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained.” – This means there is no known scientific basis.
CCC: ” 2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity.
Under no circumstances can they be approved.”
CCC: ” 2396 Among the sins gravely contrary to chastity are masturbation, fornication, pornography, and homosexual practices.”
Baron the next time you personally interpret anything from the CCC, it would be appreciated if you would quote the paragraph number and then the CCC paragraph itself.
Dottie you illustrate perfectly how the CCC can confuse people, even while its clear intention is to instruct. You cite the CCC saying that the genesis of homosexuality is unclear. I agree with that. In fact, the CCC is now several years old, and the genesis is STILL unclear. You go on to infer that there is no known scientific basis. I agree with that too.
Where I disagree with you is that the Church teaches that homosexuals aren’t born that way. I think there is ample evidence in various Church documents that it has, in fact, admitted that homosexuality is innate in a certain portion of the population. I think you can see that even in the passages you quote. In that it admits that there probably is a psychological elucidation of its origin – albeit as yet undefined – says that its origin exists outside of moral choice. It is a psychological question, and it is implied that while psychology can not yet explain homosexuality and its origins, it still might someday explain.
YFC, all souls are born with concupiscence, yet all souls are conceived and born with free will. Homosexuality is the surrendering of free will to the world, the flesh and/or the devil. St Paul informs us, as I’ve said to you many time without a response from you, that some Christians “were” effeminate or homosexual … “were” is past tense, dude. Once in Christ they were no longer effeminate or homosexual … so quite likely even though you believe you are in Christ, you’re not. And you’re not because you, like Eve before you, insist on naming yourself instead of letting God name you. Right now, as we speak, you give yourself the name, “homosexual”, or “gay” or some such cognate. Look what it got Eve; look at what it did to mankind. Is that what you want, YFC, the continued destruction of mankind?
Baron: I’m sorry, but I resent the implication that Gays are related to nazis, via your remark about the third reich. Do you not know that gays were targeted by the nazis? Do you not know that, in fact, the pink triangle, a gay symbol, was the way the Nazis targeted homosexuals and eventually sent them to the death camps?
On the “odds of being born gay” drift of your argument, yes you are correct. The odds of being born gay are very small…probably in the range of 2-5 percent. But that doesn’t mean that people aren’t born gay. It would be like saying that the odds of being born with Down’s syndrome are quite small, therefore, noone is born with Down’s syndrome. Or the odds of being born with discordant eye colors are vanishingly small, therefore no one is born with discordant eye colors. This is a silly argument if you even give it a moment’s thought.
Have they discovered the “gay gene” yet?…please proceed
YFC, what you’re describing of the nazis and the gays is only half correct. As is the custom with all gays, some of them brutalize other gays. That is what your description really is all about, nazi gay meisters brutalizing nazi gay wimps. Brutality often comes from the homosexual slop trough. Have you, for example, ever heard of a sadist who was not gay, or a masochist who was not gay? I didn’t think so.
Always the the understanding weak liberal Bob One…. you spread the nonsense of “born this way” pedophiles make the exact same claim….
Everyone today including criminals blame their serious sins on “born that way” or “my parents made me do it”.
People must take full responsibility for their own actions. If they do not take full responsibility, they will not repent.
Francis, the CCC does not state infer anything. It makes it clear that there is no known scientific reason for homosexuality.
The CCC is only 20 years old.
To this day, US Center for Disease Control (CDC) can not find any biological or physiological or psychological reasons for the desire for homosexuality.
Claims to the contrary at this point are merely excuses for mortal sin.
In the meantime as St. Paul stated: Rom 1:24-27.
“24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,
25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;
27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.”
This article was very informative. Wesley Smith has just given me another talking point to reach those people who believe that “gender reassignment surgery” is a logical surgery for those who identify as the opposite gender of what they really are. I never knew that there was a mental illness in which some people thought that they should really be amputees and seek to have their limbs amputated. Now to think of it there was a strange case a few weeks ago in Southern California, in which a man walked into a Home Depot and nearly successfully amputated both his arms using tools he collected in the store. The news people couldn’t figure this one out. I now suppose he had the psychiatric illness Wesley is talking about.
Nothing surprises me about San Francisco anymore. USF is morphing to better reflect the city’s unique diversity. Maybe next year the commencement speaker will be a Pit Bull dog on the grounds that is an exploited and vilified minority deserving of mainstream praise, and that its reputation as the leading canine killer of human beings worldwide is a misrepresentation of its inner karma and capacity for goodness. Bestowing an honorary doctorate of humane letters will complete the ceremony.
The inexplicable ditching of the Catholic faith by USF has caused me, M.A.,Theology, 1970, to hit the spam button every time USF appeals to me for funds. I am heartsick about how hopeless the USF situation really is.
SURE WOULD LIKE POPE FRANCIS’ VIEW ON THIS INCIDENT.
Pope Francis has already opined, Twinkle. He told all the bishops to practice what they preach, so as to end the hypocrisy of the hierarchy. So, they’ll either do that and all’s well, or they’ll not do it and same ol’ same ol’. Or … now they are not all the same, right? Or, some will preach heresy and abomination and practice it. BTW, what is so hard to get about “Seek first the kingdom of God, and all else shall be added unto you”? Or should the bishops be micro managers?
“She is an open lesbian.”
Is this as opposed to a closed lesbian?
Or a closed-minded lesbian?
“Open” lesbian power is greater than “closed” lesbian power, because it’s been unleashed … insanity gone wild.
She be open fr bidnes Michael… or perhaps, more than likely, her life is an open book, and it hits the bookstores next week, and for only $30 xtra you can have it signed, sealed and delivered. Skai, your insanity gone wild sounds like a teenage girlie flick…Room Mates Gone Wild! See endless dorm orgies! Hear the latest late night girl talk! Girls! Girls! Girls! The most insane movie you’ll ever see! Guaranteed fun-filled action thrills only Hollywood can provide!! Couple that with Girls Only from San Fran Ciscooooo, and you have double the weirdness!!! cough cough wheeze gasp Oh, my…almost exciting as one hand clapping.
Dana, sounds great, but I long ago chose a different path. Paradoxically, the temptations seem to always get closer, the further from them I walk. Maybe this is why we find so many authentic Church teachers saying, “It ain’t over til it’s over”. And, Dana, as for my “insanity gone wild” … well, this is food for thought … rather food for praying the Rosary all the time and making sure to pray the St Michael prayer. Instead of living in the “yellow submarine”, we should all live in the Garden of Gethsemane, or at least visit it frequently.
Well, I apologize Skai…it’s my rascally sense of humor. I meant to be teasing about a pseudo-lesbian film not made for men. It was meant to be funny but it wasn’t in the best of taste, to be sure. I say the rosary frequently and St. Michael’s a big part of my life, and you’re so right. God bless you Skai, and I know He is working in your life and am glad you share your insights here with us. Whatever happened to Max? Do you know? I miss his funny outlook here.
“pseudo-lesbian” film, Dana? As in pseudo-sodomy? No doubt now that PA is going to go hog wild with this idea. As for Max, maybe he renounced his sinful ways and entered a remote monastery for a life of prayer and fasting.
But, Dana, I’d be more concerned that Max is in good health. His posts sort of gave me the impression otherwise.
OPEN means PUBLICALLY giving SCANDAL.
Not only is the mortal sin being committed, but she flaunts it publically to promote the sin with the intent to justify the sin and drag others to Hell with her.
assign (v.) 1300, From Latin assignare “to mark out, to allot by sign, assign, award,” from ad- “to” (see ad-) + signare “make a sign,” from signum “mark.”
In their “gender ‘re-assignment'” what sign, what mark, are these people taking upon themselves?
JoJo, their sign is “666” the mark of the beast.
Skai, While I agree that this type of surgery is against God and therefore from the devil, I think you miss the point here. There are people who suffer with sexual identity disorder. There are some who suffer from the “wiles of the enemy”. Even if all who suffer with SID including those who have already had reassignment surgery are all victims of the devil, (quite possibly from a very early age), the fact still remains that they all deserve the healing that only Jesus can give. They need our Christian compassion which can never be separated from Christ’ truth. We show them our compassion by praying for them, bringing them to the sacraments and advocating for proper psychiatric care for them.
Our secularized society has equated truth with harshness and divisiveness etc. It teaches that only when we throw out “truth” then we will be truly a compassionate society. Of course, this idea IS from the bowels of hell. Jesus taught us “the truth will set you free”. How many of us around the world today can say that we are truly “free”? Back to those with SID, they certainly aren’t free and need true spiritual and psychiatric healing, not surgery to reinforce their false identity.
Tracy, I do not miss the point. I too suffer from sexual identity disorder … I have to constantly deal with the feeling that I was born to have a large harem when I grew up, and don’t. I used to hear my late father mention something about our family line including “old goats” … so I know it’s genetic. There should be a movement to correct this, right?
Skai, please look at the last sentence of what I wrote above and my May 9th, 8:52am post. I am totally against any “movement” which would endorse reassignment surgery (if this is what you meant by “movement”). What I am for is the healing of souls and minds just as Jesus was. I felt that when you said that these people carry the “mark of the beast” and left it at that, this was very harsh. There are people who were cursed by their parents when they were merely babies in the womb. Jesus even differentiated between those who carried familial sin as well as those who didn’t. Either way, Jesus came to heal us. If someone is “marked by the beast”, how much more are they in need of Christ’ deliverance. I would say that, for whatever the cause, those with SID are especially in need of our Lord’s healing and the Christian community’s love and prayers.
Tracy, many others who are not Catholic are also against “reassignment surgery”, because it is a violation of nature. I’m commenting on the confusion in your blogs between Catholicism and other religious systems. As for your naiive take on the Mark of the Beast, you’d best look at what Catholic dogma says about it. Consider the unforgiveable sin, the sin against the Holy Spirit. These souls are beyond the reach of prayer.
Tracy, how would you explain Christ’s passion, which you bring up, in the context of when He was on the Cross between two villains, one of whom He sent to Heaven and the other who descended to Hell? After all, being a sinner is genetic, right?
Skai, All of us are sinners and therefore we all are in debt to Christ passion. However, I never said that being a sinner is genetic, nor have I ever said that SID is genetic. I do believe, however, that the brain can be damaged in a myriad of ways just as any other organ in the body can be damaged. If this damage to one’s brain causes one to sin, it doesn’t change the fact that a sin has been committed. I believe that this is why Jesus warned us not to judge another. To my knowledge, Catholic teaching interprets this that only God can judge the soul. It does not mean that we cannot rightly judge the actions of others and call them out on those actions. However, only God understands the full implications of His grace along with the crosses each soul has or has not been given to endure. He is the final Judge. What we as Christians are demanded to do is to “instruct those in error” and to “pray for sinners”.
Tracy, “if damage to brain causes one to sin”: No, damage to brain is not a cause of sin, Tracy. The cause of sin is the soul deciding to sin. Don’t take my word for it, but find out on your own that Catholicism teaches as dogma that man has free will and can choose between life and death, between good and evil, between salvation and sin, Heaven and hell. BTW, Jesus did not warn us not to judge others; read the passage more carefully and put it in the context of the rest of the Bible and find out that we are indeed to judge. Yet true judgment can come only in union with God through Jesus in the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. Your blog puts your theology in the category of Protestantism, specifically John Calvin’s brand, and also the “God is the absent clock maker and we are the clocks” heresy. If you want Catholicism, then learn it from the foundation and not from the fools who drum up stuff in the chancery dungeons.
Skai, for whatever reason you are misreading my post. While I admire your zeal, it would help our conversation if you first accurately read what I wrote. You are the first person to have ever accused me of being a Calvinist.
Tracy, suffering due to sin is not a good thing. Suffering due to holiness is a good thing. Also, Tracy, as per your self awakening re: Calvinism, welcome to the world outside the novus ordo studies groups.
“Smith reflects: “Radical individualism is now the avatar with powerful forces urging that self identity become the be all and end all–no judgment allowed–perhaps even to the point that one day it will mean permission to chop off healthy limbs and other body parts.”
I would rather that they randomly select a monkey from the SF zoo and bestow their high honors upon the chimp. At least it would be an honest award of one of God’s own who never in any way attempted to subvert God’s laws of creation or defy the heavenly Father in any way.
” self identity”: But Jesus provides us with our identities known only to Him and to each individual in union with Him. The reader can discover this by reading the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, and then the Doctors of the Church. Eve wanted to create her own identity apart from God and got Adam to go along with her on it. But the chagrin is that in attempting it, she was following the direction of the devil; thus, who would be providing her with an individual identity?
These “Catholic” universities and colleges ceased being Roman Catholic decades ago. Let the Church crumble and let Our Lady rebuild it starting with the Traditional Latin Mass being restored to all of our churches, cathedrals and convents, seminaries then and only then will we see our Holy Roman Catholic Church reborn!!
I wonder when the college majors in these defiled universities will include naked artists and porn stars. Oops, these things are already out there in the land of academia, as I recall. I wonder how many of the democrat politicians’ sons and daughters are majoring in such studies.
Shame on all of you who judge-
John 8:7
7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her..
Matthew:35
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me food to eat : I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
I question any you who judge if you have done any of the above.
My sister has a heart of gold and know the true meaning of helping others.
She is the most giving caring person she does more that just
sit on her hands and watch and judge she loves and cares with all her heart. Amen
mary – we are supposed to JUDGE SIN – otherwise people would not know right from wrong.
Regarding judging – suggest you read: 1 Cor 5: 9-13.
If you truly love your sister and you want her to get to Heaven, also read:
Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:9-10; 1 Tim 1:10.
NEVER condone or tolerate Mortal Sin.
Jesus will cast out those who do their own wills rather than the Will of His Father – Mt 7 21-23.
Sexual sins are very SELFISH (the will of the sinner).
we are supposed to JUDGE SIN who gave you that JOB !
mary, you reflect zero knowledge of Catholicism. A faithful Catholic is united with God through Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist; thus, as God judges, so also may the faithful Catholic judge.
mary, do you wait for others to tell you what to do? Have you never heard of initiative? You really need to get into a real Catholic community where you can begin to experience the graces of God instead of the new age stuff.
mary, – “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” – which ALL Catholics are required to adhere to:
CCC- “1861 Mortal sin is a radical possibility of human freedom, as is love itself. It results in the loss of charity and the privation of sanctifying grace, that is, of the state of grace. If it is not redeemed by repentance and God’s forgiveness, it causes exclusion from Christ’s kingdom and the eternal death of hell, for our freedom has the power to make choices for ever, with no turning back.
However, although we can JUDGE that an act is in itself a grave offense, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God.”
Also see your BIBLE – Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:9-10; and 1 Tim 1:10.
mary, you interpret Scripture like a Calvinist.
mary what an injustice on your part….your comments show us that you need to dig deeper to the real understanding not as you see fit.
Abeca Christian, it appears that you don’t understand what Mary has said and you don’t understand the passages that she has quoted.
So PA you never make judgements on anything or anyone? ever?
I just figured out who your sister was. Am I slow or what? I googled her and I can see why SFU would honor her for her work. She may, as you say, have a heart of gold. The issue for people here is why Catholic universities honor the people who have not accepted the totality of Church teachings. As you know, Catholics cannot support gender reassignment surgery, abortion or contraception.
For the record, one of the problems with Catholic studies is the failure to deal with the profound ideologies, philosophies and theologies that run rampant through our societies. Some of these are buried deeply in the daily lives of many Catholics and they do not recognize it. I had to go way out of my daily bread way to identify this stuff and take measures to root it out. I find many Catholics wholly ignorant that they are “infected” by these heretical beliefs. Why is this? Well, it is because you have to or else no one around you will understand you, and thus you will be shunned, either more or less. What to do? Do what all Doctors of the Church have done, which is to learn the Catholic faith. You likely will not get it from your local parish studies group … these have largely been protestantized. You can get it from books and this is easy; what is hard is getting it from holy people. For this, you have to have an unrequitable motive and drive and desire to find them. Look at what St Paul did in his quest to please God … Countless saints, both famous and unknown, have done and are doing this. The Popes have been calling the bishops to do this … but so far I have yet to read of any bishop publicly taking up the challenge.