From February 18 – 21, 2014 Notre Dame de Namur High School in Belmont, California presented a student retreat, Personal Growth as a Blessing to Others. The event was described on the school’s webpage: “Come join us on a four-day retreat to learn new ways to discover who you are and how expressing yourself fully can be a blessing to others! Improve your self image and get in touch with who you are through journaling, meditations, nature walks, art projects and more.” Notre Dame’s webpage for the retreat continued “Surprise guest facilitator for one day – Gregg Cassin!!!” Gregg Cassin, who lives in San Francisco, is a widely known homosexualist activist. His extensive website includes this self-description: “He is an LGBT rights activist helping to organize and emcee anti-Prop 8 rallies since 2008.”
Two members of the Notre Dame Faculty were listed as instructors for the retreat, one of whom was a Ms. Sequeira. Notre Dame’s religious studies webpage identifies Barbara Sequeira as the school’s campus minister.
Mr. Cassin’s website contains a section of photographs of events in which he has taken part. The section is headlined “BRINGING ALL THE WORDS TO LIFE: Photos of my work as a facilitator, speaker, and LGBT activist.” Included are photos captioned: Prop 8 Rally-Speaker; Menlo College Gay Straight Alliance-Speaker; Day of decision-LGBT Activist; March for Equality-LGBT Activist; and Notre Dame Belmont High School-Speaker.
The photo titles are modest on Mr. Cassin’s part. As noted, he was actually the co-organizer and MC of the March 25, 2013 March for Equality in San Francisco, which drew an estimated 5,000 people to the city’s Castro district in support of same-sex marriage.
The lack of additional identifying information about Mr. Cassin in Notre Dame’s retreat flyer, just the bare “Surprise guest facilitator for one day–Gregg Cassin!!!” indicates that he is already known at the school. And that is indeed the case—apparently he has been visiting Notre Dame for a while. A Pinvents webpage called “Diversity and Acceptance at the Notre Dame Prom,” which agitates for allowing same-sex dates at the school’s prom, says “Gregg Cassin speaks to Notre Dame religion classes every year of his struggle being gay and how hard it is to be accepted.”
Mr. Cassin’s own webpage also contains a section called “WHAT’S GOING ON: Some of the projects I’m passionate about (But I’m open to others!).” The section includes, again, the March for Equality and the LGBT Day of Decision, and includes: “Notre Dame Belmont High School. September 2012. Like most of my presentations at high schools and universities, themes of self-acceptance, owning one’s own life story, and the appreciation of differences in the communities in which we live. Simply by telling my own story – a journey towards self-acceptance – students get to reflect on their own journeys and what a powerful opportunity it is to work on self love and appreciation. It’s the perfect antidote to bullying and negativity in our schools.”
While Notre Dame de Namur High School is under the control of a religious order, meaning the power of the local bishop is limited, the school is still listed as a Catholic school on the archdiocesan website and on the website of the San Francisco Department of Catholic Schools.
The Leadership Team of Notre Dame De Namur’s California province consists of: Sister Louise O’Reilly, SND; Sister Georgianna Coonis, SND; and Sister Virginia Unger, SND. All may be contacted at: Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Province Center, 1520 Ralston Avenue, Belmont CA 94002.
For the archdiocese of San Francisco, contact: Maureen Huntington, superintendent of Catholic Schools; Laura Held, assistant superintendent, Faith Formation and Religious Instruction; Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone; all at the Archdiocese of San Francisco, One Peter Yorke Way, San Francisco CA 94109.
Most important is to contact the principal of your local Catholic elementary schools. Almost all enrollment to Catholic high schools come from Catholic elementary “feeder” schools. The elementary principals may be unaware of the catastrophic state of religious education in Archdiocesan high schools, and they are the persons with the greatest ability to effect change, by their willingness to steer students towards or away from prospective high schools.
There they go again, teaching the Magisterium (who are we to judge?).
As I have no doubt that this type of thing happens in other dioceses, what goes on in these schools? Are the people running things out to lunch or are they deliberately being anti-Catholic?
Having taught for a short while in a particular Catholic high school, it was plain to see that most (at least 90%) knew little of the Faith, but it didn’t matter because they threw Social Justice at the kids, which is just plain awful.
For instance, they had a field trip to Washington, D.C. to hear lectures about a hotel chain paying their workers unfairly – and guess what hotel they stayed at? (Most of the teachers had no practical “life” experiences and they were LMU grads.)
Is it any wonder things are such a mess (e.g., the LA REC)? They probably only had Social Justice in school too. How many generations are lost?
GILBERTS Rule! And anyone who says different has “Ism-Obia” and needs political re-education.
Contact Twysted Syster Kim of the North Korean chapter for details.
BTW – Did the Administrations Bo-Terrorist / Election Fraudster Dan ‘The Savage Lickspittle’ get an invite too ?
– And will they now re-name the Prom as a “Frothy Mixer”?
You know, Michael McDermott, you have to be really really entrenched in the gay world to even understand your posts usually, but especially this one. I’m sure that 99% of CCD readers don’t understand the references in your post, especially with your made up words and phrases. I’d love to know how you came to be so entrenched in a culture you claim to hate so much.
YFC, I appreciate folks like Michael McDermott who are “really really entrenched” in the homosexual queer world. You are correct in saying that most of the readers of CCD are unfamiliar with much of what he tends to post. This is where the internet becomes quite useful. I only need to do a quick web search of what he or others post and instantly I can learn something I previously hadn’t even been aware of. :)
Mister Mcdermott, I’m sorry but I never understand a word you say. I don’t know if it is you or if I am just clueless.
Gary – I would say that you are not so much clueless as turning a blind eye to reality. A lot depends on what ‘news’ sources you access – as reading the Frisco Papers is an entirely different world than the carefully sanitized drivel of the East Bay editions – let alone inland ‘reporting’ in CA.
For those of us who know ‘The City’ (4th Generation – Heterosexual on both sides) the Changes in the Players of the power structure are actually amusing – in a horrific train wreck sort of manner.
My Family was centered around the Castro District in the 40s & 50s & early 60s (Dad grew up on the corner of Market & Castro, where I had my first bank account) – so the area and its ‘de-evolution’ was something we witnessed in ‘progress’.
My parents were married in Holy Redeemer – where the Twysted Systers of Indulgence took over the Bingo franchise eventually, and so we got to watch (in disgust) as things sank lower and lower and then dug the current pit.
BTW – having been ‘scolded’ over the decades for the need to become enlightened (Non Square as they used to say) I actually bothered to read and de-construct their propaganda, if only to better counter the arguments.
For example – Author Will Self wrote an insightful book called “Dorian” – where he likened the spread of Aids / STDs vectoring worldwide from the Castro as via “The Conga Line of Buggery”.
The anonymous trolls here want to pretend that making an effort to understand the current slang / terminology is the same as being one of its members – which is like educating yourself about Aids means you want to become a “Bug Chaser”.
No Logic to the scam – just propaganda by trolls too craven to sign their name to their posts.
Mr. McDermott, you’re quite a character. I’ve followed the posts here for a while, and yours are so often such wild conspiracy theories that there’s no point in countering them. They would be comic if not so coherent in conveying such mean-spiritedness and obsessive malice.
You should probably know, though, that your penchant for repeating, ad nauseum, the same few clever puns, quotes, and your definition of misandry gives you an easily identifiable linguistic fingerprint. Googling any of them returns dozens of results, often verbatim and mostly pseudonymous. If you’re so opposed to anonymity, why use it so often yourself?
It’s beyond me why anyone would want their own name associated with the kind of vitriol you post, but you’re obviously proud of it. You must be in a position to never need to seek employment requiring even the most cursory background check.
Oh – Gosh, let us not forget the other scams, like trying to instigate homosex hissy-fit flame wars with Personal Ad-Hominem (against the person_ attacks, which also serve to distract from the Issues.
For myself, I have posted the truth in various forums for some time now, if only to help get past the Censors of the lamesteam media, who really don’t like my stuff- kind of like turning on the lights in the kitchen and watching the cockroaches scatter…
Which is also an apt description of the desperation in the Demicrat Party after the Larry Brinkin racist toddler pederast rape ring got exposed, and then good ole Leeland Yee (Anti-NRA Gun Runner) got outed.
Imagine the size of the bullets being sweated in Sacratomatoe right now as all his good insider pals (*now Officially Shocked mind you) wonder who Yee will rat out next to save his own hindquarters.
Which is where most trolling comes from anyway – not that you need to be a Tax Subsidized Bio-Terrorist / Savage Lickspittle to understand the “Frothy Mixer” mentality.
Nuff Said – Trolls should roll on to their hideouts under the willie brown memorial pork bypass bridge – before the fallout gets too yucky for even them.
Michael McDermott you come off as a very intelligent gentleman with your own style to express!. God bless you!
I agree Abeca C. Sometimes I find Michael’s graphic language a bit difficult to read but truth hurts and to be frank, most homosexualists have hides like rhinos , blindfolded eyes and ears completely blocked and McDermott’s words are like mean and heartless bluster to them. Teachings of self-denial and judgement have become ‘hate speech’. I think there are few who contribute here who care as much about children and our society as Mr. McDermott. He’s angry at the lies, the subterfuge (those people who sound all warm and fuzzy about homosexual sex and multiple partners. No one is better at spinning the truth than old Beelzebub) and the deceit in the claim that they’re all about love. He’s attempting to expose it for what it is is and to save those who have become hardened and beguiled. As another Michael says (Voris) there is a terrible lack of ‘real’ masculinity in the Church and that’s why these same people are working so strenuously to silence the so-called patriarchal voice. We need more men like these to speak the truth. It’s soon going to be too late. We live in an age where hate is called love and love is called hate. Without God, the Bible and prayer we would all succumb to this sacrilege. Even then, we must remember that satan can quote scripture.
Have a blessed Easter, Abeca and Michael. Pray for our precious Church. The world is hammering on Her doors relentlessly.
Dana – Let me assure you that I actually Avoid as much ‘graphic’ language as possible and take no joy in ugly truths. That said, I believe that my statements are rational, reasonable, logical, fact based – intellectually and morally valid statement…
And the ‘Clinical’ language I sometimes feel most appropriate, is somewhat akin to the ‘Anti-Smiking’ advertisements that helped me and many others quit the evil power of tobacco use. Smoking is dirty and causes diseases and harms others both nearby and far…
– So too with the alliance of homo-anal coprophile / dyke / Misandrists (Hateful to Men & Boys, Masculinity & Normal Heterosexuality) – A term I regularly use as its counterpart ‘Misogyny’ is already widely known and used to prop up ‘The war on womyn” – whereas Misandry is a Media ‘Un-Word’.
BTW – Notice the difference in reaction to Racism by said watchdogs of the lamesteam media, between some elderly basketball team owner (Publicly Hung on National TV) – versus the nearly Complete Censorship of ‘in-human-rights’ commissioner Larry Brinkin?
Brinkin’s Graphic Expression of Racist Joy at watching a ‘N-Word” Toddler Boy subjected to Homo-Anal Rape – is just Not the right kind of Racism which the bought and paid for ‘free press’ wants to Denounce. renounce or even remind people exists…
Brinkin has been widely denounced both for his apparent enjoyment of two dimensional child abuse and his racist leanings. I’m not quite sure why you think he deserves mention at every turn. He was never anything more than a low level operative, and most gay people, including me, only ever heard about him after his atrocities were revealed. And by the way, what does Leland Yee have anything at all to do with this? Leland is most assuredly straight. Corrupt, it seems, but straight. And, like Brinkin, he has NOTHING whatsoever to do with the issue of Mr. Cassin’s appearance at ND.
If McDermott is trying to rub Brinkin (and now Yee) off on all gay people including Cassin – because – you know – we are all gay – except that one of us isn’t gay – is one of the worst kind of defamations that a person can use. Guilt by non-association. So I suppose you, McDermott and Dana should be tarred with all the straight pedophiles out there? No, of course not. So why do you perpetrate this intellectually and morally dishonest charade?
Well I guess if all you read is lies, it makes it easier for you to feel goid about yourself trashing other people. The sooner The Church goes down in flames (and takes you with it) the better the world will be. Imagine how many deaths, tortures, maiming and destruction could have been avoided if you follow Christs teachings rather than trying to work from the devils ass.
Charmed, I’m sure!
Well I guess if all you read is lies, it makes it easier for you to feel goid about yourself trashing other people. The sooner The Church goes down in flames (and takes you with it) the better the world will be. Imagine how many deaths, tortures, maiming and destruction could have been avoided if you follow Christs teachings rather than trying to work from the devils ass.
And again. Charmed, I’m sure!
Gary – it you actually want to Get A Clue about what is really going on, and why the discussion is so heavily censored and covered up with sanitized euphemisms by the lamesteam media, and our ‘Anonymous’ Trolls here,…
– Then I suggest reading “The Death of Right & Wrong “ By author Tammy Bruce… If only because as a self avowed lesbian she is a very different source from me – and Yet still tells the truth to an alarming degree.
Like her Essay: ‘The Gay Trojan Horse’ (P-111):
“…Frankly, even before the depth of the Catholic Church’s problem became known it was common knowledge that many gay men pursue sexual relationships with adolescent boys.
Why? Based on my experience in the Gay community I believe its due in part to the fact that so many gay men had their first sexual experiences as an adolescent with an adult male.
This tis a traumatic experience, and as long as the wound remains untreated, the victim feels compelled to continually reenact the experience so as to master it or project it on to others.
The other reason actually discussed in the community is that, because of the Aids crisis and the emergences of drug resistant strains of contagions like herpes and gonorrhea, gay men are compelled to seek new untouched young men….”
In a previous edition Bruce warned against treating this type of ephebophile statutory rape as a Coming of Age process, although later editions toned that down – a bit.
Notice that Gregg Cassin’s homo-lgbt concerns ALL center around his (and by extension all who believe like him) sex life, and that’s it? No concerns for the innocent unborn babes aborted year in and out, no concern that “gay” marriage is just an attempt to mainstream sodomy, make it acceptable to ALL the culture, and that’s it? His whole focus for living his lgbt lifestyle seems to be on the area below the beltline; that’s the definition of a monomaniac, an obsessed, clinically disturbed person. At least it used to be. But we’re in the age of fullblown sexual tumult now, and let it all hang out for ALL of the culture to observe and maybe instigate for MORE social change, but ALWAYS in a leftward direction, always subverting, always roiling below the surface for an Alinskyesque outcome of fullblown socialism. The peeps really NEED TO WAKE UP! The guy who sits atop once constitutional government is nothing but an unmitigated collectivist, and means us Americans NO GOOD. Holy Mother of Jesus, Mary Most Immaculate, Please pray for us before it gets too late. God Bless all, markrite
markite,
Gathering from what I have read of Our Blessed Mother’s revelations, it is most probably already too late except for those who know She has told us to “stick with Tradition”. One wonders if Pope Francis is listening! Pray that the coming Synod will just be another repeat of VII!
I haven’t checked the REC 2014 list of speakers for this poor man’s name, but I am sure it will if not already appear sometime in the future!
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Oops, I meant pray that the coming Synod will NOT be …..
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
There is nothing about his sex life. (I don’t know if he has one-but he does have a daughter, so maybe. But being HIV+, maybe not.) There is nothing about anything below the waist. His talks to high schools are not about gay marriage. While I think Catholic high schools should not give proponents of gay marriage a podium even if they are speaking about something else, your post was ‘below the belt.”
https://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1401153.htm
This website seems to be run and read by a horrific group of religious nutcases. As a Catholic, I am appalled and frightened by your closed-minded, ignorant, and apathetic views. Who are you to judge? When does Jesus tell you to judge? He doesn’t. Save that for the Book of Revelation and for God. All we are supposed to do is love one another, sinner or not. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.
Why is it that when people reference the bible they only see it saying that marriage is between a man and a woman. They never look farther to the messages to love everyone no matter what. You judge and you judge but do you not sin. God wants everyone to be kind and be the bigger person but you are being shamefully ignorant. When people ask for basic human rights, like being able to marry who they choose they aren’t seeking it for “below the beltline” reasons. When you got married was it for that reason? If you choose to engage in sodomy, do you think that the public should have the right to know? When people say that gay marriage is “unnatural” I feel like asking if they have actually read any of the bible. There is some unnatural things. If it weren’t christ who had been resurrected would you believe and think it’s natural too die and come back to life?
My two eldest are in Evangelical Christian Schools. They are more “Catholic” than the “Catholics” here.
What in the world has happened to our Mother Church where now everything is fine as long as one is expressing oneself.
Lord have mercy on us all!
Perhaps the schools are more “Christian” than the Catholics here…
Catholics are called to witness to the Truth, Kathleen Shannon Finn, albeit with kindness. One must know and understand the definition of true charity and a live-and-let-live attitude that turns a blind eye to that which is so blatantly against the laws of God and nature is neither kind nor charitable.
Although it gives one a warm and fuzzy feeling of being nice. In other words, the charity that hides the truth for fear of hurting another’s feelings, is a cop out – not Christian.
The Diocese Bishop has the responsibility for everything and everyone who advertises themselves as “Catholic” within his Diocese, and must be informed and involved.
CODE of CANON LAW: under “OBLIGATIONS and RIGHTS of ALL the Christian Faithful”
“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. ”
CODE of CANON LAW: regarding (Catholic) Schools
” Can. 801 Religious institutes whose proper mission is education, retaining their mission faithfully, are also to strive to devote themselves to Catholic education through their schools, established with the consent of the diocesan bishop.”
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Can ” 803 §2. The instruction and education in a Catholic school must be grounded in the principles of Catholic doctrine; teachers are to be outstanding in correct doctrine and integrity of life.”
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Can ” 803 §3. Even if it is in fact Catholic, no school is to bear the name Catholic school without the consent of competent ecclesiastical authority.”
Expressing the beauty of man-woman relationship would make gay people appreciate it – unfortunately, saying that :
woman has to obey her husband (marriage ceremony) ,
woman is a helper for her husband (* genesis),
women are not allowed to talk in church,
women are unclean when they menstruate, etc.
damages the good image of woman-man relationship.
Maybe we need to review the bible translation……
What man, in his right mind, would marry such a woman, described in the bible ?
jenny, A woman was chosen to be the Mother of God. God has no earthly biological father (male). Jesus could have just appeard on earth rather than selecting a human mother.
This is the highest honor bestowed on any human being.
You are mixing the rules of the Jewish Faith (Old Testament) with that of the Christians (New Testament).
The word “obey” is not ‘required’ in any Christian marriage ceremony.
Genesis is in the old Testament.
Uncleanless during menstruation was a Jewish rule in the Old Testament.
jenny while I agree with you that we need to rethink much of the sexism in religious thought, that is completely separate from whether gay people “respect” man-woman relationships. Gay people – well most gay people – completely respect man-woman relationships. Most of us were raised in one. Happily so, I might add. We aren’t gay because we don’t “respect” man-woman relationships. And we aren’t gay because the church has some sexist history that it is (hopefully) trying to shake off. We are gay because we are gay. Period. Just as you are straight because you are straight. Period.
I personally know parents of Norte Dame High School who became aware of this speaker and have tried through proper channels (teacher, principal, letters to Archdiocese) to have this speaker uninvited from any speaking engagements at the High School. Their efforts have come upon deaf ears. Please help, by writing any or all of the above contacts, letting them know that “any” teaching that is outside of Catholic Moral teaching should not be allowed. Parents are suffering with the new state of affairs “that nothing is off limits”, going on in public schools–and choose to send their children to Catholic schools for protection against such an onslaught. Many have to homeschool in order to insure their children’s innocence and help lead them on the “ordered” path. Please help save our children.
Thank you for this information. I urge everyone to send in their complaints. We need to put the pressure on them. I would also urge the lay faithful to send a copy of this article to our Pope. The more that send it in, the more chances our voices will be heard, that we don’t tolerate this sort of immortal stuff.
If you care for this mans salvation, do it for his sake. Pray for him as well as you take action as well. God bless.
Mr Cassin has been speaking at the school for 20 years. He speaks with the girls in their “WOMEN IN RELATIONSHIPS’ course!!!
Who the hell cares; so pleased that California Catholic Daily has become the self appointed Inspector General of the UNIVERSAL CHURCH!! Thank you for your august service, however, the world as you know it has moved on, PRAISE the Lord!!!
If you don’t care TEM, then why do you keep crawling back? Your irrelevancy appears to be taking a toll. The end is never easy for some.
Thomas Edward Miles – Everyone who loves their neighbors as commanded by Jesus – wants to help everyone get to Heaven, not Hell. That’s who cares.
Children and others need to be protected from those promoting MORTAL SIN.
If you do not like what is on this web site, you can leave.
Rom: 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:9-10; 1 Tim 1:10.
Dear Thomas Edward. You mean, move on to the Gates of Hell and into the claws of Satan, and it will no longer be GAY. He is laughing at you right now. Think about the choice you have, before you are called to the final Judgment, for Heaven’s sake!
This is confusing? We have a new Anonymous? Some anonymous sound faithful while some others don’t. Its always hard to tell who is who and who is commenting? I think this anony is a different one. Sounds more faithful, one would hope. Sorry Anony but there are numerous anonymous persons here who comment and I was just trying to discern which one you are. No pun intended.
What kind of nonsense is this – people are what they are and most today glory in being whatever it is they believe they are – what is needed now is a brake on the push to make the abnormal normal – it is no way any excuse for reeling and abusing the different, but that still will not make them mainstream and normal – so sorry – the moon is still not made of green cheese no matter how many say it is –
There will always be temptations (including the temptation of same sex attraction).
However all must strive not to give in to their own specific temptations.
CCC: #1033 – 1037.
CCC: “1056 Following the example of Christ, the Church warns the faithful of the “sad and lamentable reality of eternal death” (GCD 69), also called “hell.”
Some Bible Quotes from Jesus about ‘hell’: – – – Mt 5:22, 5:29; – Mt 7:13:14; – Mt 10:28; – Mt 13:41-42, – Mt 25:30; – Mk 9:43-48.
There are numerous posters with who go anonymous. Its a pity because any anonymous poster will all be classified as the same. The anonymous here have given the anony word a bad name now.
And some Christians here give the Christian word a bad name.
Just like anything Anonymous. But Christian is not a bad name ever. Nor do I know of anyone with the word Christian be given a bad name? You are just as confusing as you appear remaining anonymous and responding just like you did. Not surprised at your un-Christian response. But remaining anonymous is confusing. Don’t you think? I say this because we have numerous anonymous characters. Hard to tell whom we are speaking too.
So i don’;t get your comment above, just know that it shows your pride. I only wrote what I wrote because I wasn’t sure which anonymous we were speaking too, you decided to react in pride and comment uncharitably. Still did not resolve anything did it? You see some Anonymous persons seemed unfaithful, so because of that, if someone who is good of intent, may be mixed up as just another anony. Well it doesn’t matter because obviously my comment has offended you and you reacted just like I thought you would. : )
Go in peace.
Our Church is desperately in need of a massive overhaul of its clergy, nuns, religious orders, seminaries, parishes, schools, universities, charities, hospitals, and all other institutions– starting with the Pope, at the Vatican! The Church needs desperately to be ” re-Christianized!”
The faith is perfect but it’s human sins that always cause scandal and makes things imperfect. So what you say seems like the answer but if it was as easy as that.
Yes we need to rid our self of what makes the church sick. But as long as there is sin, we will have to carry our cross and deal with the infirm. They are here for us and us for them.
How will we grow in virtue if everything is perfect here on earth? Will we need heaven if all was perfect here on earth? Will we know Jesus and His passion?
What makes the righteous humble? What helps us see the error of our ways? Those whom contradict us or question us. Of course wrong is wrong and right is right. We are not here to have peace not yet. Our Lord will bring us peace. Even when darkness comes and if we have spiritual peace, if we grief for human sins, if we shake their consciences, then we are Catholic Christians, in His catholic church.
Those who are activist for fleshly desires do no fear the Lord, do not reflect on salvation nor on the after life, they are only in tune of their flesh and are misguided. Pray for this man. He is terribly entangled with fleshly sins, that it would take years and years of prayers and sufferings for his conversion. Some refuse to change but it will take great love that only comes from God, to persevere in prayer for this lost soul.
But it may help make saints out of anyone who dares to suffer and offer up prayers for this mans conversion.
Taken from the book The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis:
“Even the assurance of the Saints was always mingled with the fear of God. Although they excelled in virtue, yet they were careful to be humble and diligent in the service of God. On the contrary. the assurance of the wicked comes from their pride and presumption, and in the end deceives them.”
Wow! maybe these ‘enlightened fellow Catholic teachers’ could follow my lead. I took my 8th grade class to the Castro district to peacefully protest and raise awareness of their struggle having their Catholic identity accepted by militant homosexualists. ….Really, Mr Cassin, Ms Sequeira and Sisters – Could do better!
Ruby .. Just WHAT were you were peacefully protesting?????
Make certain that the appropriate Diocesan Bishop is informed, and ask him to act. It is his duty per Code of Canon Law.
He is ultimately responsible for everything “Catholic” within his Diocese.
God save our children from those who promote MORTAL SIN by their actions or words.
Linda Maria, how correct you are. Our Catholic Church, the one, true, Catholic,
Apostolic Church does indeed, need to be brought back to what was taught to us by Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, many of our Catholic grammar schools, high schools and Universities have been hijacked by the Social Justice crowd and are leading young people astray. It is time they are stopped. It has been going on for years. Start with Pope Francis and work down to our local Archbishop and Bishops. We need to demand answers – NOW! The fact that the Bishops of the United States have bought into the Common Core Curriculum is a sign as to how badly in need our Catholic Church is need of an overhaul. It is beyond imagination that the Bishops bought into the Gates Foundation CCC
way of education. Melinda and Bill Gates are people who give millions to Planned Parenthood to further the cause of abortion. Wake up fellow Catholics
and become aware of what is happening to our young people in our so called Catholic schools.
Sorry to say, complaints to the Sisters of Notre Dame about this sad situation will fall on deaf ears. Their website has an online store, which is linked to Reach and Teach, which fulfills orders for the sisters. The sisters get 10% from any products sold in the Reach and Teach store which has an extensive range of LGBTQ books and posters aimed at children and teens.
You can buy “King and King”, “Two Boys Kissing”, “Beyond Magenta, Transgender Teens Speak Out”, “First Person Queer, Who We Are So Far”,
or “What Makes a Baby” to name just a few.
Here’s the description of what makes a baby:
What Makes a Baby is a book for every kind of family and every kind of kid. It is a 21st century children’s picture book about where babies come from that reflects the reality of our modern time by being inclusive of all kinds of kids, adults, and families, however they came to be.
Geared to readers from pre-school to 8 years old, it teaches curious kids about conception, gestation, and birth in a way that works regardless of whether or not the kid in question was adopted, conceived using reproductive technologies, at home or in a clinic, through surrogacy, or the old fashioned way, and regardless of how many people were involved, their orientation, gender and other identity, or family composition. Just as important, the story doesn’t gender people or body parts, so most parents and families will find that it leaves room for them to educate their child without having to erase their own experience.
Janet is so right on!!!
This school (I know from personal experience) was so strict, you could hardly look the wrong way, without getting in trouble!
I think it is time to take away their ‘Catholic’ identity which an Archbishop can do, would make a great example to the other so called ‘Catholic’ schools in the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
Cont’d
Most books about where babies come from leave many of us out. They tell a nice story (mommy + daddy + intercourse = you!) but the truth is that more and more of us are acknowledging the help we get to bring children into our lives. That help might be a doctor, fertility clinic, adoption or foster agency; it might be a turkey baster and a friend; it might be a sperm donor or a surrogate. What Makes a Baby helps parents tell children a story about where they came from that isn’t just true for them, but true for everyone.
Written by a sexuality educator, Cory Silverberg, What Makes a Baby is as fun to look at as it is useful to read.
Sister’s online store: https://www.reachandteach.com/store/index.php?l=product_list&c=69
St Julie Billiart, their foundress, must be spinning in her grave.
Thank you Janet for shedding more light in the dark. And, I agree with Trish. Why are we paying high tuitions for something our children can get at public school for free? Time to clean house parents. Wake up. Get in there and fight for your Catholic schools or take your kids out and save their souls and your hard earned money.
Don’t let the fox guard the hen-house.
Fee paying Catholic parents,-time to CLEAN HOUSE!.
God have mercy on us all.
Greg Cassin came to my religion class and the vast majority of these comments are ignorant and incorrect. Notre Dame is a Catholic school, yes. However, a major focus of the religion classes at Notre Dame is to inform students of all different types of view points. Having Mr. Cassin speak is not perpetuating a homosexual agenda, and it is not going to end civilization as we know it.
I respect (although can’t really comprehend) that some people feel that his coming to speak to students is wrong, however if you had really investigated anything you would realize that his message is not to talk about his sex life (which is never mentioned), but rather to tell his story about finding and nurturing his faith despite being largely unaccepted by his religion. Rather than being so quick to judge on the moral aspects of homosexuality that you’ve deemed yourselves to be experts in, why not take a step back and realize that this is not part of some elaborate plot, but rather just a school trying to show their students different people with different lifestyles who all have a strong Catholic faith background?
Jesus fought for the outcasts of society; he never excluded or judged or exiled. Fighting to keep one man’s story from a class simply because he is gay is wrong, and regardless of your own personal opinions, he is a human being who deserves to be listened to. I pray for all of those who have deemed themselves worthy of judging other person, as there is only one man who has the right to do so and that is God. May God have mercy on your intolerant minds and hearts.
Why not make a “major focus of religious class” actually about the teachings of the Catholic Faith instead of giving over valuable lesson time to sodomy promoters. You could invite Joseph Sciambra, a same sex attracted person and a former gay-porn actor who says his Catholic faith saved him from a world of pornography, homosexuality and the occult, who has left the “gay lifestyle” to come and speak with the students. Sciambra said he’s driven by his wish to keep people alive.
Homosexual acts “are aberrations of nature,” he said. “Anal sex is not natural. That’s why we see these huge rates of HIV in gay men” not to mention rectal cancer and fecal incontinence.
He said gays who are in a committed, monogamous relationship are a minority.”There’s certainly a very small segment of the population that is monogamous, partnered and married. The majority of gay men are very sexually active, very promiscuous, and that’s the world that I lived in.”
Sciambra said he is compelled to speak out against homosexual behavior because of the high rates of HIV among gay men. He cited extensive statistics from the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that show gay men disproportionately are infected with HIV.
“According to the CDC, 4 percent of the population is homosexual men,” he said. “They are 160 times more likely to contract HIV … In 2010, gay men accounted for 78 percent of all new HIV infections.”
“I have same-sex attraction but I don’t identify myself as gay,” he said. “God didn’t make me gay, so I don’t identify as gay.”
As I mentioned in my comment above, having Mr. Cassin does in fact teach us about traditional teachings of the Catholic faith. In order to be allowed into the Kingdom of God, scripture states that we must love each other and be tolerant of all of God’s children. I would also like to point out that in doctrines such as Always Our Children the Catholic church agrees that homosexuality that not a choice, and that they were put on this earth that way. I admire Mr. Sciambra for his passion on the subject and for his inspiring story of his return to God, however why must this be done by accusing and generalizing an entire group of people?
Unless I am somehow mistaken that Jesus did not call upon his followers to treat all humans with love and mutually respect and to refrain from judgement, that in itself IS a “teaching of the Catholic faith”. In reference to the other main idea in your argument that seems to be that anal sex is the only cause of HIV and AIDS, I can assure you that most cases worldwide actually come from BOTH straight and gay unprotected sex, blood transfusions, and dirty needles. Greg Cassin is NOT a “sodomy promoter” and you should be ashamed of labeling such a caring and genuine man in such an offensive way because of your own misconceptions about him. Perhaps I wasn’t clear when I said this in my above comment, but his sex life is literally never brought up. He never promotes homosexuality, he is not part of any “agenda”. He promotes the strength he found in his faith.
I realize that this may have sounded condescending and it wasn’t supposed to, you just entirely missed the point of the above post.
Not a “sodomy promoter!” What do you call advocating for “gay” marriage which is what Gregg Cassin is doing. Do you think the men are going to be celibate and just hold hands? Sex between two men is called sodomy. You will have learned in biology that the rectum/anus are to expel waste matter from the body. It is not designed to have something pushed in it. It is against the natural law.
And just for the record, MOST cases of HIV/AIDS are caused by men having sex with other men. Men who have sex with men account for 32,435 cases of HIV as opposed to 4,114 for heterosexuals. And the Aids figures are even higher, 110,892 cases for men with men and 10,814 for heterosexuals. Figures from June 2013. That breaks my heart considering HIV/Aids is completely preventable by abstaining from sex. And what is even more heart-breaking is the youngsters who have HIV/AIDS through no fault of their own. They have either contracted it in the womb or been abused and infected by a predator. Intravenous drug users account for very little. Check out CDC. As for being “ashamed” it would be truly shameful to remain silent about this tragedy. Shame on your school for giving the sodomy promoter a platform.
Hayley,
Jesus did say do no judge, but the part that you fail to add – the very important part, is that we are called to REPENT of our sins. If you believe, as I do, that promoting LGBT lifestyle is a sin, then the call is to repentance and living a life of chastity. A man who is a proponent for same sex “marriage” is not showing any kind of repentance. I do not know this man Greg, but I can judge by his “actions” – and it is fair to do that – (love the sinner but hate the sins), that he should not be scandalizing our Catholic schools by being given a platform to air his agenda. You can tell me what he says etc when he speaks – but if I had a child at ND High School, I would be outraged that this is happening.
We are called to be the light of the world. We have to stand up for our moral beliefs and teachings and this can be done through promoting the teachings of the Gospel. Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.
Gregg Cassin comes to talk to religion classes ONCE a year, for about an hour. HIs talks do not center around his work in the LGBT community, but on his personal faith journey.
Also, newsbreaker, HIV is not exclusive to anal sex. One can get HIV from ANY form of sex. Perhaps the solution to the high risk factors amongst gays is not an abherration of homosexual acts or even the title “gay,” but in preventive methods such as condoms. People who engage in casual heterosexual activity would be more likely to use condoms than people who engage in homosexual activity, as there is no risk of pregnancy.
Who is to say what is natural and what is not? Just as animals engage in vaginal sex, they also engage in anal sex. I would say that skyscrapers are natural, but someone who lives in a rural area would not. “Natural” is subjective.
One person’s view of the homosexual community is not fact. Being that Sciambra was involved in gay porn, this needs to be taken into account. This is not the average gay community, and one would find that a community based around heterosexual porn would be just as “promiscuous.”
Additionally, the Catholic Church recognizes that being gay is something inherent, something that a person is born with, so there is no need for Joseph Sciambra to deny that he is gay.
Rather than judge a person for their actions, we should be investigating why homosexuality is seen as bad.
Actually, you are badly misrepresenting the Church’s teaching here. The Church does not say that being gay is something “inherent”; the Church teaches that homosexual inclinations, while not sinful in themselves, are intrinsically disordered. Those with such tendencies can and do approach sanctity, but only by embracing the virtue of chastity (as we all must, both in the married and unmarried state). Church teaching is very clear that homosexual acts are gravely sinful. Always. This is the universal moral law, and it will never change, not even with the zeitgeist. Does Mr. Cassin make that very clear? From what his supporters are saying here, I am guessing he does not.
Here is a wonderful Catholic man (who happens to be gay) who may explain things better than I:
https://littlecatholicbubble.blogspot.com/2011/07/gay-catholic-and-doing-fine.html
Saying that being gay is something inherent is hardly a bad misrepresentation of Church teaching. While it is true that you won’t find the word “inherent” in the written teachings, it does pretty much say that homosexuality is not something that is chosen but is a reality in not an insignificant number of people. That sounds a lot like “inherent” to me – and so it is within the realm of a correct understanding of Church teaching, not a bad misrepresentation at all.
Thank you for your comments Leila
In the interest of academic equality, Mr Sciambra should be invited.
It appears from the Notre Dame de Namur students’ comments they are being emotionally coerced into believing the homosexual inclination is an immutable characteristic. I’m sure the students are open minded enough to want to hear the other side.
Thank you so much for the kind words about the work the Lord has entrusted me with. If this school or any other church, school, or institution is interested in hearing the Truth about the gay lifestyle – I am always more than willing to share what I know and what I saw. You can contact me here: jsciambra@yahoo.com
By your own admission all over the internet, you were engaged in pornography, illegal drug use, and probably a life without the grace of regular involvement in a sacramental church community. I’m sure your life has had its difficulties and that you have learned lots of lessons along the way, but with all respect, your experience is hardly transferrable to gay folks who desire a lifetime of commitment to each other and to God.
Those who are living in a state of sin are not living in God’s grace. That includes “gay folks who desire a lifetime of commitment to each other and to God.”
A lifetime of commitment is opposed to God when it involves sodomy.
YFC, what don’t you understand about MORTAL SIN, and HELL ?
Dani, and Anna too, with all respect to both of you, it is not up to you to determine who is living in a state of grace or whether a lifetime of love and commitment is sinful. That is not your place in the Church, so please try to refrain from going there.
A lifetime of love which includes putting oneself in the occasion of mortal sin on a regular basis is objectively sinful, YFC. Or are you saying that those with same sex attraction are not inherently ‘attracted sexually’ to one another?
So, with all due respect, Dani and Anna are right on target in speaking the truth provided they are confirmed Catholics. Please stop twisting reality to suit your specific agenda which is not Catholic by any means.
You know what I’m hearing YFC? I’m hearing you hating on Joseph Sciambra because he has left the “gay lifestyle”. It seems if there is one class of people more hated by homosexuals than the Catholics, (real ones, not ND “educated”) it is the people who by the grace of God have got out of the filthy clutches of sodomite city. “I tell you, there is more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance.”
Excellent posts Dr. Prendergast, Leila Miller and Mr.Sciambra… voices of reason in a dark world.
Mr Cassin, in reality, is in deep sin
and in need of your prayers. That is the best thing you can do for him.
Promoting homosexuality, which he is doing by being an LGBT
activist is going against what God intends him to do. There are many
passages in the bible condemning homosexual behavior which God
calls an abomination.
You are in deep need of peoples prayers for your blatant and disgusting homophobia James.
We all need prayers Anonymous. Even you! Especially when you think telling the truth about homosexuality is “homophobia”. You know very well that God calls sodomy an ABOMINATION. The children at Fatima said more souls go to hell because of sins of impurity than for any other reason. And they saw visions of souls falling into hell like snowflakes. If we want to get to heaven ourselves, we also have to want our brothers and sisters to get to heaven. ALL OF THEM. And therefore, we pray for them. We are our brother’s keeper. Got you covered Anon ; )
I would rather go to hell for sodomy than for kidding myself that I am not a discriminating and homophobic person. But I won’t give in to you or anyone else on this page and preach hate like you all do. How are all of you telling the truth about homosexuality anyway? Unless some of you are gay and have personal experiences then I’m not sure how you know anything of the topic? I’m quite frankly not even sure why all of you have anything to say about this topic considering you, from your name is a man, and notre dame is a women’s school but oh well. Thanks for the prayers ;)
Define homophobia, Anonymous. And tell us where it is noted to be sinful according to the Catholic Church. For whereas you may elevate the ‘crimes’ invented by the secular media, others think more along the lines of eternal truths and that which leads to sanctity versus that which leads to Hell.
Ann- Homophobia: irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals. I believe that it would be considered a sin to discriminate against another person as you all do. The bible tells us to love our neighbor and you all definitely lack that. Everyone keeps talking about homosexuals going to hell and everything, if it has nothing to do with you then why are so concerned with it? Let people live their lives the way they want too, not how you or anyone else tells them too. The state of discrimination and oppression of gay people as well as their struggle for equality in this day and age will one day be equated to the civil rights movement in which people attempted to control and oppress other people in such an unjust manner and for trivial reasons.
Thanks for the definition Anonymous. Nobody here is afraid of homosexuals. Catholics are required to reject that which goes against God’s laws is all, that and what is against human nature and the dignity of mankind.
As for love, yes, we are to love our neighbor. Desiring their eternal salvation and working toward that end is love, Anonymous. Not a phobia. You may not agree with that and that is fine in that you have free will.
But please do not assert that rejecting the sinful behavior is in any way associated with a lack of love for the individual. And you may want to assess your own issues with Christophobia as you seem to suffer from a fear of Christ and His teachings.
YFC, is the speaker making it clear to the students that homosexual acts are gravely sinful? That those acts constitute a mortal sin if committed with full knowledge and full consent of the will? If not, then the Church’s position is being distorted and misrepresented, wouldn’t you agree? That part is pretty important for an understanding of authentic Church teaching, and it’s disingenuous (and spiritually unconscionable) to leave it unspoken.
Leila, I was not there, so I don’t know the details of what was said. I would say two things, though. I’m pretty sure everyone knows the Church’s teaching on homosexual sexual acts, but far fewer know that the Church prohibits and condemns treating gay people with violence, unjust discrimination or with attitudes that attack their human dignity. The second thing I would say is that the speaker ought not to have attempted to make any false or disingenuous claims about what the Church teaches.
When I take those two points together, and understanding that the speaker was addressing a class that was about 96-98% straight, it would have been disingenuous if he did not address what role the straight students should have with respect to Church teaching: that they should not assume that their gay classmates are sinful or that they chose to be gay, and indeed that they have an obligation to treat their fellow classmates with dignity and without unjust discrimination. So it would seem that, to be faithful to Church teaching when talking to this class, if he spent 2-4% talking about the Church’s position on the morality of gay sex, and 96-98% talking about how the straight students should respect their gay classmates.
As some who was there, he strictly talks about his own experience with bullying (due to the fact that he is gay), and also the kind of lasting impact you can have on someone. He’s fantastic.
Methinks someone is being economical with the truth in that Notre Dame de Namur “religion” class. Such skewed thinking.
I went to Notre Dame High School, and I’m incredibly grateful for the experience I had. I learned to value myself, have a voice, be unapologetic for being a woman and standing up for what I believe in, and independently form my own thoughts and opinions.
Listening to and meeting Greg Cassin was life changing in the above respects. Anyone who can’t appreciate the lesson he has to share doesn’t deserve to learn it.
Frankly, anyone who doesn’t appreciate not only his lesson but the fact that Notre Dame can look beyond anything peripheral and see the true value in Greg and his story doesn’t deserve Notre Dame.
In reply to NDB Tiger.
Kirk and Madsen in their book “After the Ball” which argued that homosexuals must change their presentation to the heterosexual community if they are to gain mainstream acceptance, described Mr Cassin’s modus operandi to the letter:
The book says not all talk about homosexuality is helpful. “And when we say talk about homosexuality, we mean just that. In the early stages of the campaign, the public should not be shocked and repelled by premature exposure to homosexual behavior itself. Instead, the imagery of sex per se should be downplayed, and the issue of gay rights reduced, as far as possible, to an abstract social question.”
Check that box; Mr Cassin didn’t talk about his sex life.
Portraying homosexuals as victims was essential to their strategy. Offering several principles for tactical advance in their cause, the authors called upon homosexuals to “portray gays as victims of circumstance and depression, not as aggressive challengers.” This would be necessary, they argued, because “gays must be portrayed as victims in need of protection so that straights will be inclined by reflex to adopt the role of protector. The purpose of victim imagery is to make straights feel very uncomfortable; and to lay groundwork for the process of conversion by helping straights identify with gays and sympathize with their underdog status.”
Check that box; Mr Cassin talked about being bullied – sympathy vote.
It is clearly immoral to use other people’s children in a school setting to further one’s own agenda by social and political indoctrination.
Looks like the teachers (those learned people;) have drunk the Kool Aid.
Never heard of this book. I wonder where you dug it up?
I graduated from Notre Dame about 20 years ago. And I remember Greg’s speech like it was yesterday! One of the most amazing amazing aspects of Notre Dame is the unconditional love and acceptance of others. Not everyone is the same and Notre Dame and the Catholic Church accepts and forgives all for their differences. At Notre Dame I learned an unconditional sister hood that carries on today. We were also taught to give back to our communities and those in need!
Gregg’s story is a story that has stuck with each one of us no matter how much time has past and I know I truly am honored to have him be a part of my life as are so many others that he has reached out too!
All the bashers should be truly ashamed to be talking so horribly about such an amazing person who has made such a positive impact on these young ladies for the rest of their lives. You clearly have not experienced anything like it and do not know how lucky myself and other young ladies that have been priveledged enough to be part of the NDB family!
Does Notre Dame have “unconditional love and acceptance” for “the bashers” otherwise known as people with opposing viewpoints.
It appears not. I think that is known as HYPOCRISY.
Nicholas, so what exactly in Ggregg’s speach are you opposed to? Precisely what?
Your question is totally irrelevant to my comment.
I love Notre Dame.
I love that they encourage diversity in thought, the need for compassion when others show hate, and the desire to love all. I cherish the impact Gregg Cassin made on my life, and continues to make on my Notre Dame sisters. I am Notre Dame, I am the Class of ’93.
I 100% agree with everything you said and are so deeply saddened by the ignorance and hate that people have posted on this site.
Many who have “chimed in” on this subject continue to equate same sex attraction with the behavior (sexual activity). The person who has SSA is not in sin until he/she “acts” on that attraction……then it is a sin. And those who love thy neighbor need to compassionately counsel them to abstain from the sin through prayer. A homosexual “activist” is someone who promotes a sinful lifestyle. We can not and will not accept educators who oppose Christ’s Church and it’s teachings.
Ms. D — It has been my belief that a person’s education is a tool to become a critical thinker. How can one become an educated critical thinker if one has only heard one viewpoint?
An education, no matter how lofty, Kathleen Shannon Finn, is no match for creatures to do battle or to take it in hand to attempt to dismantle the Truths of the Creator. Properly educated, believing Catholics wisely discern the futility of attempting to recreate God in their own image.
But there are many well educated individuals that lack the basics of wisdom.
This is absolutely grotesque. Gregg’s talks are some of the most profoundly impactful memories I treasure from my time at NDB. Explain to us how rejection of otherness, unconditional compassion, and all-inclusive devotion to family aren’t the most Catholic values anybody could hope to embody. Gregg Cassin is an inspiring human being an asset to the NDB faith-forming curriculum, and I truly pity any narrow person who finds his views threatening.
On another note, getting the name of the school and faculty members correct would have helped your piece maintain a shred of professionalism. Your errors are much appreciated.
Jane, NDB Class of ’99
“Grotesque” is a word I would aptly apply to homosexual
activity, not to a few truthful comments.
You obviously know nothing of the Church’s teachings.
Fat lot of good your Notre Dame education did you.
Christian’s have a duty to correct their brothers who
are in error. It’s called a spiritual work of mercy. Here
are three of them pertinent to this situation:
> To instruct the ignorant
> To counsel the doubtful
> To admonish sinners
Consult below for unbiased, unconditional, compassionate, all-inclusive, faith forming TRUTH.
https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04394a.htm
Bill Maher quoted Sarah Palin saying that she was not pleased with the “liberal” comments coming from the Pope. Maher said, “If she thinks that’s liberal, wait until she sees what Jesus said!” Folks like the writer of this article are so far from the heart of Christianity or spirituality–maybe not as extreme as that hate-filled Baptist preacher from Westborough, but of the same ilk. Hate, demonization and marginalization of the Other–these are at the heart of what professes to be about love and compassion? Sad ignorance.
Homofascism – “a way of organizing a society in which homosexualists impose their agenda with which no one is allowed to disagree or have any appeal to the contrary without being subjected to severe consequences of ridicule, slander, libel, fines, public demonstrations, distortions, denial of free speech rights, loss of employment, and having the word “hate” attached to you in some form.” Michael Voris https://www.churchmilitant.tv/daily/?today=2014-04-09
So, Frank, if homofascism is defined as you say it is, then homofascism does not exist, at least not in the US. First off, there really is no such word as homosexualist. Y’all just made that up.
Secondly, Our society is hardly organized in a way that allows gay people to “impose their agenda”, and in which no one is allowed to disagree etc etc etc. Obviously, you disagree with gay people. What severe consequences have you gotten? Any fines? Lost your job? Had your free speech rights taken away?
So y’all just made up the word homofascist, too, right? To make up something that doesn’t really exist anywhere. You had to invent the idea, right?
Anonymous. There once was no such word as ‘homophobia’ the pseudo medical term which infers a psychiatric impediment upon any person who does not condone the ‘Gay’ lifestyle, that noun made it into the dictionary nonetheless. Go figure!
No One uses “homophobia” as a pseudo-medical term, no one believes it is a psychiatric impediment. So stop making up new words for things that don’t exist and then using them to malign people.
Obviously you didn’t watch the video. Click on the link to see how homofacism is at work in our society today. Enjoy!
https://www.churchmilitant.tv/daily/?today=2014-04-09
Umm no. Voris still make sup his own word, provides a definition that applies to no one, and then pretends it applies to a whole class of people. Do a little investigative and open ended thought before you are lead on by people like Voris, who, after all, lost the ability to use Catholic in his media powerhouse.
He lost the ability to use ‘Catholic’ in his media powerhouse thanks to a Bishop who is rather liberal and doesn’t like anybody rocking his boat. By their fruits you will know them – that applies most especially to leadership as they are fully responsible for the rotten fruit that’s falling off the Catholic tree.
That said, a ‘little’ open ended thought often leads to everything one actually knows falling right out the perpetually open end. I surely don’t leave my doors and windows perpetually open or my purse or anything else I value. Do you, YFC?
The word homophobia was invented to malign and silence people who hold a viewpoint contrary to the homosexual/ist. If, instead of using the word Homophobia, I use the phrase; people who believe that men having sex with men is not good.
Instead of using the made up name Homosexual; I use the phrase men who have sex with men and instead of using the word Homofascism I use; a way of organizing a society in which homosexualists impose their agenda with which no one is allowed to disagree or have any appeal to the contrary without being subjected to severe consequences of ridicule, slander, libel, fines, public demonstrations, distortions, denial of free speech rights, loss of employment, and having the word “hate” attached to you in some form. Will that help you to understand FC that they sure do exist. So glad you’ve not encountered Homofacism.
Is it just possible you also believe when you close your eyes no one can see you?
I can’t understand your; post Jalen Walker. This is; not how we use semicolons in the Eng;lish language.
Please understand that gay people exist. You may not like that we exist, and you have a right to believe that what we do is immoral. But it is no more moral of you to malign us with made up inflammatory words and accusations than for us to do whatever it is that we or people like me do in the privacy of our own homes.
You must have understood Jalen Walker’s post, YFC, or else you wouldn’t have responded to what you have mis-labeled his disapproval of homosexual acts with people. As for being inflammatory or making false accusations, I have read your claims of folks being homophobic. That is the misnomer, YFC. Please, come to grips with this reality and stop perpetuating your own interpretive bubble of being a target of imagined hate.
Ann Malley, I have had people scream ugly things at me in the street. I have had eggs thrown at me. I have have spent the night in an ER room.
How DARE you say that I am a victim of “imaginary” hate!
You ARE the victim of imaginary hate, YFC, IF you imagine that EVERY person who speaks out contrary to your view is somehow the same as those who hurt you. It is unfair of you to lump people together that way – even as you claim it is unfair of heterosexuals to label ‘gay’ people.
That is an issue that you have to come to grips with as your lens seems distorted – understandable after such an incident, but not a perpetual excuse to slam others unfairly when they speak of their experiences regarding those with agendas. Including CCD who only reports the news.
Even so, your agenda seems to be to push that of same-sex over that which is Catholic. Your penchant for over-dramatization only underlines that slant as does your switching to ‘Ann Malley’ when you want to seemingly shame me with outrage as compared to calling me ‘AM’. The tactic is too reminiscent of my mother-in-law when she’s discovered her point has fallen flat for me to take seriously.
Love and compassion never accepts or tolerates Sin.
If you love your neighbor as commanded by Jesus, you will want him or her to get to Heaven, not Hell.
Love and compassion never teaches children (of any age) to tolerate sin – by example or by words.
CCC: ” 2285 Scandal takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it or the weakness of those who are scandalized.
It prompted our Lord to utter this curse: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” Scandal is grave when given by those who by nature or office are obliged to teach and educate others.
Jesus reproaches the scribes and Pharisees on this account: he likens them to wolves in sheep’s clothing. ”
Those who promote sexual sinfulness by using buzzwords such as “tolerance”, “diversity”, and “education” are evil.
This is what teens must be taught.
CCC: “2396 Among the sins gravely contrary to chastity are masturbation, fornication, pornography, and homosexual practices.”
and
CCC: “1035 The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity.
Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal (grave) sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, “eternal fire.” The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs. “
Frank, did you ever read the bible? You may not like the truth, but it is still the truth. Homosexuality is an abomination. God says that. Is he wrong? Is he hating, demonizing and marginalizing of the Other? I don’t think so. I think your view of Christianity is sad ignorance.
Yes Rye tell them!!
So sad that someone who graduated in 1994 still has time to write about a high school. How can someone who says they follow the path of Jesus judge someone so heavily who you don’t even know. I also graduated Notre Dame and Greg is an awesome speaker who really helps the students. All of the people who negatively wrote on this post and the author of this should be ashamed to call themselves Christian.
Perhaps when Mr. Cassin began his annual appearance at this school, he had not publicly spoken out in opposition to the teaching of the Church.
People wrongly assume that it is because he is gay that the website is protesting his workshop. It is because he defies the teaching authority of the Church.
A gay person who accepts the Church’s teaching has had many of the same struggles as Mr. Cassin and would be a better witness than he. One who has not fallen for the voice of the world and stays steadfast in the Faith would be an incredible guest for the teenagers at this school to learn from. I am glad to hear that he does not speak of it during his workshop.
As someone who has heard Gregg speak multiple times, I will start off by once again re-assuring you that Gregg says nothing about his sexual life or his activist work. He talks about a journey of self-acceptance and finding his faith as he came to terms with his homosexuality. I will note that his priest was the one who told him he should just accept his homosexuality! In our religion class, we spent a long time studying the Church’s views on homosexuality, and Gregg was a follow-up to this. If you read the official Church documents, you will understand that the Church does not believe there is anything wrong with having a homosexual orientation. And I personally have no right to criticize someone’s sexual activities, that is up to God to judge. Regardless of the “sins” he has committed, Gregg is one of the kindest people I have ever met and is truly inspiring. The fundamental principle of the Catholic faith is loving and respecting all people no matter what, not bashing them on the internet for their choices. As high school students who live in the progressive and liberal Bay Area, bringing in a gay man to our religion class is a valuable learning experience that teaches us what the real world is like. By speaking to Gregg for example, one may learn that not all LGBT’s are pushy about a homosexual agenda or hate the Catholic faith. Learning the Church’s view on something and then putting into a world setting is what helps us grow as young intellectual women.
CONTINUED:
If I were to ONLY be spoon-fed Church teachings in little bubble and was not allowed to think or speak for myself, I probably would have lost my strong connection to my faith and my church a long time ago. And lastly. the misspellings and inaccurate information is this article is horrendous. If you are going to bash a school and a human being, you should at least get your facts straight and not just read a few chunks of information you found digging through some websites. You can’t judge a situation without having experienced it, so I recommend you open your mind a little bit, just like our new Pope is starting to do, and only judge one of Gregg’s talks after you hear one for yourself.
Correct me if I am wrong, but, as Catholics, we should think with the mind of the Church. That is why we belong to one church over another; we all believe the same thing, which provides unity. We don’t decide as we go along which rules we will follow and which ones we won’t.
Please disclose the horrendous “misspellings and inaccurate information” in this article. The truth should always be told.
As I recall, I learned in religion class that when it comes to faith doctrines and choosing right from wrong, before anything else, I should follow my conscience, which is how God speaks through me and helps me see the truth. Church teachings and authority come secondary to that. And if you are going to argue that my conscience is not well-formed, I will assure that it is. I went to a very strict Catholic elementary school for 9 years, grew up in a strict and faithful Catholic family, and attend Church every single Sunday. I have no problem with the Church teachings, I support them and I love the Church. I just don’t like the way the way some people refuse to even listen or be open to other ideas, and the way some believe that you should follow Church teachings blindly without ever thinking for yourself. Notre Dame without a doubt teaches us to follow Church teachings, but they don’t stop respecting is if we disagree (just like God wouldn’t stop loving us if we disagreed). And there’s nothing wrong with exploring diversity even if the Church does only believe one thing.
https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a6.htm
Please disclose the horrendous “misspellings and inaccurate information” in this article. The truth should always be told.
As I recall, I learned in religion class that when it comes to faith doctrines and choosing right from wrong, before anything else, I should follow my conscience, which is how God speaks through me and helps me see the truth. Church teachings and authority come secondary to that. And if you are going to argue that my conscience is not well-formed, I will assure that it is. I went to a very strict Catholic elementary school for 9 years, grew up in a strict and faithful Catholic family, and attend Church every single Sunday. I have no problem with the Church teachings, I support them and I love the Church. I just don’t like the way the way some people refuse to even listen or be open to other ideas, and the way some believe that you should follow Church teachings blindly without ever thinking for yourself. Notre Dame without a doubt teaches us to follow Church teachings, but they don’t stop respecting is if we disagree (just like God wouldn’t stop loving us if we disagreed). And there’s nothing wrong with exploring diversity even if the Church does only believe one thing.
https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a6.htm
Please disclose the horrendous “misspellings and inaccurate information” in this article. The truth should always be told.
Any Catholic (including Priests) who do not adhere to the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” in entirety is a heretic and or schismatic.
This includes but is not limited to the teaching on homosexuality – CCC 2357, 2358, 2359 & 2396.
This includes but is not limited to the teaching on the mortal sin of public scandal – CCC 2284, 2285, 2286, 2326.
As part of their employment are all your teachers (Catholic or not) required to read the CCC so they will not publically violate Church teaching and thus set the wrong example to students?
Does your school use the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” as a required text for juniors and seniors?
If not, why not?
Whenever homosexuality is discussed at your school, are all students told that homosexual ACTS are mortal sins ?
And that those who commit mortal sins without repentance will go to Hell ?
If not why not?
The CCC has an entire section on Hell.
Yes, those who merely have the temptation of same sex attraction can get to Heaven. Those who repent of their mortal sins and promise to commit them no more can get to Heaven.
Is your scho0l administration guilty of mortal sin, but advancing the mortal sins of homosexual acts in the minds of youth and/or public scandal ?
CCC: ” 1868 Sin is a personal act. Moreover, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them:
– by participating directly and voluntarily in them;
– by ordering, advising, praising, or approving them;
– by not disclosing or not hindering them when we have an obligation to do so;
– by protecting evil-doers. “
could not have said it better!
Great post Brian B : )
I attended Notre Dame and was there the first time Gregg came to speak. Anyone who discourages acceptance, love, diversity, compassion and kindness should look at yourselves in shame. When you go tromping through life full of hatred and evil, you are the one who will lose in the end. There is nothing a single one of you Catholics in name only can say that will take away the positive impact that Gregg and Notre Dame had on my life. Shame on you for using your religion to spread hate and fear.
Do you accept MORTAL SINS of others?
If you do, you do not love your neighbors as commanded by Jesus.
If you love your neighbor, you will want everyone to get to Heaven.
Jesus is God, we are not.
Anyone speaking against the Doctrine of the Faith of His Church should never be speaking at any Catholic Function, or representing Catholics anywhere.
So in essence you are saying that I should walk up to a gay person and tell them that they are a bad person because of their choices and if they stop they will have a chance of getting into heaven? Yes, that sounds effective!
No, instead, I will treat them with love, respect and utmost kindness. That is how I was taught is the best way to spread the Catholic faith and message. Jesus is God, and we are not. That is why I will let God be the judge of someone else’s actions.
That does not mean that you should give homosexuals an audience of high school or college students to flaunt, advocate or promote their sinful lifestyle.
Jesus said we must judge actions. But must take the log out of our own eye first so we can see clearly to take the speck out of our brother’s eye. That we will be judged with the same measure that we judge with.
And that we must judge with right judgment.
Mt 7:2-5; Lk 6:42; Jn 7:24.
Never TOLERATE Sin.
JESUS – “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” Mk 9:42.
God bless you PEG: )
“Happy are you when people hate you, drive you out, abuse you, denounce your name as criminal, on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice when that day comes and dance for joy, for then your reward will be great in heaven. This was the way their ancestors treated the prophets”. Gospel of St Luke 6:22
This is only true of those who follow Jesus.
Not those who follow Satan.
Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:10; 1 Tim 1:10.
Love is stronger than hate….you are not preaching love from the author of love, Jesus, but you are speaking of love from a secular point of view. Be careful not to be deceived and to know the difference.
In the name of religion Gregg is teaching heresy!
I attended NDB 1999 to 2003. NDB, at least in the Bay Area, is a more conservative and traditional roman catholic school. I find this article was written without any real investigation into what NDB teaches. When I attended we fought for years for girls to be allowed to go to formals or proms alone without dates. That was untraditional and they were worried that girls may use it as a way to go together as a couple. They couldn’t fathom a girl who couldn’t find a date may want to go to a dance. Abortion and birth control were not taught as options. Our religious teacher had to fight to get permission to teach about stds. Our classes taught that acting on homosexuality was a sin… all sounds pretty catholic to me. They do bring in speakers with various backgrounds to talk, which supplements the education. Unless NDB has changed drastically since I went there, which talking to others who have attended since I do not believe it has, this article is a red herring.
Thank you for this information. It is good to hear that it is a traditional Catholic program. You made your witness with attacking anyone and I appreciate that. The concern is whether young people are being taught the Catholic Faith. You seem to indicate that they are. There have been many years of what is now called doctrine-free catechesis which has left many Catholics ignorant of the Creed and the Morality of the Church. Thank you for your reassurance and for your respect.
Total obfuscation. Your teacher tells you acting on homosexuality is a sin, and then he/she brings in a homosexual speaker who is an ACTIVIST for gay marriage! Total obfuscation.
PJ and Anonymous, Notre Dame High School teaches about contraception and its uses in both the Health Class during PE and again in greater depth in the Women in Relationships Studies class. Now, if it’s “not an option” as you say, why teach it? “The Church has always taught the intrinsic evil of contraception,…. This teaching is to be held as definitive and irreformable”. The Pontifical COUNCIL
That must have changed since I attended. We were not taught about birth control – only natural family planning, as promoted by the Catholic Church. PE did allude to it, but it was the teacher not the materials that he used that discussed it and it was not discussed in detail.
Would we rather have our children first exposed to homosexuality when they get to college, or would we like to present the wide range of diversity that is all around us, within the nurturing and loving cocoon of their Catholic high school? Notre Dame’s religion classes were absolutely stellar. They taught me the importance of empathy and compassion towards all beings, as Jesus taught. Most importantly, the classes kept students engaged in the Catholic religion, by presenting relevant topics that were bringing the Bible and Jesus’s teachings into our everyday reality, with classes like social justice and bioethics. This article is misleading. The diversity of the religion department at Notre Dame is a strongpoint– not a weakness. It prepares our young Catholic women for real life.
If you’re so keen on diversity, why don’t you have someone who’s left the gay lifestyle come and speak? I guarantee you, that will NEVER happen.
By gay lifestyle, I’m assuming you mean committing homosexual acts as opposed to having a homosexual orientation, which the Church respects as something that a person can’t really change about themselves, since sexuality is a part of someone.
If that is the case, I am sure Notre Dame would be happy to have a speaker that chose to move away from committing homosexual acts! That would probably be very effective and helpful actually, because the school has trouble getting that message across. As long as they weren’t to forceful with their beliefs, they would probably be very successful. Many of you forget that teenagers don’t respond well to having viewpoints forced on them.
Did they require Juniors and Seniors to read a Catholic Bible in entirety?
After 1997 did they use as a required text – the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” for juniors and seniors ?
If not your education was not as stellar as you think it was or is.
I agree that they should have had us read the entire Bible in its entirety – guess what most catholic schools do not (at least in the Bay Area). I was raised non-denominational Christian, I spent preschool – 6th grade in a Christian non-deno school and had to read the entire protestant Bible (in pieces) over that time. I went to Catholic Schools 7th grade – University, and never had to read the entire Catholic Bible. When I would bring up stuff from the Bible in class, and in life most Catholics that I was speaking to had no idea what I was talking about. They were not taught to read the Bible from any of their schools, Church, or parents – instead taught just to follow the catechism as taught. That may be my generation, and not the way it was in the past, but that is the reality I have seen.
They aren’t even taught to follow the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition.
The lack of catechesis on the part of the Bishops (they are in charge regarding their own Diocese) is the problem.
This is the CCC and what it looks like, and what our recent Popes have said about it.
“What Catholics REALLY Believe SOURCE”
https://whatcatholicsreallybelieve.com/
It’s nice to hear from some of the young people who have actually heard what this man says in the context being discussed. Much of this page and too many of the comments reflect the Old Testament viewpoints that have gradually begun to disappear. Sadly these are the voices that will be heard the loudest and will probably prevail. And you wonder why the Church is falling apart.
I’m not certain what OLD TESTAMENT verses you are speaking about, but here are some NEW TESTAMENT verses you might like:
Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:9-10′ 1 Tim 1:10.
Heretics and schismatics abound. They do not read the Bible or the CCC in entirety.
They pretend all the sexual mortal sins are not sins,
and try to convince others and influence children that they know more than God.
Patrick,
NEW TESTAMENT: Rom 1:24-27: 1 Cor 6:10; 1 Tim 1:10.
You may want to read the Bible prior to inserting foot in mouth.
No catholic school should EVER hire a speaker who is living a lifestyle in direct opposition to the Church, AND promoting that lifestyle! I don’t care about their so-called “diversity.” That’s just a cover to foster an “anything goes” mentality. Shame on them.
So Catholic schools shouldn’t follow in the path of Jesus and accept those with different beliefs and values to ours? Even people who you would call “sinners” just like Jesus did? I actually attended Notre Dame and heard from Greg, nothing at all that he says “promotes” his lifestyle. Maybe get your facts straight and actually shame on you for being so ignorant!
This Anonymous is no friend to Christ and His church. He/she is an enemy! Being blind to the problems that are affecting our church is a true sign that the person is in bad will. Desensitizing sin is how the enemy gets in. If one loves sinners enough to help them get to heaven, we do not do it by allowing them to lead but instead we teach them to follow Christ and be humble to learn to follow Him instead of placing him in leading roles making it seem as though he is a person who’s lifestyle is accepted by the church. Allowing him to speak gives the wrong message.
The “enemy”? Since when has the church ever taught that our fellow human beings are the “enemy”? You are sadly just filled with hate and homophobia. If we should be praying for anyone than it you should be for you because no one who says that I am the “enemy” and “in bad will” will get into heaven. Jesus and the church have never taught to hate and judge other people the way you do. Obviously you have never attended one of Greg’s presentations at Notre Dame because you do not realize that when he is there he does nothing to preach “acceptance” of his lifestyle but rather teaches respect of everyone regardless of their diversity. This is a lesson you should learn something in Abeca.
Abeca is not off base, Anonymous, but rather right on target as the views of many young people here seem completely contrary to what the Church actually teaches.
The Church has said that we should love our enemies, indicating that individuals and the Church does indeed have enemies. Scripture also teaches that those practicing that which is forbidden or sinful should be treated a certain way. (Mt 18:15-18, 1 Cor 5:1-7, 13) (Said treatment is a method to wake them up to truth, much like medicine or perhaps being grounded when you’re not quite living up to house rules – not persecution.)
That said, loving someone is wanting to do and/or give them that which is best for them. Eternal salvation is precisely that. Catholics are not to stop at the warm fuzzy welcome and hug. If we do, which is often the result of cowardice on our part as we do not want to be rebuffed or thought of as cruel, we often commit sins of omission by seemingly giving approval to behaviors that lead others to Hell.
Anonymous – “nothing at all that he says “promotes” his lifestyle”?
From https://greggcassin.com/ “The foundation of my work has been based on the profound lessons learned as we go on a journey to SELF acceptance and SELF love.”
Jesus does not command self-love, but rather love for God and love for one another.
If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it (Matthew 16:24-25).
This just shows your ignorance. How does self acceptance and love say that he promotes his lifestyle? Why you any of these people have anything to say about something they never even attended is mind blowing. Greg, when he comes to Notre Dame simply teaches about preventing the spread of HIV. Which news flash is not limited to only homosexuals, as well as teaching about respect for others. Something you and everyone else on this site are so obviously lacking. Greg is a great man who has helped many people over the years and the way “Catholics” have reacted to this makes me question my faith. Never do I want to be associated with people who warp the teachings of God like everyone here is doing and have so much hate for someone they don’t even know.
Who said anything about “hating”? Quote me one thing that anyone has said, that is hateful about Gregg Cassin.
Not to teach or be in charge of teachers.
Jesus never offered to let sinners teach others especially the young.
What
The school should have it’s “Catholic” status taken away.
It has bought into the culture big time. Catholics are
supposed to be counter-cultural and defend the truth.
The truth being Jesus Christ and all His teachings.
God protect and save our children.
NEVER teach children by words or example that SIN of any type should be accepted or tolerated.
This is not DIVERSITY, it is STUPIDITY – – –
and sinful in itself.
In fact, children should be taught NEVER to tolerate sin.
They get enough of the diversity of accepting sin through TV and other forms of media.
Anyone who publically identifies himself or herself by his sexual desires is not fit to teach children or speak at any Catholic elementary or High Schools.
It is so easy to see that all of you never actually even saw him speak. He does not teach that “SIN” should be accepted, in fact he teaches about the negatives of bullying and how to deal with it. Which obviously he still has to deal with as an adult from people like you and all the rest who commented their bigoted opinions on here. Did Jesus judge someone based on their sins? In fact maybe you should learn more about Catholicism Dave and realize diversity is welcomed.
Diversity is welcome in the sense that all are welcome to come and join the Catholic Church, Anonymous, where we are to aid each other in upholding that which is good and moral and aids in our mutual sanctification. The Catholic Church does not hold to welcoming a diversity of belief and/or moral codes – as that would be indifferentism and preclude the teaching of any Gospel. If every belief is acceptable, why teach any?
That’s not to say that people with other views are bad, evil, malicious or without any redeeming quality. Obviously, that is not true. But anything that obfuscates teaching Catholic truth to students under the guise of sensitivity training is rather off base as it weighs heavy on the sentimental while making out speaking truthfully as being mean or unkind.
The fear of being thought of as unkind or the fear of believing oneself to be unkind holds back too many people in making morally correct decisions. And that, Anonymous, is a danger to society. One must use one’s heart and one’s head.
Anonymous, “Did Jesus judge someone based on their sins?” The short answer is yes! But don’t take my word for it (or anyone else’s for that matter). I encourage you to read the Gospels for yourself, if you have never done so before, or re-read them even if you already have. There you will find the answer to your question!
Judge (verb) — To criticize; censure. To determine or settle authoritatively. To form an opinion about.
Tracy- I have read the Gospel for your information and was it not true that Jesus walked with prostitutes and welcomed the ostracized of society? Maybe you should not practice the Catholic faith if you think judging people and ostracizing them is ok.
Our Lord called them to repentance, Anonymous.
Anonymous, please quote the New Testament verse where Jesus invited those living sinful lifestyles to come and teach others in any educational setting.
CHECK OUT THE SISTER’S OF NOTRE DAME’S WEBSITE:
THEY’RE ALL IN IT TOGETHER!
https://www.reachandteach.com/store/index.php?l=product_list&c=69
AND THEN THEY WONDER WHY THEY ARE BEING INVESTIGATED BY
THE VATICAN!
Thanks for the link.
They have children’s picture books on the LBGTQ page that my local public library will not put on its shelves.
Praise God a public library has a back-bone.
Give the “sisters” their 30 pieces of silver.
God will not be mocked.
No Bibles or CCCs available for purchase from their web site !
What are they teaching?
No one has answered the question – are a Ctholic BIBLE and the “CATECHISM of the CATHOLIC CHURCH, Second Edition” used as required texts by the students for juniors and seniors.
Parents BEWARE ! Just because a school advertises itself as “Catholic” does not mean that it is.
Remember to contact the appropriate Diocese Bishop as necessary.
Every Catholic home must have a Bible and CCC (and read).
“….. 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.
What’s next? How will this situation “evolve?”
Maybe a visit from the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
could be arranged so the students can have a clear
understanding how the “gay” population mocks the Church.
Or will the students be participating in the Gay Parade?
They’d see lots of “love” and perversity, sorry I mean”diversity” there.
And to think, in my day, the principal would get after the girls for wearing ‘dangling earrings’, oh my goodness!!!!!
It was VERY strict. Talk about going from one extreme to another.
I went to an elementary school like that! There were even rules about sock length for goodness sake!
I can promise you however, that the strictness from my elementary school and the strictness from Notre Dame in terms of morality are not very different! Do not worry, the extremeness of this situation is being blown completely out of proportion. I am now allowed to wear nail polish and makeup to school if so choose though. :)
“Umm no. Voris still make sup his own word, provides a definition that applies to no one, and then pretends it applies to a whole class of people. Do a little investigative and open ended thought before you are lead on by people like Voris, who, after all, lost the ability to use Catholic in his media powerhouse”. YFC. You just don’t like Michael Voris’ message do you! And by the way, talking about making up words, what does “sup” mean?
Nicholas, apoligies. Sometimes I type too fast. Thus the space between “makes” and “up” got placed a little ahead of its time. But, to your point, it is not “Just” that I don’t like the message Voris delivers. It is that he delivers a fabricated message meant to hurt and demean people.
Michael Voris delivers the truth. He targets those both inside and outside the Church to bring into the light those areas of error, scandal, heresy, hypocrisy etc. Yes, the truth hurts sometimes. Please quote where he has demeaned people.
That’s rather judgmental of you to say that Mr. Voris only seeks to hurt and demean people. How do you know his heart, YFC? As to that, how do you know that his research is a fabrication?
You go out of your way to insist that folks like Jalen need to open themselves up to the reality that their experience of things do not amount to the whole of that which is out there to experience. Have you thought, YFC, that perhaps you should pay heed to your own advice and not seek to deride the experiences and realities of others simply because you have no knowledge or understanding of them?
Ann Malley, Smart people are great to be around. So are patient people. You manage to be both smart and patient at the same time. You are my Heroin. You bring me closer to Jesus.
You bring me closer to Jesus, too, Jalen Walker. Thanks for your impassioned posts on CCD and keep up the good fight.
God bless!
It’s pretty clear AM, that it is an utter falsehood to claim that no knowledge or understanding of things gay. I probably have at least as much as Voris, being that I am gay. Well, at least I am out about being gay.
YFC, are you saying you have SSA (same sex attraction),
or that you practice homosexual acts,
or promote the homosexual lifestyle of sexual acts to others ?
Nobody said you had no knowledge or understanding of things ‘gay’, YFC. I would say, however, that you have a penchant for all-or-nothing thinking. But even if you are ‘out,’ that in absolutely no way gives you a free pass to posit for the whole of the homosexual experience. Far from it.
Much like I cannot speak for all heterosexuals or women or Americans. Much like I cannot speak on behalf of ‘all’ parents even though I am a parent.
So broaden your horizons a little and understand that, much like everyone’s fingerprints are different even though we all have thumbs, everyone’s experiences can be different. Including the experiences and motivations of those with homosexual attractions and their subsequent life agendas.
God bless.
I would agree with you one hundred percent “your fellow christian”. Ignore all the hate and discrimination on this page. These people claim they are all about “loving thy neighbor” and all things Catholic but really they just discriminate and demean people. Have a great day!
In response to YFC. Thanks for telling me what was wrong with my punctuation, if not how to correct it.
I note along with grammar instruction, you’re also willing to offer percentage calculations to illustrate your assertions as seen in your response to Leila. Is there no beginning to your talent?
According to you, ‘to be faithful to Church teaching when talking to this class, if he (Gregg Cassin) spent 2-4% talking about the Church’s position on the morality of gay sex” he should spend “ 96-98% talking about how the straight students should respect their gay classmates”.
YFC, not only are your percentages 100% wrong, here’s a way to correct them too. To be faithful to Church teaching when talking to this class or any other RC school children, first invite a speaker who is faithful to Church teaching, NOT Gregg Cassin, ordained minister of the Universal Life Church, Modesto, California and Practitioner of A Course In Miracles, or New Age Deception as it should properly be called. This deception is, first of all, beautiful but it yields rotten fruit. You can hear the impact of his New Age deception loud and clear in the fawning voices of the Notre Dame Graduates and students posted here. Anonymous student asks “Did Jesus judge someone based on their sins?” Well yes, he admonished the sinner to go and sin no more! That constant jabber of “WHO AM I TO JUDGE” is tedium ad nauseum. It’s a great conversation stopper that’s for sure.
Cont. Another Anonymous student (or maybe it’s the same one) said Gregg Cassin is an “awesome speaker who really helps the students”. Well, with what?? NDB Tiger tells us of Gregg Cassin speaking of “the kind of lasting impact you can have on someone” and Jane Notre Dame says: “By speaking to Gregg for example, one may learn that not all LGBT’s are pushy about a homosexual agenda or hate the Catholic faith”. Oh the irony. Priceless. You couldn’t make it up. My, how he deceives on so many levels.
Cont. The kind of lasting impact practicing Homosexuality can have was brought home vividly to me when I risked losing my job as a Training Manager to help another fellow Catholic who suffered horrifically after contracting drugs resistant HIV; the result, by the man/boys own reckoning, of his rampant promiscuity. His suffering was exacerbated at the hands of his violent gay “lover” who for reasons unfathomable to me encouraged and shared the sick mans weakness for alcohol and street drugs and beat him senseless on a regular basis. I did what I could to help in terms of patching up his defense wounds; tried to help him sober up with coffee when he arrived late for work and covered his many absences. Offers of a safe temporary place to stay went unheeded. The man I refer to was 17 when I met him; he’d been living with his 57 year old gay lover on and off for years. I lost contact with him and have no idea now whether he’s living or dead. That gay community sure left a lasting impact on him and a lasting impact on me.
So Cassin talks to little girls about Lurv does he? I understand he cites a Jesuit priest giving him courage to “come out” (most faithful Catholics distanced themselves from Jesuits quite some time ago). Cassin chose to do that on Christmas day one year, as a present to his Catholic parents and to himself.
Cont. The Jesuit allegedly told him not to be like Jesus Christ but to be like himself and to embrace his Homosexuality. Just like the “born that way” fallacy”, you can hear the tone of “not my fault” and “official church sanction” when he cites the Jesuit’s “counsel”.
No wonder New Age Deception in the form of ACIM sits so well with Cassin’s mentality. The thing is completely SELF-exalting. You are your own god. Or as another infamous once wrote “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law”Come to think about it, the school’s campus minister seems to be adhering to that maxim too.
I’m under no illusions YFC that gays exist. I know you’re here, your queer. WHATEVER! I’m over it.
What I’m not and never will be over is the potential for loss of souls, the needless loss of lives for want of self restraint, the public health risk, the corruption of innocents, the lies, deceptions and deviance, the rewriting of our history books, the derision of faith communities, particularly Catholics. The…..I could go on and on. I hope what I have said is clear enough for you. It is said that those in grave sin have a darkened intellect.
Whenever you want to call me out on semi-colons; go; for; your; life;
Jalen, thank you for coming to the assistance of this person, and I am sorry that it was to no avail. Truly a sad story, and I have not doubt that you were at wits end trying to know how to help even better. That shows deep compassion from your heart.
The thing is that it is a fallacy of logic to take that one example and apply it to everyone who is gay. That you take go even further and deny that there is even such a thing as being gay does not follow from your experience, or for that matter from the experience of millions of other people who know in their hearts that they are gay, or the hundreds of millions of people who have encountered those gay people on a deep enough level that they know that there IS such a thing as being gay, and some of those people are even the Church’s Pastors who have written as much into Church teaching.
A brilliant post, Jalen…I’ve often thought the self-described ‘faithful Catholic” homosexuals who frequently air grievances and diatribes here are like people who claim to be vegetarians but scarf down a pound of meat six days out of seven. The reason Benedict Arnold was so despised was not so much because he fought against the American cause, for there were many Americans who openly sided with Britain (and lost much for their choice) but it was the fact that while being treated like a son by Washington he was serving the enemy. It is this double mindedness…this self-serving duplicity of serving two masters that Jesus warns against. You cannot serve satan and Jesus Christ simultaneously which seems blatantly obvious to even the most obtuse amongst us. Ah, the thorough and remorseless consequences of modern education where even the most distinct differences (black and white, good and evil, life and death) become muddied to shades of gray! How fitting that the recent best-selling puerile porn novel is named “Shades of Gray”. We’re living in a netherworld that is getting darker everyday…at least for some of us, alas!
Dana, welcome back to the fray, and I want to thank you for taking the first of your return posts to directly insult me, even if you didn’t use my name it was clear you are talking about me and about others in my shoes.
It shows proves that your hiatus did nothing to help you understand Catholic teaching either as it particularly pertains to how straight people ought to treat gay people, how gay people are bound by a primacy of conscience, or the general notion of what God meant when he gave the foundation for all Christian sexual morality: It is not good that man be alone. If you’d like me to walk you through those teachings, I’d be happy to do so.
Welcome back Dana!
YFC, why are you so angry? You’ve been hurt by others. Yes, that comes out loud and clear…..and I’m sorry for what others have done to you. You know God loves you and He only wants what is best for you. He doesn’t want you to die living an “active” gay lifestyle……that’s why He has so many people taking the time to confer with you on this blog, in the Hope that you will open your heart and mind to His Truth. Having “sex” outside of the marital union between one man and one woman is a sin. Living a “chaste” life with the help of God’s grace through prayer opens us up to His glory and His purpose that He wills for us. He doesn’t want to leave you or anyone actively in sin where we are at…..He want’s us to change our behaviors and look toward’s Him and Him only. You will never change the “children of God” to believe that your gay lifestyle is ok. Peace dear brother.
SandraD, I don’t need your pop psychology mumbo jumbo, thanks.
Sandra, your question to YFC; “why are you so angry?”, sure begs the question as to why we continue to fall into the trap of automatically calling those who “prefer” engage in sexual activity with someone of the same sex, “gay”? I have personally known well over 100 homosexual men and I assure you that the only “gay” one among them was the one who had committed to living out the remainder of his life in a chaste and celibate manner. Those who choose to engage in the Queer lifestyle are among some of the unhappiest people I have ever met.
Wow, YFC, wow… traditional Catholic thinking is now categorized as pop psychology mumbo jumbo. Wow. I guess that makes the progressive thought of getting to know the gay couple next to you in Church as a means of determining the sinful nature of – well – sin is now traditional. Wow. How long has that methodology been going on, YFC – ten years, twenty, or maybe none. We’ll just pretend that’s the way Catholics are supposed to assess situations, shame people into second guessing common sense, and everyone will just hop on board. Wow.
Are we talking about Catholic teaching? Or ‘catholic’ teaching according to the stylish interpretations of Your Fellow Catholic? Methinks the latter.
Hmm… gay people are bound by primacy of conscience, but nobody else gets the privilege? It is not good for man to be alone…. so we can supposedly condone sodomy (not a lack of hospitality, mind. And don’t forget, God provided Adam with Eve in the context of the scripture you quoted, not a dude.).
Good grief, you walk people through your supposed ‘teachings’ with every post, YFC. Enough of the double-speak anathema already.
And Dana, right on with the meat gobbing vegetarian analogy.
God bless :)
Hi Dana,
What is perceived as an insult by those whose intellects are darkened through habitual sin or by hearts that have become hardened will one day be a reminder of charitable warnings that were ignored and rejected. Thank you for caring about faithfulness to God who in this life is all loving and all merciful to repentant sinners and in the next life … all just.
What will Hell Be Like
by St. Alphonsus Liguori
Eternal Choice is Made During Life
For the present, sinners, blinded by the apparent goods of this earth, choose to live far from God and to turn their backs upon Him. And should God, who cannot dwell with sin, wish to enter into their hearts by expelling sin from them, they are not ashamed to repel Him, exclaiming: “Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.” (Job 21:14). Depart from us, we do not wish to follow Your ways, but our own, our passions, our pleasures. The great multitude of those, says Sacred Scripture, “who sleep in the dust of the earth, shall awake, some unto life everlasting, and others unto reproach, to see it always?’ (Dan. 12:2). Yes, these unfortunates now sleep in the dust of their blindness; but, in the other life, unfortunately for them, they will awaken and realize the immense good which they have lost in voluntarily losing God.
cont.
continued from April 17, 2014 at 10:44 am
Greatest Pain of Hell
by St. Alphonsus Liguori
The sword which shall pierce them with the greatest sorrow will be the thought of having lost God, and of having lost Him through their own fault. Unfortunates that they are! They now seek to lose sight of God, but once fallen into Hell, they will no longer be able to cease thinking of Him, and in this will their chastisement consist.
St. Augustine says that in Hell, the damned will be forced to think of nothing but God, and that will cause them terrible torment. And St. Bonaventure, expressing the same sentiments, says that no thought will torment the damned more than the thought of God. The Lord will grant to them such a vivid knowledge of their offended God, His goodness so unworthily spurned, and consequently, of the chastisement which their crimes have merited, that this knowledge will cause them a suffering greater than that of all the other punishments of Hell.
Thank you YFC. I’ve had a long hard winter and a walk in the shadows but am getting a bit stronger now. I’m looking forward to some time with our Lord at tonight’s Holy Thursday service. I’m haunted by Jesus, literally sweating blood with His grief and agony, asking the disciples “Can you men not keep watch with Me for only one hour? Also, I heard a recent comment about people leaving Mass early… that there was one who left the very first communion service early, as well. There’s something to be said for showing up, waiting and being silent.
Jalen, how can you equate an entire group of people based off of one experience and news flash straight people also pass HIV as well as other STD’s that can kill like syphilis. If everyone followed your example then any straight man could be included in the “potential for loss of souls, the needless loss of lives for want of self restraint, the public health risk, the corruption of innocents, the lies, deceptions and deviance, the rewriting of our history books, the derision of faith communities, particularly Catholics.” Straight men also commit heinous atrocities against their partners. Its just sad people can’t accept others for who they are but I guess that is the whole issue Greg speaks to address
These ‘straight men’, Ann, aren’t trying to change laws and Church teaching to affirm their sins. They’re not persecuting people who don’t proclaim their sins virtues by suing them in courts of law, causing them to lose their businesses and putting them through hell. These ‘straight men’ are not calling the darkness light.
Another excellent and straight shooting post. Thank you, Dana!
Thank you Ann Malley. May you and yours have a blessed Easter!
Dana – like the warnings at the zoo – you shouldn’t feed the Trolls either, as it only encourages more of the same.
Denigrating normal males as ‘rigidly linear , narrow and unbendingly Straight’ is just feeding peanuts to them, and they gaily gobble up all the newspeak they can elicit.
However – Homo-Anal coprophile perversions are no where near as happy a subject (although Frisco has been a worldwide nexus for their spread and the STDs that accompany then for decades), which is why those pushing them (Particularly to recruit young men in to them – as they often were) try and change the subject to just about any other form of Alinskyite Propagandizing they can.
Point taken, Mr. McDermott. Thank you.
Dana- I’m not sure how gay people who are so aggressively outcasted by society as you have all shown here are persecuting people? And also I would say that yes, some of those straight men are not doing that but how do you equate in all the Catholic priests that have molested children yet preach the way of God?
I have never suggested that “gay people” as you call them, are persecuting anyone! Good grief. What we’re saying is that active homosexuality is a sin against God…a sin that cries to heaven. What someone does in the privacy of their homes is their business, but when they go into the public square and demand their ‘private business’ not only be public business but that their activities be approved and sanctioned by people whose faith condemns and prohibits those activities, I would like you to tell me who is persecuting whom? These same restrictions apply especially to Catholic priests, teachers or anyone who commits crimes against children. What is at issue is not the persecution of sinners but the concern for their salvation. Persecution indeed. Stuff and nonsense. Reminds me of the class bully accusing everyone of always picking on him. ;o)
So Dana, “These ‘straight men’, Ann, aren’t trying to change laws and Church teaching to affirm their sins. They’re not persecuting people who don’t proclaim their sins virtues by suing them in courts of law, causing them to lose their businesses and putting them through hell.” I’m pretty sure right above you said straight people are not “persecuting people” which implies you think homosexual people are… food for thought Dana… And thank you for that point above, Greg is not coming to Notre Dame and preaching his “private business” because quite frankly if it is his private business why would he want to share all that with everyone. It’s sad because all of you and more have stopped him from coming due to your bigoted views, he ONLY talks about self respect and healthy lifestyles. Do you want teen girls graduating high school with no self respect or acceptance and living unhealthy lives? And to be honest even though I don’t owe any of you any information I am graduate of Notre Dame who believes strongly in Greg and am also straight.
A healthy lifestyle and self respect can be taught, and should be taught, at a Catholic school by one who cleaves to being fully and authentically Catholic. For right here you have demonstrated that that which is authentically Catholic is frowned upon. (How about bringing in a man/wife who have 12 children because they have lived the truth of the married state. Those families get bullied and mocked all the time, Anonymous. Or perhaps even a married couple with 3 children. Those families have been mocked for their lifestyles as they are overpopulating mother earth according to some.)
In other words, there is an incorrect bias against what the Church has always taught, being taught at these supposedly ‘Catholic schools’ via bringing in inappropriate lecturers to speak to impressionable youth.
It has nothing to do with you being straight, Anonymous, as the agenda seems to be to relegate Catholic teaching to some sort of mean, cruel, uncharitable hate. And that mode of operation has been rather effective as the Catholic youth who have responded to this blog seem to not understand even the basics of Catholic doctrine or have any care to uphold it. But rather embrace the false sentiment that a false, sentimental ‘love’ of feelings conquers hate.
As to these straight men who pass on STDs, Ann, you’re right. That is a problem, too, as we are called to be chaste according to our state in life. But I don’t see Catholic schools calling on men who sleep around (those who often have a deep seated fear of commitment) to speak to students about the loneliness of being unable to commit or the castigation of others because they choose have sex with multiple partners.
Are we to embrace and accept that behavior, too? Because many men are seemingly hardwired and/or scarred to the point of being afraid of commitment, but do not want to be completely alone with regard to a sexual partner?
There’s a double standard here, one that seems to push homosexual acts as somehow okay or above judgement while still, I think, casting other sexual behaviors as bad. Why is that?
All I am saying is that peoples mistakes or choices do not define them, God forgives all. Also when Greg comes to speak he says nothing at all about sleeping around, he only speaks about the respect and value of every human being. All sexual behavior that is risky is bad but my point is that people make it out that only gay people get aids or anything like that, which is not true.
Thanks for replying, Anonymous. I understand your position. But please, understand that the Catholic folks here on CCD would have just as much of a problem should a straight man who openly advocates for the sinful lifestyle of hooking up – and by openly advocating I mean one who comes out publicly in favor of hook-up rights and the notion that conscience trumps the reality of sin – being brought in as a speaker at a Catholic school. He could speak on the values of ‘accepting’ oneself. He’s a sexually active non-committer who has accepted his physical needs.
But you don’t see that happening because there is no push to baptize hooking up – at least not yet. (Although there is a huge secular anathema being built up against ‘slut shaming.’) There is, however, a societal push to put some sort of blessing on homosexual unions – in society and in the Church. Both would be sinful, but advocating by way of desensitizing and playing up the I-was-bullied aspects of the homosexual agenda in Catholic schools is worse as it is scandalizing the young into believing – via feelings, not objectivity – that we have no basis to judge homosexual sex as sinful. It’s a methodology, Anonymous, to advocate for sinful lifestyles one step, one sin at a time.
Ann, if your premise were true i.e. that I am a person, the sum of who’s human existence is one experience, which it isn’t, then your conclusion to my supposed singular experience must also reside in falsehood.
With regards to the subjects you wish to engage me in, as has been said several times by posters on this blog with stats to back them up, men having sex with other men far and away outnumber the small percentage of heterosexual men with HIV, likewise, between 2011 and 2012, the number of reported primary and secondary syphilis cases increased 12.1 percent. In 2012, 75% of the reported primary and secondary syphilis cases were among men who have sex with men which kinda says something about homosexuals doesn’t it, given that they are at most 4% of the population.That is why I talk about potential for loss of souls, needless loss of lives, public health risk, etc. And yes, I agree that many heterosexual men fall short of living a virtuous life in accord with their state, BUT they are not out there loud and proud of themselves, demanding that everyone acknowledge and approve their sinful activities, demanding that their sinful activities be enshrined in law, demanding that little kids be indoctrinated with their lies and depriving them of a mom and dad so they can play happy families and then demanding that you and I should celebrate them!
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
Corinthians 13:1-13
Stacy, nowhere in the Bible does it state that you are to TOLERATE Mortal Sin.
Nowhere in the Bible does it state that you are to ignore, affirm or confirm others in Mortal Sin.
In fact, Jesus, Himself, talked more about Hell in the New Testament that anyone else.
If you truly Love your neighbor, you will want him or her to get to Heaven.
Your mission and mine is to repent ourselves, and get others to repent.
Stacey…..glad you can quote scripture…..Mike’s response shows how we are to live it.
But, out of love we must not condone actions such as engaging in homosexual activity!!!
We are to love and respect ALL people, but not their actions when they are definately AGAINST the teaching of the Church! All single people are to be chaste whether homosexual or heterosexual!!! The Church is not bias against homosexuals at all.
AND ONCE AND FOR ALL……WE CAN JUDGE PEOPLE’S ACTIONS, WE ARE NOT CONDEMING THEM TO HELL!!!
1. Gregg Cassin is one of the most kind-hearted, giving and inspiring people you will ever met. He is universally loved by the NDHSB community.
2. You didn’t even get the name of the school right. It’s Notre Dame High School, not Notre Dame de Namur High School. Please check your facts.
Your last name doesn’t happen to be ‘le Fay’, does it?
It’s funny that all of you assume the positive posts are all one person. Just goes to show you don’t realize how many lives he has really touched.
If he sets the example that will send Souls to Hell, Jesus warned us about his type. There are good influences and bad influences.
Sodomy is a Mortal Sin.
Gregg Cassin probably has the heart of a Saint…..but if he is living a gay lifestyle then we need to pray for him—because we want to bring him out of a “sinful lifestyle” so that one day he can die and go to heaven and have eternal life……with Our Dear Lord.
It’s totally fine for people to be gay, and everyone needs to get over it. Period.
It’s not totally fine Rachel…..especially IF a person “acts” on their same sex attraction…..then it’s a sin and their immortal soul is at stake. Because we love our neighbor, we want to help them change their behavior and not sin…..for sin means death.
Yesssss finally someone who is reasonable. People freak out about anything they do not understand! Thank you Rachel
Yes, Ann, people do have a tendency to freak out about what they do not understand. You seem to not understand the idea of separating the person from the sinful behavior. That is condemning homosexual acts is not the same as condemning the person, much like those who falsely assert that people cannot resist homosexual temptations condemn their gay brothers and sisters to hell out of false compassion. i.e. Oh, he/she is just made that way and can’t help it. That approach seems to get everyone off the hook and the sticky subject just -whist-goes away.
Sadly, that is not the way reality works.
And I understand that the concept of Hell and damnation can be scary to when one is unfamiliar with the concept, too. Much easier to imagine reality away. But you can’t. And that’s not mean or freaking out, that’s just life, Ann.
God bless.
I understand separating the sin from the person but posting his picture and information is not doing that. Also many of these comments personally attack Greg, I just don’t understand why people just can’t let other people live their lives. Greg has done nothing to anyone on this website.
Why would God make 7% of his children LGBT and then condemn them for their innate sexual orientation? No, the church hierarchy is wrong on its teaching about homosexuality and in asking gay people to be chaste. LGBT are made in God’s image: perfect, whole, and complete. Period.
Joe, God didn’t make people same sex attracted. That is a disorder of nature. God loves all of His children—-and we’re all “disordered” in one way or another……we’re all sinners. But God, loves us so much that He doesn’t want us to stay this way or to “act” out and make wrong choices in our lives. He gives us all the grace to change…..to turn away from sinful “behavior”………there is a difference between “made in the image of God” and “behavior”……you know that, right? i.e. the person whose a bank robber; the person who commits adultry; the person who’s addicted to drugs or porn, the same sex attracted person living a gay lifestyle.
SandraD one big difference between a gay person living a gay “lifestyle” and a bank robber or an adulterer. A gay person is capable of a lifetime of monogamous love and commitment, a genuinely good thing. The mutual support the couple provides for each other makes their lives easier for each other, for society, and hopefully brings both towards God. I’m not too sure there are any good things that come of being a bank robber.
I know you will dispute this, but I urge you to get to know some of the gay couples who share the pew with you every Sunday.
You cannot build that which is wholesome upon a lie, YFC. Much like a man whose wife is still living and perhaps has a mental illness can find love and fulfillment and support with another woman, but that is not allowed him – at least not as a married couple with the sexual relations that are part of that type of union.
As for a bank robber, who is to say that said robber isn’t doing good with the money he steals. Perhaps funding orphanages. Get to know fellow sinners, YFC, and discover their motivations before casting stones at all but gay couples.
YFC- Gay people (like you) keep trying to foist your sodomy lifestyle on others, instead of keeping your sexual activity in your own home.
You’re type want to adopt our children;
poison the minds of our children in Catholic schools instead of starting your own schools for children with “gay” parents, etc, etc, etc,
Bank robbers and adulterers do not try to legalize, and then shove their lifestyles down the throats of the rest of society.
yfc is trying to do that? I’m pretty sure he would have gone on with his life privately if this disgusting article with all the hateful comments had not been published. Also the only people I see trying to force their lifestyle on anyone is all of you who “preach” the way of God.
One Anonymous and YFC, come on a Catholic web site to promote sodomy, sodomy marriage only. They do it all the time. They are never going to change any Catholic’s mind so they are merely trolls.
Why they don’t just write on a homosexual web site is the real question.
If they would go away, things would be peaceful.
YFC, your reasoning is askew to say the least……on the subject of getting to know some gay “couples”….not necessary…..in 1993 my dear cousin Tommy, age 30, died in my brother-in-laws arms after fighting the ravages of AIDs for two years. His so called committed “partner” disappeared and so did all of his so called gay friends. He realized at the end that he had been devoured by Satan and that the gay community were pirana (his words). He asked me if I thought God would forgive him…..I told him, of course He would if he repented and had confession. He did and the fear left him. This sweet, loving soul died knowing that Our Lord was waiting for him…..and he didn’t die alone, because his loving cousins were there for him. I know I will see him in heaven one day, God willing.
Thank you for sharing, SandraD. And God bless you for being there for your dear cousin.
SandraD, what a beautiful and triumphant story! Praise God’s Abundant Mercy that your brother in-law finally found the courage to live his life authentically, even if it was for only a short time here on earth! Because of his courage to see the truth and his willingness to humble himself and accept God’s abundant merciful forgiveness, he will now have an eternity to live a truly peaceful and authentic life with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in Heaven!
Sharing your sorrow with deepest sympathy. God bless you and yours.
“He did and the fear left him”
Thank you Sandra D for your beautiful post about your dear cousin. It is so important to share these true stories of sincere repentance. God bless you for helping your cousin to once again be re-united with Jesus by truly extending your heart and conveying the unfathomable mercy of God. This is dignity in God’s design for us all!
SandaD, I think it is a ‘cross’ that God allows regarding homosexual attraction! They, if we accept them, get us to Heaven.
Certainly it is a challenge, we all have them, in different forms.
God loves us all, just doesn’t love the ‘actions’ that we do. We who are single whether homosexual or heterosexual are all called to be living a life of chastity!
“A disorder of nature”. You need some help Sandra
Yes, Ann, a disorder as reproductive organs by nature are designed toward reproduction. Not fruitless stimulation.
Maybe you haven’t heard of the “complementarity of the sexes” Ann. Without getting too graphic, the female reproductive organ is designed to accommodate the male reproductive organ resulting in procreation. A disorder of nature occurs when two of the same kind get together. The sex act then ends up either being simulated with added appendages or well, umm, I’d rather not go there!
Except that they are also designed toward love. Love. That thing that along with faith and hope, is eternal.
Yes, YFC, and that Charity of which you speak is designed toward desiring that which is best for the beloved, not sexual gratification in itself, especially that which is inherently sinful. The love or bonding aspect of the ‘marital’ act is to aid in the procreation of the species, much like food tasting good aids us in wanting to eat it.
Please stop misrepresenting love as working against itself by implying that that which is inherently sinful is somehow love. It isn’t.
So every time a straight married couple has sex its supposed to be to make a baby or its a sin? I don’t think so because if thats the case I’m sure most of the posters on this page are going to hell.
Sexual acts are to be open to life, Anonymous. But human beings are not rabbits so, no, not every act of intercourse will result in a baby.
Yes Joe thank you so much for this post, I couldnt agree more
So you think the Church is wrong in asking all single persons to be chaste ?
You think fornication and sodomy are just fine?
Start reading your Bible.
I’m good thanks, all of you have shown me that the Catholic church is definitely not where I want to be, or at least where all of you are. And for the record I don’t think that is wrong I think discriminating against gay people is wrong. At the end of the day we are all human beings and deserve dignity.
Anonymous I agree with you partly and I disagree with you in a very important way that I hope you will hang in there at least until I can state it.
I agree with you, as a fellow catholic, that discriminating against gay people is wrong. I agree that we are all human beings with inherent dignity.
I disagree with you that this is the Church is not the place for you. I understand the desire to flee, but I offer two thoughts. First of all, change needs people like you to hang in there and work to change what needs to be changed. You have, I believe, the steadfast insistence to help others see what is good.
Secondly, do you know that a majority of Catholics in the US approve of extending civil marriage licences to same sex couples? A majority of catholics! Fear not. The people of God, following God himself, hears the cry of the poor. Our church is compassionate, welcoming, fiercely insistent that the presence of Christ will heal what needs to be healed and affirm what needs to be affirmed!
Thank you YFC, I really do appreciate your post and compassion. I will definitely consider what you have said. I love being a part of the Catholic church it just disgusts me when people deny other people basic human rights and degrade them based on something that has absolutely nothing to do with them. As long as I know that people like you outweigh the people who are homophobic then I am more than happy to continue to be a part of the church. Have an awesome day!
Please, YFC, while I applaud you welcoming Anonymous into the Church, do not give the false impression that homosexual sex is not sinful for ALL. It is. And that will stand even if every Catholic abandons the the actual faith and turns their back on God’s creation.
Your notion that this is an emotional coming of age for the Church in her understanding of that which has always been grave sin – for everyone – is extremely misleading.
Check your facts before you post. Are you so bogged down in the homosexual conspiracy that even your facts aren’t straight?
Just been reading Robert Reilly’s new book from Ignatius Press entitled “Making Gay Okay”. The chapter “Sodomy and Education” explains how educationalists are winning over the youth by stealth and propaganda.
I quote: “Because of the young ages of students in kindergarten through twelfth grade, the introduction of pro-homosexual materials has required a special sensitivity from those who are trying to get away with it. They must avoid the explicit nature of the LGBT courses offered at the college level and DISGUISE THE EFFORT IN TERMS OF SOMETHING OTHER THAN WHAT IT REALLY IS. Therefore, they use a stealth approach under the cover of issues such as school safety, DIVERSITY AND BULLYING” And
“Daniel Villarreal wrote at Queerty.com: ‘We want educators to teach future generations of children to accept queer sexuality. In fact, our very future depends on it…. Why would we push anti-bullying programs …unless we wanted to deliberately educate children to accept queer sexuality as normal?…. I and a lot of other people want to indoctrinate, recruit, teach and expose children to queer sexuality AND THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.'” It’s been said by more than one student that Cassin talked about being bullied. Cassin is not to blame; the blame lies with the pseudo catholic faculty and staff for allowing him in.
Thanks for your posts Dani and Ann Malley.
Agreed Dani,
‘Cassin is not to blame; the blame lies with the pseudo catholic faculty and staff for allowing him in.’
Where is Ms Barbara Sequeira as the school’s campus minister coming from?
What an insight to understand her motives for inviting Cassin year in and year out. Lack of integrity/interest/funds?
Quote from Cassin:-
‘The overwhelmingly destructive force of religion and its spokespeople is present in our daily lives. Prejudice, hatred and intolerance are not only accepted, but are honored and revered.’
Cassin ordained minister of ULC.
ULC. website FAQ:-
What do I get with my ordainment?
All new ministers, NOT IN PRISON, get a ministers handbook and a certificate with their name and date of ordainment typed on it.
The basic ministry package costs just $66 (value!) $39.99
Ms Sequeira, I know we have a shortage of priests but REALLY?
Many RC priests might receive a missal or similar on their ordination, it appears Cassin got a receipt for his.
You may buy a Doctor of Divinity at ULC store – $29.95. Apparently it is their most popular degree. No test required.
My least favorite piece of merchandise has to be their Book of Shadows $9.99
This blank book is designed to hold all of your texts, spells, and ritual instructions. The cover is marked with a silver pentagram, and the words “Book of Shadows” mark the spine.
Uh Oh, Here I am, Judging a book by its cover. Light the blue touch paper and stand well back.
I often marvel at why, it seems, that I can “see” things so clearly that others can’t. Then I learned that the Lord will allow our minds to darken when we are in sin. When we are actively in sin for longer periods of time our minds can become oblivious to the Truth. Before, my conversion in 2008 (Praise the Lord), I know I walked in darkness and I was “almost” totally oblivious to God’s call. Finally, by His grace and love, He jolted me out of my stupor just long enough for me to “see His light” and say “yes, Lord”! I haven’t turned back since. Thank you Lord, Thank you. It’s down right frightening to think that I was losing my eternal soul and that I was so completely unaware! I pray for all the souls who are still wandering in the darkness…..wake up when you hear His Truth before it is too late.
SandraD says “I often marvel at why, it seems, that I can “see” things so clearly that others can’t.” Well, it must be because you are just so special, so exceptional. That is why I love you so.
I realize that I may have sound “pompous” with what I shared…..but when I was in darkness (sin)–I was “dense” to His word–I didn’t understand/know/care? what was going on in my soul or the Church–I just followed what was trending in the world. Now that I have repented and been absolved of my sins in the confessional–I can “see” things so clearly now–things that had escaped me before. I understand why our mother Church teaches what she teaches and why. It’s a great blessing. I pray that all my brothers and sisters experience His truth fully one day too! Peace be with you Bobby Darrin :)
Peace be with you my love. And since you see so clearly all things regarding the faith, I am sure you see how silly it is to keep a fine man from speaking to the girls at ND. If we really believe that faith is eternal, and that truth stands while falsehoods fail, then whatever he says that is not true will simply not stand. No need to shut him up unless we are not confident in our own faith.
Talk about “Volunteer Appreciation” – one shudders to think of what they do to those they don’t appreciate… Kind of like the homosex Trolls on this board and the Faithful Catholic Teachings they trash, only ever so much more so:
“Pride Toronto co-chairman charged with drugging, raping young man
A Pride Toronto co-chairman is on trial charged with drugging and sexually assaulting a young man in August 2012 after a Pride volunteer appreciation party they both attended.
Luka Amona, 38, was charged in September 2012 and has since resigned from the Pride Toronto board.
The complainant said Amona produced a vial of “poppers” or amyl nitrite, an inhalant vasodilator drug that Crown prosecutor Fred Bartley told the court is used by homosexuals as a muscle relaxant to dull pain and enhance sexual pleasure
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/pride-toronto-co-chairman-charged-with-drugging-raping-young-man
The Head of School at Norte Dame High School in Belmont has just waded in on this discussion with a letter to all parents, which in essence says that those who do not accept “diversity” of NDBs “all inclusive” ideology are intolerant and bigots. She also believes that there is such a thing as “sexual orientation”–not the disorder of same-sex attraction. Note below how she clumps “a sexual act” with other non-acts, like the color of our skin, or our race.—-“Our core values recognize the sacredness of each person and embrace the gift of diversity. We welcome to our community people of diverse cultures, ethnicity, race, socio-economic circumstances, gender, age, sexual orientation and faith traditions. We are a tolerant and inclusive community and we will continue to be a tolerant and inclusive community.”
“As Head of School I share their passion and commitment against intolerance and bigotry. There is no place in our community and society for any form of discrimination.”
True, true teacher…….but we’re not talking about discrimination against diverse cultures, ethnicity, race, socio-economic circumstances, gender, age, and faith traditions–we’re talking about SEXUAL SIN! Our Catholic children are being brain washed by the devil who comes dressed in the light.
Where does it say that being gay is a sexual sin? Jesus’ message is one of love and so is Greg’s. Jesus was condemned by his society but would not stop. No how much you condemn gay’s you cannot stop them with your hateful words. Look at the Pharisees they were so self-consumed and self-righteous that they did not realize the Jesus amazing message. This is from 1 John 3:19-24 “[Now] this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts before him 20in whatever our hearts condemn, for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything. Beloved, if [our] hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God 22and receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. 24Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit that he gave us.” You are not loving all people like God would and SandraD you cannot condemn people to hell because you are not God. Having gay speakers is not meant for brainwashing, I personally go to Notre Dame and have heard his talks and all he wants to do is share his story and inform people about the gay community in our society.
SandraD has not condemed anyone to Hell…..because I am not God. I can only SHARE what I’ve learned though reading about our Great Saints, Holy Mother Church and the Bible. And, you, young lady, have been gravely influenced by Mr. Cassin I’m sorry to say. Are you the same NDB student that came up to me outside of planned parenthood, where I was standing in silent prayer for the preborn and their mothers–you in your NDB school uniform spouting off that you don’t believe in the accounts of Noah in the bible? That now that you think for yourself, you didn’t believe in all that nonsense? As you defiantly went into PP to do/get what? I prayed for you and all little souls like you who have been mis-informed and led astray. Anyone, who comes into your school, or teaches at your school, who does not proclaim the Truth–is a liar–and needs to be removed.
Now girls, Father will take the theology class. I know, I know he’s controversial and insensitive talking about all that God stuff and religion, but we have to be “inclusive and diverse”. Wouldn’t want to be called an “INTOLERANT BIGOT” now, would you?
Gay and promiscuity are more than okay! They’re a dang lot of fun. Get over yourselves.
Praying that you read (before it’s too late) what God showed the children of Fatima; St. Faustina; St. Catherine of Siena; St. Therese of Avila; and St. John Bosco–and many others. They all give very detailed accounts of what Hell is like for those who reject God and His teachings. You may think or say that sexual sin is ok–but I know that you are being used and using others–and that is a very sad and lonely place to be. Wouldn’t you like to have peace and true happiness? Go to our Lord, He loves you and is waiting for your return to Him.
So true, SandraD. I join with you in your prayer. Sex and perversion stop being fun when the horrible consequences begin…and they ALWAYS do, and usually long after one has the ability to avoid them.
I am happy with my body and my partners. I love myself for who I am, and am in love with living life in the moment. I don’t believe in your hell or your god. I am a secular humanist who believes in embracing empathy and humanity. That’s fine that you’re religious, but stop trying to push your bigoted beliefs based on a fictional god into my government. I’m not going to pray, and I don’t want your prayers. I want you to get over yourself and realize that your morals have nothing to do with mine.
Jane……wonder if your wrong? If I’m wrong……nothing will happen to me when I die…..I’ll become dirt…..worm food–But, if your wrong alot will happen–for all eternity! And, based on 2000+years of history and tradition a wise person would want to educate themselves before making such a life changing choice. When you look at our amazing world and everything in it, how can you not believe in Our God? Before a artist paints–wasn’t their canvas blank? It’s not about me, Jane…..it’s about loving my neighbor and bringing my brothers and sisters to Jesus.
Oh, I forgot to mention: I’m a Catholic!
A Catholic elementary Principal that I once knew told parents not to choose her parish school because they wanted an alternative to the poor academics and behavior of the local public school. She told parents to choose the school because they wanted their child to have a Catholic education and to live the faith. If all Catholic schools, all the way up to university level, had as their first priority the teaching of the Catholic faith, we would be so much better off. Now, if they teach English, Math, History and other academics, that is a plus. The Catholic education tradition is steeped in a good liberal tradition. So, let’s start there. The purpose for which Notre Dame exist is to teach people to be good Catholics. I wonder if that would change their approach?
Good point, Bob
First of all get the name of the school correct. It is Notre Dame High School, Belmont. The “de Namur” completes the name of the order of nuns who founded the school; it is also part of the adjacent but separate school (NDNU-Notre Dame de Namur University, formerly CND—College of Notre Dame). If such a basic inaccuracy leads your story, there is little wonder that the rest of the story is replete with inaccuracies. The guest speaker, a former NDB parent himself, has been successfully presenting an annual seminar at the school for the past 20 years benefitting many grateful students, parents, and teachers–all without protest, division or acrimony. What a pity that your poorly researched/written website has adversely impacted so many people.
Angela Harrington Norton, NDB’66
Hillsborough, CA
Mr Cassin is working the system to draw in faculty and students who are then used to protest against the Church and her teachings. It’s as plain as the nose on your face.
Have you heard him speak? Or do you just believe everything you read. You don’t know him or his story. You make judgments and condemn what he says even before you even listen to his message. You probably don’t even know the Church’s teachings because you are not even listening to her.
Based upon the statements of some of the students, his “teaching” is working.
They support the homosexual lifestyle.
And they support homosexual (sodomy) marriage.
Read what they have written.
Angela, What’s your point about the name of the school or Mr. Cassin from 20 years ago? First, NDB is a Catholic High School under the “Order” of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. Second, Mr. Cassin’s influence for the past 20 years at NDB, HAS had a negative effect on the students. Negative?, how can I say such a thing! Your don’t even know him! No, I don’t know him. And, no, I have never heard him speak–but I have heard from former and current NDB students on this blog that were influenced by him, because all of you don’t believe in sexual sin. Having a person who is “active” in his/her homosexual lifestyle; or a person who lives in sin outside of Holy Matrimony; or a person who sleeps around “hooking up” “friends with benefits”; or watching porn, etc–Uses Others–should not be in the position to influence young souls–in a Catholic or Public school. Our Holy Mother Church has a Moral Compass that she teaches so that we can find our way through the muck that the evil one spews out on the world. To “Love” one another doesn’t mean sexually. If you believe in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ, you will know that all this is true–there will be your day of judgement–and not protecting the children from evil will not bode well for any of you.
Speaking of muck being spewed about…
Thank you, SandraD, for your patience in explaining the realities of true love.
“Benefiting the students ….without division.” Mr Cassin has been “successful” in dividing the students from their Catholic faith. Just listen to them. None of them actually agree with Church teaching. As I said earlier, he is working the system. Such a heart-breaking situation. I pray a solution can be found to this travesty. The Archbishop needs to be involved to clarify who can and who can’t have access to students in a Catholic school.
First of all California Catholic News you should be promoting Catholic Schools and all the work they have done to keep the institution of the Church going. We as Catholics need to be promoting good things in the Church and accomplishments within the Church not alienating certain groups of people. Second, I want everyone who reads this to realize that the Church is an institution of both man and God. It has carried a message of love and acceptance for centuries but being an institution of man has made mistakes, for example its stance on slavery, and the crusades. The Church’s stance on gay marriage, I believe is a mistake because as Catholics we all need to realize that God’s love is not exclusive. But it is us humans who limit Gods love and compassion for others because we are all living in a world of sin. We cannot condemn others unless we condemn ourselves.
Your missing the point…..we do condemn sin…..ours and others. Love the sinner hate the sin. YOU, and others don’t want to stay ON POINT.
California Catholic Daily IS promoting Catholism, because it gives the faithful a platform to share His TRUTH. And hopefully, those of you who do not like The Church or Her teaching will either see the light and repent….. or go start another church more to their liking. Isn’t it amazing that the Holy Catholic Church is the only Church that evil attacks? The devil doesn’t waste his time with all the others because he already has them where he wants them.
“Notre Dame” – are you a spokesperson for the school? If not, please stop calling yourself by that name because you are most certainly NOT Our Lady! Also, you need to do a bit more work on the teachings of the Church. You are very confused.
I will add my own “Shame on you, CA Catholic Daily.” If Christ came back today, He would be appalled at what you and other “Christians” are doing in His name. He was a simple man with a simple message. How did His message get so lost in a bunch of nonsense?
BIBLE: Gen 19:1-29; Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:10; 1 Tim 1:10.
CCC: 2357, 2358, 2359, 2396.
What is being taught in this “Catholic” school?
Do you use as required texts for all juniors and seniors: the Bible and the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Editon” which contains the Doctrine of the Faith ?
Based upon the posts of some of the students, this is not a “Catholic” school.
All “Catholic” schools are required by Code of Canon Law:
” 803 §2. The instruction and education in a Catholic school must be grounded in the principles of Catholic doctrine; teachers are to be outstanding in correct doctrine and integrity of life. ”
Everyone please contact the Diocese Bishop who has ultimate control over all Catholic Schools within his own Diocese – per Code of Canon Law.
So — you have such a strong commitment to this belief you feel you must be anonymous?
Oh no, another anonymous basher. Why do you feel the need to put people down? Why do you feel the need to shame people? You come to tell us to live the simple message of Jesus-I assume you mean that union with God is to be valued above all and all of your choices should be made with that in mind. God loves Mr. Cassin. God loves you. God loves all the commenters, even the anonymous ones. So love and pray and everything will be OK.
So are you a Catholic, Kathleen Shannon Finn? If so, what does that say about you when you use your full name to publicly mislabel Catholic Truths as hate? No slam of your position because you are at full liberty to choose. But one must choose. Be Catholic. Or use that intellect to opt out.
In the words of Mr. Cassin:
“All of those schools should have come together immediately and taken a stand,” he said. “I would love to have the four schools meet. It would be a show of unity and not cowering to that kind of bigotry. The Archdiocese is staying out of it, so we should be taking the stand. We know our values and what our hearts require of that and that is inclusion. A much greater majority of Catholics are in support of gay rights and LGBT equality. It’s ridiculous to cower to a few archaic, mean-spirited people.”
He seems to be under the misconception that Truth in the Catholic Church is determined by consensus like some sort of ground-swelling Tea Party reaction movement. Not being and holding to the deposit of the Faith. (Times change, but people and the desire to follow their own inclinations do not.)
“We know what our values and what our hearts require” is the statement of one setting one’s own rules or forming one’s own movement to overthrow that which is. That is not following Christ. And it is certainly not the fruit of a Catholic school – on that is Catholic, not just a school run by Catholics.
If Cassin wants inclusion – fine. He’ll have to quit same-sex marriage shenanigans, live celibately, repent for leading SO many souls astray, adhere to all the teachings of the Catholic Church etc. That’s what “inclusion” means. There isn’t one set of rules for homosexuals and one set for the rest of society. Maybe we could get the staff of Notre Dame to want inclusion too!
Shame on you, Kathleen Shannon Finn….
Our Savior, the Son of God, a “simple man with a simple message” REALLY!
What was His “simple message” Kathleen Shannon Finn?
heh heh…perhaps ms.Finn thinks it was “I come in peace” with his fingers in a vee sign? And to evil doers he would simply say, ‘take a chill’ or ‘now, was that nice?” Love, love, love, to the old Beatles tune.
From Matthew 10:34-36
“I came to cast fire upon the earth; and what will I, if it is already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! Think ye that I am come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: for there shall be from henceforth five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. They shall be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother in law against her daughter in law, and daughter in law against her mother in law. Or to present once again the oft used quote from Annie Dillard, “On the whole, I do not find Christians, outside of the catacombs, sufficiently sensible of conditions. Does anyone have the foggiest idea what sort of power we so blithely invoke? Or, as I suspect, does no one believe a word of it? The churches are children playing on the floor with their chemistry sets, mixing up a batch of TNT to kill a Sunday morning. It is madness to wear ladies’ straw hats and velvet hats to church; we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should lash us to our pews. For the sleeping god may wake someday and take offense, or the waking god may draw us out to where we can never return. ”
Seriously, Dana — you have NO idea what Ms. Finn thinks. And, to make such a sarcastic, dismissive reply tells us more about you than you might think. Obviously, this is not a forum for serious dialogue.
Well, Papa Joe — He lived a life filled with unconditional love and inclusion — from what I see his closest female friend was a prostitute (remember Mary Magdalene?) His message certainly did not condemn people to hell for eating meat on Friday — and, then, change the rules to say it’s okay.
(By the way, are all those souls still in hell? ) My message is that the Catholic Church (among others) has constructed a series of dogmas and beliefs that Christ, Himself, might not recognize as his own.
Kathleen Shannon Finn, you hide your ignorance not so well behind your mocking tone.
Mary Magdalen – prostitute! No evidence. Whatever Mary Magdalene’s sin was is not revealed. What is revealed is that she came forth early to Christ IN REPENTANCE, has 7 devils cast out of her and lived her life thereafter close to Christ, KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS. Which makes your false notion of unconditional love just that, false. Yes, Jesus is inclusive in that He died for all our sins, but not everyone will attain salvation, only those who repent and believe the good news are destined for heaven.
Meat…Friday…not even relevant.
The Church which Jesus Christ founded, the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church which is the only true Church, cannot err in Her teachings. So, you need not worry that Our Blessed Lord might nor recognize them as His own because His hand is on everything.
Papa Joe– does the Church really believe all those souls condemned to hell for eating meat on Friday are “irrelevant”? Where are those souls today? I use this as an example of something (condemning a soul to hell for such a minor offense) Jesus would not recognize as coming from Him.
It’s hard to believe “His hand is on everything” when priests are protected pedophiles and adulterers and the Vatican has a net worth more than some small countries.
Kathleen Shannon Finn-yes, eating meat on Friday was a mortal sin because of the disobedience to the Church. Again, it must have been done with full knowledge and full consent of the will. If any souls were condemned to hell for this, they are still there. The punishment of Hell is eternal.
Jesus said to the Apostles “He who hears you, hears me.” Luke 10:16
Also, “Who’s sins you forgive are forgiven; whose sins who retain, are retained.” John 20:23
You are making the same error that the scribes and Pharisees did when they refused to believe that Jesus was the Son of God.
Believe the Good News.
In Reply to Kathleen Shannon Finn,
I agree, it is hard to believe “His hand is on everything” when we have a so-called Catholic schools inviting an LGBT rights activist who advocates for ersatz marriage, to speak to a bunch of Catholic school girls in a women’s class. Go figure Kathleen Shannon Finn! But, Our Blessed Lord, in His great love for us, gave us free will. We don’t always use our free will the way God intended and that is why we have homosexual priests putting themselves in a position to prey on boys (make no mistake, it was a homosexual priest problem). The incidence of priest adultery, though regrettable, is nothing like on the same scale as the sex abuse scandal, nothing like! In fact, I struggle to think of a handful. The adulterous priest presumably acted with the consent of a willing partner. Not so the homosexual priest.
Now we have a yet new definition of marriage, an “ersatz marriage”. What for the love of God does that mean? Is that a civil marriage? a straight marriage? a Catholic Marriage? a Muslim marriage? What for the love of God does it mean to be an “ersatz marriage”?
In reply to YFC:
ERSATZ:
adjective – made or used as a substitute, typically and inferior one, for something else.
synonyms – artificial, substitute, imitation, synthetic, false, fake, faux, mock.
Hope that clarifies things.
I get it, Papa Joe, I know what ersatz means. But by calling marriage between two people of the same sex an inferior marriage, you just portray the kind of belittlement that the Courts have used to show that there is no place in law for degrading one set of citizens and their relationships over others. Thank you for proving once again, that to confer an inferior status upon a set of people is abhorrent to our civic values as enshrined in the Declaration, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
Papa Joe, you err in fact when you distinguish between homosexual priest sex abusers and heterosexual priest abusers. Please get with the data. The facts, mister, the facts.
No error YFC. It’s well documented. The priest abuse scandal was homosexual in nature.
https://www.catholicleague.org/homosexuality-and-sexual-abuse/
Kathleen – It is just too sad to watch this unfold, and I just want to say that the 3 responses you received between your post last night and my reply just prove how right you are in what you write. I still haven’t figured out what has ever been said at Notre Dame that is against what the Church teaches, or what Greg says in his talk that is against it. And if our own Catholic people don’t get that Jesus had a simple message, as you say, then we really are in bad shape as a Church.
Thank you.
YFC (as some here refer to you) it saddens me how “unChristian” the Catholic Church has become. Remember when one was damned to hell for eating meat on Friday? Where are those souls now that it’s okay? I think living the life of Christ has long been lost in the complicated Church hierarchy and structure. I think if Jesus came back today the Vatican would be trashed as He did with the House of Pharisees. And, He would start over keeping it simple and inclusive. We would no longer need a PH.D to understand our faith. Christianity is much more real to living a good life than Catholicism. The voices on this forum tell me it is so.
My message——— (shortened – 250 words)
Time has shown that a significant number of my NDB school mates of 50 yrs ago
went on to live lives with same sex partners. I can only guess at their struggles and emotions of at a time when anything not heterosexual was a CRIME, CATHOLIC CRIME for certain.
Do you not care that nowadays young people struggling with their sexual identity, sometimes commit suicide?
If your daughter (granddaughter) were struggling with same sex orientation, do you NOT want her to have a SAFE PLACE to come to grips with it? NDB is not setting out to encourage people to be same sexed. NDB is working to allow our Catholic daughters to know that God and WE LOVE them the way they ARE . We can love enough to open our arms to deep down truth and give support.
I regret that for many organized religions the biggest and more horrid
“SINS” are aligned with how a human person uses his/her genitals.
Would that the SINS of the MOUTH and the PEN were ADEQUATELY recognized. Sexual orientation, if it is your daughter, you would KNOW it is
just an aspect of who she is-A gift from God. I hope we can all get out of our own way on this issue. If your child in not gay, she needs to grow in a world where she
is equipped to respect others and I might add KNOW GAY/LESBIAN people
in the fullness of their personhood–and not as caricatures!
CA CATHOLIC Daily. Review your mission statements.
An angered heterosexual!
Dear Alumni of NDB,
God loves us so much that He doesn’t want us to stay the way we are–if we are lost, confused, or disordered in any way. He calls us to CHANGE our Concupiscence (from the Latin: con-, with + cupi, cupid – desire + -escere – suffix
denoting beginning of a process or state) is an ardent, usually sensual, longing.
He gave us laws to obey and His Church as a moral compass.
SandraD, if you are trying to tell people that God calls us to change our sexual orientation, you would be making up doctrines that the Catholic Church does not hold. Being gay is neither a choice nor a sin, says the Church. And most people, especially trained professional psychologists will tell you that trying to change ones sexual orientation is a very dangerous thing to do. There is a very good article just published in Newsweek about the ex-gay ministries, I encourage you to read it (https://www.newsweek.com/ex-ex-gay-pride-249282?piano_t=1), as well as watching the entirety of the link Dana put up here to The Third Way video
YFC, read what I wrote, not what you want to accuse me of–God wants us to change “our Concupiscence” – disordered desires of any kind. Yes, the video that Dana posted said it better than I ever could.
SandraD, if you notice I used the word “if” to denote conditional statement. I most certainly read what you wrote, and made no accusation. I would note that the word concupiscence, when used in the context of an LGBT activist could be interpreted to mean sexual orientation, and I want to repeat that sexual orientation change “therapies” are very dangerous and often result in depression and suicide. This is why the State of California has seen fit to ban these therapies among minors.
I put this link on another post, but it’s certainly relevent to this discussion. It is called ‘The Third Way’. Be sure to watch til the end.
PS…I think most of those presenting the false idea of the love of Jesus Christ as a permissive, anything goes attitude fail to understand the sacrificial, unselfish love that Jesus gave to us. It’s not about us…the reason we’re put on earth is not to serve ourselves…that’s what satan calls us to do…we are called to love God and seek His will and serve Him…if you have a same sex attraction, you are called to chasteness, which single heterosexuals are, as well. What a blessing to be able to serve Him in a really challenging way…you grow in love and understanding and like the people in the film, find life rewarding and good. Ironically, self-fulfillment leaves us feeling empty because we’re full of ourselves. Self-emptying leaves one room to be filled with the Holy Spirit. …”For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” Anonymous (called the St.Francis prayer) It’s unfortunate that too many grownups do not teach their children this, but instead remain immature themselves.
Thank you for your post Dana…..”The Third Way” says it all.
Excellent video. Thank you for sharing : )
Barbara, the school is Catholic right? So does it not have a duty to uphold the teachings of the Catholic Church in its fullness. You would expect that a Muslim school or a Jewish school would uphold their teachings. Otherwise, they are something other than they claim to be.
In keeping His commandments, Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves. If the school taught from the bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church as has been said numerous times on this blog, the message would get across. You know, this may be a revelation, but we can love people without ever having to know or acknowledge their sexual orientation. But it you are asking that sins associated with that orientation be acknowledged and endorsed then you are out of order. As Catholics, we commit sin ourselves if we endorse the sins of another, whether the sin be acting out sexually on same-sex attraction, fornicating, contracepting, committing adultery, abortion or whatever. Of course there are many other types of sin, but sexual sins are the most prevalent and damaging to the human person and society in general. Just look around you. Very few of us have the opportunity or desire to commit bank robberies or mass murder (thankfully).
I’m sorry if you don’t like Church teaching. But that’s the way it is.
Unfortunately, “homosexuals” caricaturize themselves by defining themselves the way they do, and coming out loud and proud. As you infer, we should not be categorized by a reductionist definition but rather by the dignity of a human being created in God’s image and likeness and all individuals should be treated respectfully.
Sandra D, those with special problems should be handled separate to address their problems with those who are trained Catholics to help them.
This should not be for the entire school, or in front of the entire school.
– – – – – I would not want a committed homosexual teaching my children on the morality of homosexuality.
“Letter to the 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
“No authentic pastoral programme will include organizations in which homosexual persons associate with each other without clearly stating that homosexual activity is immoral. A truly pastoral approach will appreciate the need for homosexual persons to avoid the near occasions of sin.”
Was this letter given to each student prior to having a committed and open homosexual speaking at the School?
Is the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” used as a required text for all junior and seniors?
If not the program is quite lopsided in favor of the homosexual lifestyle.
Well said BethAnne.
SAINT John Paul II made it quite clear with his approval of:
“Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons
… Explicit treatment of the problem was given in this Congregation’s “Declaration on Certain Questions Concerning Sexual Ethics” of December 29, 1975…
At the same time the Congregation took note of the distinction commonly drawn between the homosexual condition or tendency and individual homosexual actions. These were described as deprived of their essential and indispensable finality, as being “intrinsically disordered”, and able in no case to be approved of (cf. n. 8, $4).
In the discussion which followed the publication of the Declaration, however, an overly benign interpretation was given to the homosexual condition itself, some going so far as to call it neutral, or even good.
Although the particular inclination of the homosexual person is not a sin, it is a more or less strong tendency ordered toward an intrinsic moral evil; and thus the inclination itself must be seen as an objective disorder.
Therefore special concern and pastoral attention should be directed toward those who have this condition, lest they be led to believe that the living out of this orientation in homosexual activity is a morally acceptable option. It is not.
https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19861001_homosexual-persons_en.html
I think it is nice that people are putting in the effort to state views.
It is valuable to see many viewpoints.
I do believe that this website and the group that inspires it and their basic beliefs are what the writers hold dear to their heads and hearts. I do not pick up a sense that the basic subscribers to this website are looking to understand beyond their current beliefs and experiences. WORDS will not make a difference.
These folks may be able to live their whole lives “being right”. And again, experiences of their loved ones may intervene and they will broaden in understanding or retreat in judgment.
PAIN is probably the most common route to we human beings GROWING!
If you love your children, your friends, and your neighbors as commanded by Jesus, you will want them to get to Heaven, not Hell.
Tolerating sin is not good.
I am the same “another anonymous” from today and post from yesterday that didn’t seem to make it to print.
I invite us to think: are we living in FEAR or in LOVE?
It is hard not to live in FEAR – because life itself evolves and we evolve
It doesn’t strike me that a life robust FAITH in God results in fearful living.
We fear what we do not know………we fear what we cannot grasp.
We can grasp the teachings of Jesus and His Church very well.
“Another Anonymous” what are you having difficulty understanding? Maybe someone can help you.
With the Bible and the CCC there is no excuse for ignorance of sin.
The Spiritual Works of Mercy include: Admonishing sinners, Instruct the uniformed; and Counselling the doubtful.
Enjoy being “right”, righteous, etc.
Who wants to be wrong
This concludes my involvement in this stream.
Bye bye ; )
You aren’t admonishing sinners. You are typing in a little box on an internet machine. Ditto instructing and counselling.
To Sandra D, Ann Malley, Dana, Jalen and other regular posters on this site–Originally I came here to try to understand why CCD supporters were so opposed to Gregg speaking to the Notre Dame students. I have read ALL the posts above from the beginning. Understand what I am about to write reflects my personal take on this thread. My intent is to not be confrontational but to try to understand what is being said here. In return, I would appreciate a non-confrontational response. I have said earlier that I believe an education should help develop critical thinking. I believe that is done by studying different viewpoints. In one of Jalen’s posts there was a reference to “lost souls”. Is your reason to censor the students from what you perceive to be Gregg’s message, out of fear that he will “convert” the students and they will become lost souls? I understand what the Church teaches on homosexuality. Is it also the Church’s teaching that Catholic education must censor opposing viewpoints? Has anyone here actually considered attending one of his talks to understand his message firsthand?
This is high school, not college.
Critical thinking should be taught from print material, not inviting a person to tear down.
Studying different viewpoints can be very confusing.
My son came home from Catholic school telling me how great Buddhism was. Also, he came home and told me that they had had a speaker who knew Barack Obama personally and told them that he was not for abortion.
Do you want to bring in Jack Chick or Bob Jones or a Neo-nazi and just kind of see what happens? Anyone can fall for an error. In fact, it is rare to find a person who has everything right. And it is not required that they have everything right to be loved, but part of loving someone is teaching them the truth.
Used to know a dad who would always make up words when talking to his infant son because he thought it would be funny if the baby spoke wrong. Real charitable, huh?
Try open dialogue. Just for once. Try it. The Catholic Church supports open dialogue and freedom of speech.
This is open dialogue. As for freedom of speech-do you think they should teach that the sun revolves around the earth as some people believe? Do you think they should teach stoning people for adultery? Should they have a pedophile priest come and explain his experience of things? They use their time in the classroom to teach what they believe the students need to know. There really isn’t enough time to explore every possible thought that anyone has ever had.
You are an educator. You have a certain number of hours per semester in which to teach. You have to choose what is important and what is extraneous. The school obviously values Mr. Cassin’s talk on his experiences enough to give him one of their precioius hours. We have heard from many students that his talk has been valuable to them. But these same students are not saying, we heard his talk and we are still faithful Catholics who adhere to everything the Church teaches. That would be reassuring to me.
Very well stated, Anonymous.
Kathleen, thank you for your direct question. Yes, it is important to develop critical thinking skills. That is part and parcel of education. But, and this is important, being Catholic requires that one has Faith. Even as a child should maintain faith in the decisions of one’s parent even if the child doesn’t understand fully ‘why’ the parent encourages one thing and/or restricts another. The reason being, we are all thinking people, yes, but we all do not have the experience and overarching scope to look to the long-term when it comes to assessing many things that – at a particular moment, even a moment in time or era in history – may appear good. Good being that which will ‘fix’ the perceived problem. Every generation tries.
And yet many adult children often apologize to their parents when they realize that they have turned into their parents. (Many generations find themselves looking back to the ‘wisdom’ of their forebears.) That is they find themselves compelled to reign in their own offspring because now they ‘understand’ the costs they had no comprehension of previously. Specifically, one must accept that many fixed institutions/practices etc are there for a reason… and successive generations are not mysteriously smarter than those that came before.
There is also the matter of understanding that ‘who’ says or ordains something gives it more credence. Unlike modern society would have us believe, the world is not a level playing field.
To Kathleen:
The action of defiance is the same, but the person (even one who loves us dearly) who is being defied changes the game – that is the repercussions.
So saying, if we, God’s creatures, defy Him, His Nature, His laws, His Church (and believing Catholics hold that God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, established the Church) the repercussions to ourselves and society as a whole will be far greater than ‘we’ can see or understand. So saying, when a Catholic School, even unintentionally, casts a sympathetic tone to the situation of homosexual marriage or the homosexual lifestyle, especially to those students still being formed in the Faith, that is bad business. It is enticement to defiance…defiance against God, not just ‘the Church’ as is if the Church were just some man made entity masked in the emotional wrapper of kindness and broad thinking.
No poster on CCD is attempting to censor other points of view, but rather point to the truth that the first calling of a Catholic school should be that of being Catholic. Putting God’s law and that of His Church first – in faith. Not because we necessarily agree, but rather that we agree to trust in God who is, after all, our creator. Not the other way around. The leadership at Notre Dame seems to have lost this focus, being caught up in the sentimentality of the age.
Let’s be clear here, Ann Malley: The thrust of CCD is to highlight places where any thought counter to a certain perceived set of Church teachings is utterly silenced, shut down, even with violence when necessary (see Canisius for his violent rants against free speech). That silencing is, after all, why the posts about Cassin have appeared on CCD in the first place. They went after him in order to silence him, and they did. No freedom of speech at any Catholic institution will be tolerated by those of you on the Catholic uber-right. You will not sleep until you have silenced any notion of anything that, even without witnessing it for yourself, or even being able to point to a single aspect of Church teaching that you think the speaker is speaking against, you want to silence. You don’t in any way pretend to want an open dialogue – a truly respectful place where people who disagree can both air their positions. In such a place, people could decide for themselves what should stand or fall. Instead, you opt to silence your opponents. You want religion respected in the world? Try respecting speech. Both are necessary for a truly free society.
Try respecting the truths of the Catholic Faith if you profess to be a faithful Catholic, YFC. That said, you are exceedingly clear in that you would refashion the natural law and those of God and the Church to your own likening.
A Catholic school is not the public square. And yet progressives would silence any freedom of speech in that arena despite the Constitution, let alone God.
Sorry for any confusion, Kathleen. This was edited out of my first reply to you:
Defy your sister while she’s babysitting and you might get a talking to. Defy your parent and you might get grounded. Defy a police officer and you might get a ticket. Defy a judge and you’ll likely get jail time. Defy God and then what? The action of defiance is the same, but the person (even one who loves us dearly) who is being defied changes the game – that is the repercussions.
Anonymous — I personally would not equate Gregg Cassin to a Jack Chick, Bob Jones or a Neo Nazi . Gregg’s message is one of self-acceptance through his faith–God has not abandoned him. I think many on this site incorrectly assume they know what Gregg’s message is. So, you must worry that Gregg converts all these students to” his way”. I’m pretty sure in his 20 years of speaking at the school that has not happened. What has happened is that his talk rises above the specific issue of homosexuality and has taught them compassion for struggling souls . I find that a very “Christian” thing to do. So, I ask again, “Is it also the Church’s teaching that Catholic education must censor opposing viewpoints? “
Kathleen, your post was about critical thinking, not about Gregg Cassin.
This is why this gets so frustrating. You say you want to discuss one thing. Then you change the subject.
The Catholic Church’s job is to teach the Truth, to make sure that every Catholic and every non-Catholic knows the Truths of Salvation. It is not to present opposing viewpoints. When you present an opposing viewpoint you give it credence-unless you are having a talk on apologetics and presenting how to refute opposing viewpoints.
Critical thinking can be taught and should be taught-in statistics, in English, in history, in science. Critical thinking teaches people to think logically.
The point of these articles is that “This Catholic school has brought in a person whose public behavior indicates that he does not accept the teachings of the Catholic Church on morality. Is it because the administration of the school does not accept the Church’s teaching? Are they accurately teaching the Catholic faith to the students?” It really wasn’t about Mr. Cassin-it is about Catholic education. It isn’t about whether he converts students. It is whether the whole environment of the school is supportive of the Catholic Faith, the entire Catholic Faith.
Thank you for not going down the “it’s because he is gay” route that many of his supporters have.
Kathleen – I wouldn’t liken Gregg Cassin to Jack Chick either. And yet those entities that seem the most sympathetic and harmless can actually be the more harmful because, filled with good intent, we embrace the ideology out of a human sense of love and charity instead of rejecting it.
To put a simple twist on it, the fruit in the garden of Eden likely looked, smelled, and felt good to the senses. If it had been a prickly pear that reeked like rotted fish, nobody would have touched it.