In the current issue of the BYTE, the San Bernardino diocesan news, a story is featured regarding the gay-themed HBO movie, Behind the Candelabra. The movie is based upon the homosexual relationship of the young Scott Thorson and the aging Liberace.
The BYTE story (author unnamed) announces the role of the diocese with the movie and incredibly calls Liberace a “lifelong Catholic.” The article begins with this statement: “Art imitated life when a Hollywood film crew came to Our Lady of Solitude parish in Palm Springs to recreate the funeral Mass of….Liberace.”
Publisher’s Weekly describes Thorson’s book as a “sorry, seamy tale” of Thorson’s “callous eviction from the performer’s Las Vegas penthouse in favor of a teenager and the public brouhaha that followed when he filed a palimony suit.”
Thorson’s book is also described as “uncomfortably candid with revelations about `Lee’ (Liberace), who was driven to experience sexual variety with younger males…”
The BYTE story reveals that Father John Kavcak,MSC, pastor of Our Lady of Solitude, actually performs in the movie as a “priest celebrating the funeral Mass.” The entire story fails to state that this is a gay-themed movie and inaccurately portrays a funeral Mass with casket present for theatrical effect – in contradiction to the truth.
The salacious homosexual content of the book, and hence, the movie, did not stop Bishop Gerald Barnes from renting the church for two days so that a historically inaccurate scene could be made showing a funeral Mass with casket, furthering the falsehood that Liberace was somehow a practicing Catholic. In fact, Liberace’s corpse never made it into any Catholic Church. There was only a commemorative Mass (without casket) to pray for Liberace’s soul and a fifteen-minute chapel service with casket at Forest Lawn in Hollywood.
In a September 23 news story in the San Bernardino Sun, the Diocese refused to disclose what kind of financial deal they had signed with producer, Jerry Weintraub, or HBO.
For further information, see the September 16 California Catholic Daily story:
https://cal-catholic.com/wordpress/2012/09/16/behind-the-candelabra/
And the San Bernardino diocese BYTE story:
https://icbyte.cloudaccess.net/news/parish-news/157-liberace-bio-films-at-palm-springs-parish.html
Father John Kavcak has an acting role in a salacious pro-homosexual movie, and Bishop Gerald Barnes rented out the church for two days to film a re-enactment of a funeral Mass for Liberace that didn’t really happen. How much was Kavcak paid? How much was Barnes paid for the use of the church? Did the money go into the coffers of Our Lady of Solitude parish or into the Bishop’s pocket? Maybe these two should go into “show biz.” They don’t seem to be too concerned with the truth and Catholic principles.
Maybe it’ll put them in the international gay spotlight and they’ll make new friends.
That money won’t do Barnes or Kavack any good on their Judgment days. As a matter of fact, it will probably be used the PROSECUTOR, OUR LORD as evidence against them.
All involved in this SCANDAL will pay on Judgment Day!
“If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, supports ducks, and accepts mamon from ducks, guess what, it is probably a duck!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
I wish people would not use animals to illustrate abberrant human beings because animals are good and do not deserve to be insulted.
JLS you are right
They will Not necesarilly pay, All they have to do is confess and the most they will get is pagatory, if they are truly contrite and sorry.
Unfortunately, that is our Lord’s infinate mercy at work, paid for with his own blood…
If we feel offense incesed at this, and we are not even Jesus, imagine the offense to him?
That is why he died…
My question in WHY. Why does a Bishop care about this filth to rent a church for 2 days? Is he just that lost or are there other reasons?
I beleive this Church has been defiled and needs to be re-consecrated.
Absolutely creepy—and sinful.
This priest in Palm Springs could not have acted in a gay movie except with permission from the bishop, Gerald Barnes.
The San Bernardino Diocese Byte story is an offensive cover up.
Thorson’s book reveals Liberace as a lifelong promiscuous homosexual who enjoyed a large collection of porn and preferred very young men. For Bishop Barnes’s publication to call Liberace a “life long Catholic” is a mockery of the Catholic Faith.
Both Bishop Barnes and priest Kavcak must resign.
If you have any shred of conscience left, Bishop Barnes, you must resign.
Empty words. They will continue to do what they want. That is why, there is need to reform seminaries.
The love of money touches everyone, even the bishop and the priest. Sounds like an one-way ticket into the pits of hell. It is sad that Liberace wasn’t truly gay, but just a homosexual with a big false smile and a whole lot of talent. +JMJ+
I heard a speech by Bishop Barnes during which he referred to the Holy Spirit as “She” with an exaggerated wink. Don’t expect much from him, and you won’t be disappointed.
This is entirely within his normal (for him) behavior. He is a progressive, through and through.
First to go is their minds, and then their masculinity. Or is it the other way around?
Well well, He actually refered to the Holy Ghost as “she”.. That is a direct insult to our Lady who is the spouse of the Holy Ghost…
I would be worried about death if I were he. I would want to live in this life for ever and not ever have to face “the Judge”, (I do not mean the Pontiac GTO here)
Speaking of which, I really do not want to face the Judge either. I am a poor sinner.
MbKMb, you dot connecting challenges are getting worse than mine. How are you connecting a GTO with “the Judge”?
Th 1969 Pontiac GTO was called “The Judge” it was supposed to settle all muscle car disputes of the era, with one single epic quarter mile..
That was after my street racing days. I once beat my friend’s 64 GTO 389 cube with my 49 Chevy with sbc … 2700# with 325hp vs his 3500# with maybe 350 hp. I also kept up with a showroom floor ’65 383″ muscle car Mopar, at least off the line up to 55mph, which was the limit of my first gear at 7000rpm due to a blown second gear. Last event of those days was a high speed run in 1965 in my friend’s ’64 studebaker coupe with 304″ V8 using a 10# boost Paxton blower and the cam and cylinder heads to match. He pulled a high end of 128mph on the newly built Santa Monica freeway at 10 pm on a week night with no … zero … zip … nada traffic … beyond belief lack of traffic these days. Then an era later, at a Bible study a big woman cop with a .44mag revolver in her purse challenged me to a ride in her new Stingray 350″ that she claimed would do 160 on the Coast Highway … I declined, not my type. That dude with the 383 also had, but never got it onto the strip, a Deuce Coupe with a 392″ Chrysler Hemi (the old type) with Hilborn injectors sticking straight up out of the middle of that massive motor. I don’t know if he made it back from VN; maybe I ought to check. The dude with the GTO showed up a year later at my ucdavis place of endeavor with his Kawasaki road rocket c. 1968. Never rode anything like it … quiet, unbelievable acceleration … didn’t even full bore it because it seemed unreal. Was used to Classic Indian mc, Triumph bonneville, and a 750 Norton Atlas … this little K simple swept those awesome classics into history. The muscle car days were unique in history. My first day at my reserve meeting (USMCR), and not even off to bootcamp yet, they sent me to watch the radio while the corpsman got his haircut … he was on duty that day in his CHP job. He “apologized” for his loaner squad car because the week before he and his partner blew the motor on their high performance Dodge highway patrol cruiser chasing a dude in a hot rod who walked away from them at 140 mph. At some point I realized for a whole lot less money and time you could experience much greater push back into the seat acceleration by spending $20 for a ride on a 727 or DC9 … or DC10 as I also recall … but costs much more today. Today the street racing challenge of the ages is a nitro rice burner vs a Dodge Cummins Diesel Ram pickup truck running a chip. I don’t know why I survived a lot of street racing … a few close calls back then including a blown flywheel at 7000rpm resulting in 200 yards of street blanketed with pieces of metal … it all went down mostly instead of up like they do it in Afghanistan.
Hollywood producers have a long history of Catholic bashing, but to see Church officials, priest and bishop, facilitating the mockery is sooooooo
bizarre.
Are clergy now just guys who like to play dress up in ornate long robes?
Where is our Gaydar?
Holy Father, we know that the wheels of the bureaucracy of the Church tend to turn very slowly, which can rend our minds and hearts when we experience such blatant and scandalous happenings in our beloved Church. We pray for all those involved, we pray for the priests and bishops who ignore your Mercy and lead others to error. We pray for those who love money and prestige before your humble Goodness.
Please cast your eyes of Mercy upon us, and our priests and bishops in error, and show them your Goodness, show them your Mercy. Help them to see the scandal they cause in these instances. Help us to tend toward Love, which is Your sole mission here on Earth, to Love us, and for us to love eachother. Help them and us. We ask this in the most Precious Name of Jesus, Amen.
Please, Catholic readers, do something helpful.
Print out this story and mail it to Bishop Gerald Barnes, with a request that he resign now. Send a copy to Archbishop Gomez who is the “metropolitan” for Barnes.
Bishop Gerald Barnes
1201 E Highland Ave
San Bernardino, Ca 92404
Phone: (909) 475-5300
Archbishop Jose Gomez
3424 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA, 90010, US
(213) 637 7360
Thank-you and God bless you Father Paul. That is an excellent idea!
Father Paul,
Many of us have been there and done that and are tired from trying, but we still keep on keeping on.
False “Collegiality” has destroyed the hierarchical structures of the Church.
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Fr. Paul thank you. Mr. Fisher I know how you feel but we can’t say no to a priest who just asked us with a please. I would rather obey his request….
You are wasting time going to Barnes and Gomez. Write to the Papal nuncio in America and to the Congregation of bishops and the CDF in Rome.
Apostolic Nuncio to the United States
Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò
3339 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W, Washington, DC, USA
Telephone: (202)333-7121
You can print these articles and mail or fax them to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The CDF in Rome:
Mailing Adress: Piazza del S. Uffizio, 11, 00193 Roma, Italy
Telephone: 06.69.89.59.11
Fax: 06.69.88.34.09
Congregation for Bishops:
Mailing Address: Palazzo della Congregazioni, 00193 Roma, Piazza Pio XII, 10
Telephone: 06.69.88.42.17
Fax: 06.69.88.53.03
Thank you all, will do…I suggest all send because this is truly a scandal confusing many souls!
why? Our pope makes no judgement on gay people.
Yup…writing to Bishop Barnes is a total waste of time, an exercise in futility…don’t you get it?…Barnes is a modernist…do you honestly think he cares about this?…he probably endorses this type of activity…a diocesan priest, having a role playing a priest in a movie glamorizing the homosexual lifestyle of a Catholic entertainer…this is right up Barnes alley!
Fr. Paul, what is the sin that was committed?
Maybe the movie makers should have gotten a rent-a-priest for the funeral scene. Fr. Andrew (Andy) Herman, a film industry union member, has had roles in R-rated films, as well as spots on not particularly edifying TV sitcoms. He is an ordained priest. In fact, he was the celebrant at the huge extravagantly produced funeral Mass of the late Maureen Reagan (the late president’s daughter) in 2001. His orthodoxy could possibly be questioned, however, since he changed the Holy Mass words “Lord, I am not worthy…”, to Lord, I AM worthy…”. Maybe the priesthood and the entertainment industry should not mix their roles and alleged goals.
He actually said Lord I am worthy?
I did not need to know that, but If I were you, I would pray a rosary for his conversion
Ironic that Jesus said something to the effect that He came not for those who were worthy but for those who were not worthy.
Ionic indeed
“Ionic” has to do with “pentameter”; whereas, “ironic” has to do with the concept above.
The bishop is so insulated as “corporate sole,” that he does not care what we think. they go on and on for years doing what they want behind closed doors. No wonder they feel kinship with Liberace.
Bob,
Yes, while that is very true that they may not care what we think, it is still important to tell them that this is wrong or else WE will be held accountable.
It is not our job to convince them that they are embroiled in Satan’s lair but it is our job as the Church Militant to inform them that they are. Bob there is nothing new under the sun when it comes to understanding the role of the Church Militant.
Our Lord has promised us that the gates of hell will not prevail. “In the end, “My Immaculate Heart will Triumph”
When St. Bernadette was asked to inform the bishop the she was seeing Our Lady, Bernadette was also very hesitant to approach the bishop for fear of being rebuked as crazy or rejected. Our Lady let Bernadette know that it was not Bernadette’s job to convince the bishop, but it was her job to tell the bishop. Bernadette listened to Our Lady and also obeyed that holy direction from Our Lady. The bishop was very moved when St. Bernadette informed him that the Lady said, “I AM THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION”
“Who is she that cometh forth as the morning rising, Fair as the Moon, Bright as the Sun, terrible as an army set in battle array. O Mary conceived without sin. Pray for us who have recourse to thee.”
Listen to and follow the specific Church Militant directions given in Father Paul’s post.
So what was the response when you told the bishop that it was wrong?
Hide and speak,
I will keep you posted.
Thirty pieces of silver sounds about right for “acting” and :rental fee”.
The only way to hold the diocese of San Bernardino accountable for the scandal is to have the media expose it. This is something for the media to look into and ask questions. Write to the local newspapers, tv stations, and ask them to report on this story and scandal.
You are so naive!!
The Media will spin it that there is finally a Bishop who approves of the gay lifestyle.
It will do more damage to souls that it will save.
Even if the media does spin it as positive because a bishop approves of the gay lifestyle, it would finally get the attention of Rome. it doesn’t matter how the media covers it, that kind of story is damaging and negative for the bishop in the eyes of the Church and for Rome.
” lifelong Catholic” Liberace was given last rites on February 3, 1987. Liberace had a private chapel and shrine in his home in Palm Springs. His mother and sister attended Our Lady of Solitude when they were in residence at his Palm Springs home. One commenter on a website that discusses his death claims that Liberace “completely funded the renovation of the small Catholic Church across the street.’ Liberace considered his meeting with Pope Pius XII a highlight of his life. There was also a memorial Mass at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Las Vegas after his death. Las Vegas was his main residence, although he chose to die at his Palm Springs house. Liberace never publicly admitted that he was gay.
Dear Mr. Anonymous,
You need to read the book on which the movie is based. Liberace is revealed as a promiscuous gay man with a huge pornographic video collection This is not very Catholic.
Bob, yes, he sinned. Jesus Christ died so that sins could be forgiven. His sacraments are there for us to reconcile us to Him when we have sinned.
Its now in the hands of God. In matters regarding his salvation, its not in question whether he is in heaven or not.
In earthly matters however, irregardless of his repentance, Should a consecrated Church be used to act a movie that is gay themed?
Unless the movie is specifically and explicitly condemning the homosexual lifestyle? And even then, Its still inappropriate to use a Consecrated Church.
There is lots of older Church building that are used as halls that could be used as props in any given town, making it possible for the church to make money on renting it out (provided the movie does not promote things that are contrary to what the mother Church teaches).
An ordained priest should also be very careful not to make any mockery of the sacraments.
The Church does have rules concerning this and as far as I can tell, it would be the bishop’s decision as to whether the rules were broken. The Catholic Church does not permit lay people or even an individual clergy member to make the rules.
Bob One thanks, that is exactly why a Catholic Church should not be used in this movie. It is one more SCANDAL which will cause confusion with those who are not properly catechised or with non-Catholics.
Anonymous, on internet search: ” What Catholics REALLY Believe Source “.
They provide links to some good info regarding Church teaching on homosexuality including links to help those with same sex attraction and their families.
See answer to question ” # 9. Is the Catholic Church unfair to homosexuals? What does the Church teach? Why does it oppose gay-marriage? Can homosexuals get to heaven?”
What makes this web site special is that they provide the links to CHRUCH teaching not personal opinion – – – verification and documentation.
OSCAR/abeca last rites is a sacrament that includes reconciliation. It does not matter what his sins were. They were forgiven.
Myth and fable, Anon, read the Gospel on the danger to mature women as to lapsing into fable and such. We all have to be alert to the fact that time brings with it certain conditions particular to our natures. Face it and take solid measures for yourself instead of adopting myth and fable as your guiding light.
“Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them prau over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” James 5:14 Also, early writings of the Church Fathers confirm that it is Apostolic Tradition.
Anon, you could also champion the case that Hitler repented of his sins at the exact moment, the nano-second after he pulled the trigger on himself, and now enjoys eternal bliss with God. Why would such a scenario be any different from the lifelong depraved Liberace making a good act of contrition at the moment of his death? Do you actually believe that people do this? Why do you suppose the Gospel informs us that there is a sin that no one repents of? If there were not, then why would it be mentioned? Why does St Paul inform us that sodomy “sears the conscience”, ie burns or melts or otherwise eradicates, destroys, deletes, removes, makes as if it never existed, the conscience? And exactly how do you think such a soul with ruined conscience would have any capacity to turn from sin at the last moment? How are you going to beat your chest at the “mea culpa” if you have no fists? Same with a conscience that no longer exists … cannot be done unless God creates a new one for you … and why would He do this unless the soul requested it? And why would the soul request it if that soul had no conscience to move it to make such a request? These deathbed conversions are nothing but money making schemes, Anon. Do you believe teddy bear kennedy made a death bed confession, which caused his massively ornate and high level attended funeral Mass? Nonsense, it was all about money.
“why would he do this unless the soul requests it?” Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
OSCAR I may have mispoke. Reconciliation and Extreme Unction are two separate sacraments. Reconciliation preceeds Extreme Unction. Also I know the Catholic teaching on homosexuality and other mortal sins. I was reminding the other poster of the efficacy of the Sacraments.
I meant to say maybe Anon is either those
Well, site did it again. I entered text, hit post and it disappeared. Second time in two weeks.
If you are making the unChristian suggestion that I am promiscuous gay or use pornography (none of which is true) may I suggest that you avail yourself of the sacrament of Reconciliation.
Anonymous you are what you describe yourself, and your suggestion is not to be taken seriously!
A person is not unChristian for admonishing a sin. However, the prideful will not repent not even acknowledge their sin. Hardness of heart increases guilt.
such hypocrisy I can not stand! What you perceive to be prideful is simply your heart speaking and what your eye’s see, it is easy for you to see pride in many because you can relate but you are often mistaken….what you see pride in others could actually just be your own pride as you misread the comments of righteousness in Christ!
Anon, in that you appear to support the use of a consecrated church for a movie pushing pornography and sodomy through the story of Liberace, you indeed are advocating those things also.
JLS, at least you avoided sin by using the words “appear to support.” There is no post of mine that supports the use of a consecrated church for a movie pushing pornography and sodomy through the story of Liberace. And no, of course, I would not support such a thing.
Anonymous,
How do you defend the diocese for allowing the shooting of a scene that is historically inaccurate? There was never a casket present for a funeral Mass. That is a lie. Bishop Barnes, Fr. Kavcak, and the diocese are knowingly engaging in a lie and taking money for it.
I don’t.
I agree with you Abeca Christian! When “anonymous” plays the sneaky game of hide and speak, he/she is showing their own pattern of “thou dost protest too much” by saying “Hardness of heart increases guilt” That statement should be applied to the hide and speaker himself/herself. Especially when they are foolish and prideful enough to ever think that you can hide the effects of sin by using the name “anonymous” or be foolish enough to think that you can ever commit sin “ANONYMOUSLY”.
Catherine doesn’t anon sound like k? I could be wrong but just saying.
abeca and Catherine, on this feast day of St. Therese the Little Flower, I remember her charity and how she advised to always assume that another’s hidden virtues vastly outweigh their visible faults. I offer you charity and peace in the name of Jesus.
Abeca Christian,
Yes Abeca, I don’t think you are wrong. There is the same consistent pattern of running interference for grave scandal then closely followed by an olive branch of insincerity. The Little Flower was sincere in her loyalty to Jesus.
“Scandal, is the sin of being a cause or an occasion of another’s sin. Scandal can be caused by word, that is by teaching or propagating wrong doctrine, or giving sinful advice, deeds which may be imitated by others. Those in positions of authority are especially liable to give scandal if they fail their duty to live truly Christian lives.”
The Little Flower would never have responded to Father Paul’s above post by asking “Father Paul, “What is the sin that was committed?”
Here we have the example of an alter Christus charitably asking the faithful to take an action to stop grave scandal and the person who uses the Little Flower to offer charity and peace in the name of Jesus, IS himself or herself rebuking Jesus when they rebuke an alter Christus who is trying to stop grave scandal in persona Christi.
Anyone who claims to love Christ and his Church on earth, yet when it comes to the self-explanatory scandal being given at Our Lady of Solitude asks this question, “What is the sin that is committed?”, is really and truly as St. Jerome would say, an enemy of God.
“Most of the saints are remembered for some outstanding virtue or devotion which they practiced. St. Jerome is frequently remembered for his bad temper. It is true he had a very bad temper and he could use a vitriolic pen, but his love for God and his Son, Jesus Christ was extraordinarily intense; anyone who taught error was an enemy of God and St. Jerome went after him or her with his might and sometimes sarcastic pen. He was swift to anger, but also swift to feel remorse, even more severe on his own shortcomings than on those of others. A pope is said to have remarked, on seeing a picture of Jerome striking his breast with a stone. “You do well to carry that stone, for without it the Church would have never canonized you.”
Yes Abeca, In this particular case, you are certainly right. It is by their inconsistency that you will recognize them.
I guess that’s a “no”.
Catherine I’m glad you see the pattern there, if they two different people then they sure think alike and seem to have almost the same pattern of type of posts that we learned to identify them with. Catherine you are so right on with all your comments and I agree!
You two go on anon anon. Great minds think alike. LOL!
Anonymous, Are you still hiding in a dark room or closet because you are so ashamed to use a recognized name? God’s grace can change that. Thank you for the wonderful compliment about Abeca and myself, but in this particular case your flattery will get you nowhere! Flattery is often a distraction or tool of running even more interference for the devil.
Minds that think alike are not always great. You are once again promoting another lie. Some likeminded individuals are still resisting the fact that they are on their way to hell. Take for example Gov. Jerry Brown and the homosexual lobbyists that you often protect and run interference for.
Pray for the conversion of Gov. Jerry Brown before he signs another law that would also stop an anonymous amount of adults from receiving the counseling they so desperately need. We do not want our youth or many anonymous adults to be greeted on their judgement day by the terrifying sound of Satan LOL at them for being so incredibly duped and misled.
Wow, REALLY??? Even our Pope has more love in his heart than the narrow minded so-called Christians who write these hurtful remarks. Are y’all still living in the dark ages? First off, there are parishes in the Archdiocese who have ministries for Gays and Lesbians. Secondly, the scene in the movie wasn’t even liturgically correct. In 1987, the words at the beginning of of mass were “The grace and Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you”, and the reply was “and also with you”, NOT “And with your spirit”. The new Roman Missal words were initiated on November 27, 2011. I don’t know about any of you, but MY God loves EVERYONE, not just straight people…
nobody’s business,
You would never tell God or Pope Francis that it is none of their business or it’s “nobody’s business” when a clergy member or a fellow Catholic continues to openly and deliberately mislead souls in parishes and Catholic websites. It is a very serious matter to deliberately mislead someone right up to their eternal death. Hell exists and hell is eternal. Yes, God loves everyone and God still loved Cain when He asked Cain in Genesis Chapter 4:9 “And the Lord said to Cain: Where is thy brother Abel? And he answered, I know not: am I my brother’ s keeper? ”
nobody’s business, You have made yourself our business by choosing to dialogue. God does see all of our actions and to use the name “nobody’s business” on this Catholic website is as silly and inappropriate sounding as Cain’s response to God. You would not accuse God or Pope Francis of not loving for simply correcting Cain or for disciplining someone for endangering the spiritual lives of many souls. Yes God loves us even when we are stubbornly choosing to still marinate in the unpleasant circumstances and actions of our own choosing, but that also does not mean that God did not STILL call a spade a spade when He asked Cain where Abel was. Cain must have also thought that it was “nobody’s business” but the sinful *actions* of Cain were God’s business and God made a judgment about Cain’s actions. To commit actions that the Catholic Church recognizes as serious mortal sins, does not mean that the sinner is not loved by God or others. God Judged Cain’s action and Pope Francis recently judged the actions of a priest who was misleading souls. Would you now call Pope Francis a narrow minded Christian for judging and disciplining the actions of this errant priest! When unrepentant sinners face God and receive their appropriate judgment, will they all cry out and say, “no one ever warned us”! Don’t be fooled. Losing your most precious inheritance, which IS the attaining of eternal life would be the greatest hurt and loss of all.
cont.
Taken from the Telegraph
Pope Francis excommunicates pro-gay marriage priest. He’s not the liberal the media wants
By Tim Stanley Religion Last updated: September 23rd, 2013
571 Comments Comment on this article
Despite all due temptation, he remains a Catholic.
From all of last week’s headlines saying that the Pope wants to forget this nonsense about abortion and gays, you’d imagine that Germaine Greer had been elected to run the Catholic Church. Actually what the Pope was saying was that he wants the Church to talk more about what it’s for than what it’s against. But that doesn’t mean it won’t still be against those things that contradict its teachings and traditions.
• Can Pope Francis save the Catholic Church?
• The Catholic Church will never be the same
• The mystery of what Pope Francis really believes
Just ask Greg Reynolds of Melbourne – a priest who appears to have been both defrocked and excommunicated because of his radical views on women clergy and gay marriage. From Australia’s The Age:
The excommunication document – written in Latin and giving no reason – was dated May 31, meaning it comes under the authority of Pope Francis who made headlines on Thursday calling for a less rule-obsessed church.
The document might give no explicit reason, but the reason is implicit and well understood: Reynolds has offended Mother Church with his politics. It’s interesting to note that the former priest tells The Age that he “wants the same thing as the Pope” which is “to encourage reform and clear need for renewal in the church.”
I know of a religious order in Los Angeles that rents out it’s monastery to the film industry. They film all kinds of salacious movies in it, replete with sexual innuendo, profanity, violence, even nudity…all they care about is money!…and they enjoy the titillation of having movie stars on the grounds, in fact it even finances their shopping sprees and intercontinental holidays, as these religious are on holiday 24/7 (LOL!)…it appeals to their sense of worldliness and all that it implies…
The intolerance on this comment thread is mind boggling.