The following comes from an Aug 1 story by Christina Gray in Catholic San Francisco.
When St. Hilary Parish pastor Father William Brown got wind this spring of rumors spread about the “personal virtue” of other parish families in a series of text messages, emails, and phone calls, “I was horrified!” he said. The false accusations going back at least a year came to light in May when the injured parties finally came forward.
In an interview with Catholic San Francisco at the church rectory in Tiburon on July 18, Father Brown said he was inspired by Pope Francis to talk to his community about the destructiveness of gossip, tale-bearing, detraction, backbiting, intrigue and what the Catechism of the Catholic Church calls “calumny.”
The pope has repeatedly addressed the harm gossip can cause the gossiper, the victims of gossip and the church itself in his Vatican homilies.
“It’s so rotten, gossip,” the pope said on Feb. 16 in his Sunday Angelus message. “At the beginning, it seems to be something enjoyable and fun, like a piece of candy. But at the end it fills the heart with bitterness and poisons us.” He has also called rumors “the devil’s weapon” to undermine the community of the church.
Brown sent an email letter to parishioners, school families and faculty on May 16, asking them to reflect on Francis’ words likening gossip to a “form of murder.” He made no mention of the parish gossip that prompted his letter.
“Our community is going through a number of changes, and this always leads to some anxiety, anger, confusion, curiosity – and, unfortunately, gossip,” wrote Father Brown. As human beings, he said, we are all tempted by this sin.
“If you are like me, and thus tempted to gossip at times, please reflect on the pope’s recent commentary to help you avoid this very toxic temptation, which can destroy people’s lives and make community life miserable.”
The Ninth Commandment exhorts us not to “bear false witness against thy neighbor” and “thou shalt not lie” speaks for itself.
Father Brown met privately with the alleged rumormonger to facilitate a reconciliation among the parties.
The alleged gossiper, who claimed to have only repeated but not made up the rumors, “couldn’t see the harm,” said an incredulous Father Brown. He told the person: “If you slammed into people with a car you’d be in prison. You’ve slammed into them with your words and these people could sue you!” That’s the legal problem you could have, he said. “The spiritual problem you have is that once you do this kind of thing, it’s almost impossible to take it back.”
“….When I was a new priest, I lived in a rectory across the street from a parishioner who called the church office reporting that she had seen me come out of the rectory early one morning with a woman carrying a suitcase. “Brazen as brass, with people arriving for church at the same time,” she said to the pastor, who replied: “Mrs. O’Brian, that was a seminarian, not a woman. He’s bald and he has a mustache. You need to get your eyes checked!”
To read the entire story, click here.
Ironic that California Catholic Daily publishes this piece just days after it published a piece that called a random family molesters. Dear editors, how is your piece, https://cal-catholic.com/?p=15071, not the very thing you decry in this piece? Read again what you published just on the 31st of July: “These are two very confused men who were likely sexually abused as children.”, then you continued to approve an entire series of comments from readers that repeated and expanded that libel. Left hand, meet right hand.
Bad rumors can start when someone feels it is their duty to expose what they believe is a sinner in their midst, said Father Brown.
I think I have been guilty of that and I apologize to Ann Malley.
I accept your apology, Anonymous, and thank you. Your edifying example is just that – edifying. God bless!
Ann Malley you are a better Catholic than I am……
I wouldn’t say or think that for a minute, Canisius. But thanks and keep up the good fight!
I would. Canisius is what I call a “tribal” catholic—someone who identifies with the Catholic Church as their “side” and cares little about things like kindness, mercy, forgiveness—especially toward those whom they perceive as “enemies”.
Canisius’ constant visciousness and hate expressed toward those who are caught in the throes of same sex attraction and other sexual sins that seem “unmanly” to him, are met with a contempt worldly in nature—not godly.
Thus, his “catholicism” is revealed as simply an excuse to bash others he holds in contempt (a type of self aggrandizement he enjoys)–not about God.
JonJ, you seem to view Canisius with the very contempt with which you accuse him. You may not agree, but the inherent pacifism in some when it comes to addressing those who seem rather to want to change the Faith than struggle to uphold it with regard to (SSA or any sexual sin) is not necessarily Catholic either. It’s just pacifism.
One needs to know how and when to call out evil. For whereas there are those who are suffering through SSA, manfully carrying their cross in accordance with Church teachings, many here advocate the ‘mercy’ of just giving in or not obsessing about it. That’s no mercy, but a free for all.
Calling that out is not bashing. Not that I can see.
JonJ we all understand that Canisius refuses to accept large parts of the Gospel message (forgiveness, peace, no anger, turn the other cheek) because of his history of being abused. He may find that it is easier when his abuser passes (if she has not already). He does not hide this-he admits it. This is a common characteristic in males abused by females. He goes too far when he talks about assaulting priests and sitting on a rooftop with his friend when a lesbian parade goes by.
JonJ, remember how you said that I am a moron. This would be a good opportunity for you to tell the readers all of the fascinating details of why I am such a horrible person. Exaggeration and lying would really help to bolster your case against me and to incite the readers to hate me. Wouldn’t that be the “godly” thing to do since I am obviously an evil person that deserves to be insulted and you are such a great guy and are way better then me.
Jon J,
I agree with everything that Ann Malley wrote. I also remember clearly how kind and merciful Canisius was to Mark F. when Mark F. talked about his trials as a homosexual and how he was trying to follow the teachings of the Church. Canisius commended Mark F. so mercifully, and it is very unfair of you to say that Canisius never shows mercy or forgiveness. Canisius as a man was showing his respect for another man named Mark F. because or Mark’s courageous willingness to carry his very heavy cross. I also remember Canisius being very very humble about his own personal trials.
Jon J, that should tell you that Canisius does show forgiveness and kindness to those homosexuals who are not using CCD as a means to promote the homosexual agenda. I never once saw your name commending Mark F for courageously trying to express his thoughts. Did I miss your post where you showed kindness and support to Mark F? Canisius’s has often related his terrible childhood history with his abusive lesbian mother and her abusive lesbian partner. Where is your mercy for others? if you can call Canisius merciless then what does that make YOU for never writing one word or post of kindness or support for Mark F, a homosexual who strives to follow all of the teachings of the Church. If you did write one post could you please be honest and let us know. If you never did then perhaps you might consider the reality that your silence showed quiet contempt to Mark F and that merciless omission is far more unmerciful than you are willing to admit.
continued from August 8, 2014 at 8:26 pm
Once again, Jon J, If you did write one post of support to Mark F. could you please be honest and let us know. If you never did then perhaps you might consider the reality that your silence showed quiet contempt to Mark F and that merciless omission is far more revealing than you might be willing to admit. If you could take the time to post that anger to Canisius then you could have taken the time to encourage a friend. I won’t call your silence hate but it definitely was not kindness or mercy or respectful of someone’s willingness to carry their heavy cross. Please try to practice what you preach.
Catherine, do you mean Mark from PA when you write Mark F?
There’s a big difference in refusing to accept and difficulty in accepting, Anonymous. In truth, you may assume to know what Canisius accepts and does not accept, but in truth you also do not comprehend the extent of restraint he exercises in limiting his comments to what you consider unacceptable.
IOW: Your definition of rejection may be in reality a man making huge strides in his walk to forgive.
YFC asked, “Catherine, do you mean Mark from PA when you write Mark F?”
YFC, No I am not referring to Mark from PA. There was another man who posted with the name Mark F. Many, many posters on CCD commended Mark F’s honesty and courage. Yes, the poster named Mark F. showed incredible courage by reaching out in truth to convey his journey and he was respected by many for this. Thank you for bringing up Mark from PA’s name. The point I am making with Jon J is that even Mark from PA showed no encouraging support for Mark F. If anything there was ostracizing comments of coldness and it was not from the majority of posters on CCD. These non-supportive little barbs and digs to Mark F. came from other homosexuals. This combination of silence and mean remarks to Mark F. let readers view the tremendous isolating struggle there can be with those homosexuals who DO want to follow the teachings of the Catholic Church. These men are often looked upon with the most disdain from other homosexuals who resent that person’s surrender to an all loving and merciful Christ, no matter how scarlet their past sins may have been. YFC, this is why no one can accuse one single poster on CCD of hate. Now there IS an intense rejection of the whitewashing lies that condone grievously committed mortal sins and that strong sentiment is posted with regularity and consistency on CCD and this is why the homosexual agenda will not gain ground on this faithful website. So you see YFC, we have no real proof that you are not a recipient beneficiary of an Arcus grant assigned to infiltrate this website or if you are simply a man who truly sought out the Truth only to find himself trapped in a web of lies.
Thank you for the clarification about Mark F. I am not recalling his posts, so he may have been posting before I discovered CCD. I wonder what has become of both of them?
I agree with your statement “These [gay] men [who live celibate lives] are often looked upon with the most disdain from other homosexuals who resent that person’s surrender…”. You may recall that I have said in this forum that gay people, especially men, are not treated well in the gay community if they try to live as the Church asks them. You may recall that I praised the recent video that someone – it was you I think – put on CCD about gays living celibate lives. And finally, you may recall that I have said for a very long time that if CCD and commentators want gays to live the celibate life the Church calls us to, it would be more effective if they 1) aided them in their journey and 2) ceased the constant stream of lies and accusations that are the day-in-day-out stuff of CCD. The Catholic Church could go a long way if it supported gay people in a quest of celibacy instead of constantly harped on them and stood in the way of their employment, their rights, and their safety. If the Church spent HALF as much effort supporting gay people as it does condemning them and working against their Constitutional rights, it would have far more effect and would gain credibility both in gay circles and straight circles.
I asked JonJ if he could find one good thing to say about Canisius or Skai. He was not able to. He also added to his exposition that I am a moron.
YFC, I would like to charitably ask you a question or refresh your memory. You posted as if you had no memory of a poster named Mark F. but I have copied your very own conversations that show that you have spoken to Mark F. on CCD. This happened on more than one thread. Can you see how your memory lapse actually lends great support to the posts of Michael McDermott when he warns us that the name YFC is actually used by many different trolls? Please explain your interesting lapse of memory and please do not say you just simple forgot. Especially since Mark F is the ONLY poster to actually publicly defend Church teaching while openly admitting his previous lifestyle. That is surely something worth remembering. I certainly know that Jesus will remember Mark F for his honesty on this website. YFC, Since lying or misleading or duplicity are not hallmarks of being faithful then you can see how the following posts do not tenderize those readers who see that you HAVE spoken with Mark F. The problem is….which YFC troll spoke with Mark F ?
continued…
continued from August 11, 2014 at 11:22 am
YFC please explain….
CCD Topic was ‘Interactions with Gays tenderize us”
MarkF says: (to another poster besides YFC)
December 20, 2013 at 5:09 pm
You’re a breath of fresh air. I’ve been saying the same thing for years, that homosexuality is no different from any other sin. However other sins do not have organized lobbies. For me, the organized lobby is far worse then the acts themselves. It is the ideology or more properly put the heresy that is the really dangerous thing. We have to be clear with this. The individuals are sinners, to a greater or lesser degree. Individuals, whether gay or straight, have God at work in their lives. But the ideology has to be defeated and defeated soundly. So no gay marriage, no gay adoption, no gay translations or interpretations of the bible, no “born this way”, none of it.
Reply
Your Fellow Catholic says:
December 21, 2013 at 10:11 am
Except, MarkF, that to say “none of it” implies that “it” is not a part of nature. Being gay is not something someone chooses. It is not a sin, according to the catholic church. Yet gay kids, long before they ever explore or act on their own sexuality, are ostracized by their families and churches in many cases. You can’t say “none of it” to the fact that some people are naturally gay any more than you can say “none of it” to a storm or a beach or a river.
continued………….
continued from August 11, 2014 at 11:31
The CCD article was ‘Archbishop Cordileone to stand up for marriage in Washington DC’ – March 25, 2013
Your Fellow Catholic says:
March 29, 2013 at 8:00 am
MarkF, I don’t write about the theoretical. I write what the Church teaches, that being gay is neither a choice nor a sin. I write about the unconditional love of a Christ who gave himself up for us while we were yet sinners. Somehow, this position is controversial here on CCD. I’m accused of heinous things, and told I’m not Catholic, and told that what I say is “utter and complete bull”. How ironic that such a pure and simple proclamation of the Gospel gets such a response? It must be, like Christ himself, a stumbling stone.
MarkF says:
March 29, 2013 at 9:25 am
YFC, I appreciate what you said and I think I understand what you are saying. You seem to say that we all commit sins and are still loved by God, to which I agree. However you do seem to be avoiding my question. I did not ask about the inclination to homosexual actions. I asked what has been your experience with the actual actions. I will repeat what I wrote above. My own experience with homosexual activity is that it is a strongly destructive force in the lives of otherwise good people. I cannot fully describe how harmful homosexual actions are. I am also fully aware of the tendency by other people with SSA to whitewash and to outright lie about the reality of the homosexual experience. I have to say that in general I really am tired of internet games and acts of sleight of hand. I’d like a direct answer to a direct question.
continued……
Thanks for the clarity, Catherine. Keep it coming.
God bless!
Catherine, I’m sorry for not recalling a Mark F. But I have never seen someone post using the name Your Fellow Catholic that wasn’t me.
JonJ your opinion means ZERO to me,,,, I wear your accusation as a “tribal” Catholic as a badge of honor.. Speaking of sides, the time will soon arrive where sides will matter greatly, as what side will you be on, Christ’s or Satan’s. Those who subscribe to the notions, tolerance, diversity, gay positive whatever will find themselves on the side of the evil like it or not. There is only Christ and Cross, JonJ, you can try and twist it as much as you want to make it compliant with your modernist nonsense, but its not gonna work.
Well said, Canisius. You write: “…Speaking of sides, the time will soon arrive where sides will matter greatly, as what side will you be on, Christ’s or Satan’s.”
Our world has become so incredibly sheltered from the realities of having to choose and take responsibility for the choosing – as if right and wrong no longer exist, but rather just a mass of equally valid ‘learning’ experiences – the stark reality of your post presents an almost incomprehensible reality. (In that sense, Tribal is a compliment to be sure!)
And yet our Catholic brothers and sisters in Iraq have had to make these choices. With very real consequences. There is no, convert for the sake of staying alive and then just repent later. As for many there may be no ‘later’. Same goes for people not in a war zone. But coddled as we are, we kid ourselves into thinking ‘we’ have all the time in the world.
How insulated we are in our ‘haven’ of safe, tolerant, nice-speech and benefit-of-the-damnation which translates to nothing more than passing when it comes to acknowledging Our Lord.
God bless you for being tribal!
continued from August 11, 2014 at 12:10 pm
YFC, Mark F’s post is validating the reality that you did NOT even answer his direct questions. Mark F was very honest so why were you not able to honestly respond back with the truth? After St. Augustine’s total conversion, if given the same opportunity to answer Mark F, then St. Augustine would have not dodged Mark F’s questions like you did. St. Augustine would have truly cared and felt a mutual trust and friendship or camaraderie about the soul of someone else who had also once said, ” Late have I loved thee.” Perhaps the reason for your dodging silence and refusal to answer Mark F. is the ages old choice that proves that your prayer request is still.. “Lord make me chaste but not quite yet. ”
“Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would not have been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace.”…….St. Augustine
Ann Malley,
You are welcome and may God bless you!
YFC,
Please reread and thoughtfully answer Mark F’s sincere question above about the destructive force or harmful actions of homosexual acts.
” Men do not differ much about what things they will call evils; they differ enormously about what evils they will call excusable.” ~ G. K. Chesterton
Any person’s sexuality can be a destructive force or be harmful if it is not part of a unitive love and life giving relationship. I don’t think there is anything unique about that as pertains to LGBT people. Straight people can and often do act out their sexuality in ways that are destructive and harmful.
YFC you wouldn’t think asking a simple question could turn into a 5 post attempt to embarrass you, would you?
Live as an example love, kindness, patience and humility.
God bless you.
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Mt 5:44
The unique factor, YFC, is that LGBT folks tend to want to form a unitive bond in a manner that goes against the natural law and those of God and His Church. So the LGBT person’s ‘acting out their sexuality’ is inherently destructive and harmful, no matter what the surroundings.
YFC,
Thank you for responding. I have just been called away for the morning and I would so appreciate it if possible if Steve Phoenix could respond to your last post. If Steve Phoenix does not see this YFC then I will get back to you when I return.
YFC wrote…”I agree with your statement “These [gay] men [who live celibate lives] are often looked upon with the most disdain from other homosexuals who resent that person’s surrender…”.
YFC, You do know what is being asked of you in order to get to heaven. You are still fighting it, that’s all. Speaking of bennet’s fearful sounding worry about being embarrassed, let us also remind bennett not to be so threatened by your previous admitting of that truth. You were not at all embarrassed to write that particular truth either. It is the other truths, such as the truth that Ann Malley just wrote, that you struggle with and still reject. Remember I once told you how the man who died of AIDS no longer gambled with his eternity when he knew his life on earth was about to end. He went to confession and repented. Talk is cheap, especially if you are feeling quite well and invincible but when seriously faced with losing the gift of eternal life then all fear and embarrassment flies out the window. May God reward all contrite sinners who are not too embarrassed to go to confession to repent and then focus on the most important “unitive” state possible which is being *ETERNALLY UNITED” with Jesus.
Matthew 10:38 – And he that taketh not up his cross, and followeth me, is not worthy of me. Douay-Rheims Bible
Mark F is striving to be worthy of Jesus while bennett’s remarks show that he is striving to salve his *own* fears and conscience.
P.S. God bless you Ann Malley for your caring and truthful post!
Once again….
Matthew 10:38 – And he that taketh not up his cross, and followeth me, is not worthy of me. Douay-Rheims Bible
Mark F is striving to be worthy of Jesus while bennett’s remarks show that he is striving to salve his *own* fears and conscience.
P.S. God bless you Ann Malley for your caring and truthful post!
I was just trying to give Christian support to someone who was being treated rudely.
The promise of the Gospel is that if we give our lives over to Christ-as YFC has, he will bring us to heaven.
You seem to have given your life over to God, too, but you assume that others haven’t..
Part of taking up the Cross is to love others, to treat them the way you like to be treated, and to not attempt to hurt them.
You seem to be an intelligent person but you also seem to delight in finding fault in others.
May God sanctify us all.
And thank you, Catherine, for your patient accounting of YFC’s own comments and the acknowledgement of the disordered attachment of Bennet’s fears. Life is really quite short, a fact that often catches one unaware.
God bless.
Ann Malley, you have expressed your own opinion on the matter, and you are certainly entitled to it. But I hope everyone who reads what you wrote will recognize it as your opinion and nothing more.
You two yentas aren’t trying to imply that I am a homosexual are you?
I am not a homosexual. I have never been a homosexual. I have never had sex except with my spouse who is of the opposite sex.
God sees everything.
Obey Him and act like a ladies..
Get your minds off other people’s crotches.
Actually YFC, Ann’ statements are spot on truth…
“Obey Him and act like a ladies..”
“Get your minds off other people’s crotches.”
Poor bennett. He is truly threatened. We never wanted our minds to be on YFC’s homosexual lifestyle. YFC, tries to preach a new gospel by selling a distorted lie that he has been taught. YFC did show a moment of honest character when he admitted how terrible homosexuals treat their own who try to follow “all” Church teaching. You know that when the ol’ “yenta name card” is pulled out in anger that the stubborn layers of the onion skin are slowly being addressed and removed. bennet seems to have forgotten that it was YFC who intentionally introduced his mortally sinful lifestyle to readers minds with his introductory post as a man who is living with his homosexual partner for many years.
I am sure that the Servant of God Frank Duff was also criticized and called many names and told to act like a gentleman by the threatened pimps who controlled the Dublin prostitutes that Frank Duff and the Legion of Mary worked with. Thank goodness that Frank Duff never listened to angry hearts like bennet.
The Legion of Mary was founded by Frank Duff on September 7, 1921 in Dublin.[5] His idea was to help Catholic laypeople fulfill their baptismal promises and be able to live their dedication to the Church in an organised structure, supported by fraternity and prayer.
The legionaries first started out by visiting hospitals, but they were soon active among the most destitute, notably among Dublin *prostitutes*. Frank Duff subsequently laid down the system of the Legion in the Handbook of the Legion of Mary in 1928.
Once again,
The legionaries first started out by visiting hospitals, but they were soon active among the most destitute, notably among Dublin *prostitutes*. Frank Duff subsequently laid down the system of the Legion in the Handbook of the Legion of Mary in 1928.
The inherent disordered nature of homosexual sexual acts is not a matter of opinion for a Catholic, YFC. You do know this, but continue as usual to intimate that Faith and Morals are subjective. They’re not.
And Bennet, I’m not sure what scar has left you incapable of looking at truth and fact for fear of hurting feelings, but whoever it was did you no favors. God does see everything, cowardice included. That includes the cowardice of so-called niceness that is really intended to keep everyone smiling at you, not right with God.
Do you and your wife similarly indulge your children? If so, you do them no favors as charity doesn’t mean being liked. And your derogatory reference to yentas – a term I am interpreting is meant to intend old age – would indicate that you are young and prone to disrespect that which has come before. As if you and the modern era are only now capable of reason, compassion, outreach etc. That is delusion, Bennet. But you will learn in time.
bennet you are just another person who does not know what is really going on. How could you, as you preach to be trying to be charitable say this to ladies “Get your minds off other people’s crotches.”
That is gross and disrespectful to talk to ladies like that. You have discredited yourself just with those comments. Sir your behavior does not carry out the tone of a gentleman nor of a Christian. I suggest that before you speak and judge these ladies, that you embrace the scriptures in your heart and understand what admonishing the sinner really means. Sodomy is a serious sin and YFC has been posting here for a while now defending his stand on homosexual rights (gay agenda’s) that is a grave sin and you are now enabling him. You are an accomplice to his sins. You do him no service. Our goal is sanctifying grace and if you think that these ladies will not convert this man, well only God knows but your WAY will not either because you are not challenging him to admit that sodomy is a sin. I wonder if you understand the seriousness of the sin of sodomy is? Good day.
YFC I know that you hate what I stand for and what I defend, you may even hate me for speaking up. The big difference is that I don’t hate you but I only pray for you. I don’t create other websites mocking you and hating on you.
My comments to bennett where not to hurt you but to remind you on where I stand on purity, chastity etc…all under what Christ has revealed to His people. Reflect on John 17. When you hate those of faith, you hate Jesus too, even without knowing it or wanting too. Remember growing up and those family dinners at the table. Remember those good ole days. YFC no one hates you. I don’t but you may hate me, for my faith. Its OK I won’t take it personal. I am not without sin but I have free will just like you. Jesus love us even with our struggles, no matter what they are, just put into practice what the good Lord has set out for you. You may question His ways or may not even understand them, but you must not mislead others just because you do not believe. PAX CHRISTI
abeca, YFC is chaste.
Chastity in the case of an unmarried male means continence, Anonymous. An unmarried male who fancies himself married to another male may also fancy himself to be chaste by limiting his sexual partners to the man he considers his spouse. That, however, is not the chastity proper to the married state. That is pretense.
Thank you Bennet for your support. It is a shame that a simple extension of kindness gets read by the homophobes on here as being an endorsement of homosexuality. Some people are absolutely unwilling or unable to see people for their entire humanity, but instead see a scorecard about where they stand on one single solitary issue. It’s really sad, and it pushes people honestly searching for a spiritual home in the Church, away. They think they are faithful believers in what the Church teaches about homosexuality, but they forget that the Church has much more to say about how straight people ought to relate to gay people, and they conveniently forget that part of Church teaching.
To Abeca Christian, I accept your admonishment and value it.
I apologize to you and to any others that were offended by my post to Ann Malley and Catherine.
I do indeed know the seriousness of the sin of sodomy. Hence my reaction to their veiled implications that I had committed that mortal sin, which I have not.
Perhaps you should have admonished them as well.
I do not enable sodomy.
I don’t hate you Abeca, you are projecting.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_projection
Yes, YFC, there are those that get stuck on single issues, like your continued promotion of homosexual relationships as somehow being a gray area instead of serious mortal sin. Very misleading.
As for homophobia, nobody is afraid of you or anyone else with a homosexual inclination. You write, “..It’s really sad, and it pushes people honestly searching for a spiritual home in the Church, away.”
Yes, YFC, your doublespeak that attempts to make grave mortal sin seem to be nothing but a side issue, does drive those people “honestly searching” away from the fullness of Truth found only in the Catholic Church. And it’s the Truth that one finds there, not just a cozy home.
And rest easy, Bennet, nobody is labeling you a homosexual. But for all your defense of YFC, I do wonder why you seem so outraged at the imagined charge. That’s the closest thing to homophobia I’ve read on CCD.
No YFC not at all…you are just not honest. Plus when you called people of faith Homophobes, that was a dead giveaway.
YFC, it would be the Lord that you should thank. God bless you.
“I assure you that the good Lord is much kinder than you can imagine. He is satisfied with a glance, with a sigh of love… In regard to myself, I find it easy to practice perfection, because I have learned that the way to Jesus is through His Heart. Consider a small child who has vexed his mother by a display of bad temper or disobedience. If the child hides in a corner through fear of punishment, he feels that his mother will not forgive him. But if instead, he extends his little arms towards her and with a smile cries out: ‘Love, kiss me, mamma, I will not do it again,’ will not his mother press the little one to her heart with tenderness, and forget what the child has done? And yet, though she knows very well that her dear little one will misbehave again at the first opportunity, that means nothing if the child appeals to her heart. He will never be punished…” St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face
bennett be careful not to use holy quotes to enable sinners. It is also a form of false compassion. Watch the videos from Archbishop Fulton Sheen on false compassion, you are displaying that and you are walking on dangerous ground. Also remember this: That if you let even a small crack open in your heart for deception, the devil will force himself in.
St. Therese would not approve of any homosexual who goes publicly to mislead others and to twist the truth to condone sin. We’ve been very charitable to YFC for a while yet he still refuses to accept the teachings of the Catholic church when it comes to homosexuality. As a matter of a fact, there is proof here that he has been preaching heresy and schism as well. Look to the CCC for definition on those words Heresy, heretic, schism etc. There was once post where YFC called early church doctors quotes bigots and homophobes. Calling the church that and its lay faithful is a sin. It is directly attacking God’s people…reflect on John 17. We belong to Christ and those who hate us, hate Christ too even if they say they don’t. The truth is the truth. Any decent person should not dishonor our Lord’s very first commandment to mankind, which is to follow His natural law.
God is merciful and God does bless. Meanwhile bennet continues to enable. As beautiful as St. Theresa’s prayer is I’m sure that the Little Flower did not construct that sweet prayer from her heart in order to enable mortal sin like you are doing. The devil is also full of false compassion that also enables. The serpent had false compassion for Eve’s weakness when he continued to tempt her to taste the forbidden fruit. Like your enabling, that old hiss was also disguised as being love. The serpent said “C’mon Eve you’ll be blessed and you’ll be like God while you are tasting that forbidden fruit, God loves you. Go for it Eve! ”
BTW, enabling poster bennet….If the mother of the small child sitting on his mother’s lap has just been caught red handed for the umpteenth time sitting in the corner with his computer laptop promoting the mortally sinfully homosexual agenda within then that good mother would tell him to STOP!
Abeca, much of the homophobia in our world, regrettably, comes from members of the Church. All one need do is read these posts for proof. I’m sorry you are offended by that reality. If you want to call out non-believers for their homophobia, fine, go for it.
As to “natural law”, according to natural law, even a person with no faith ought to be able to use reason and intellect to understand what constitutes natural law. However, no amount of intellect brings people to reason that a person who is capable of loving another human being, entering into a lifetime of mutual support, and contributing positively to society should withhold that love and support. It isn’t natural at all to have a capacity and then be told that it is off limits. Virtually every species has some form of homosexuality in it. I assure you, it is quite natural for certain individuals.
Abeca Christian, when you stick to the Faith of the Catholic Church you do well. When you ad lib, you go astray.
From Catholic Online’s profile of St. Francis de Sales
The test of prayer was a person’s actions: “To be an angel in prayer and a beast in one’s relations with people is to go lame on both legs.”
He believed the worst sin was to judge someone or to gossip about them. Even if we say we do it out of love we’re still doing it to look better ourselves. But we should be as gentle and forgiving with ourselves as we should be with others.
Catherine, again, I am not enabling sin. If you do not like the Catholic Faith, there are many others for you to choose from.
To be fearful Bennet of even being thought of as a homosexual while promoting the lifestyle for another and all those who may be falsely influenced by YFC’s amoral attitudes is beastly in the extreme.
But I suppose as long as you believe you and your wife are okay, then that’s all that matters. That and being liked. For gentle forgiving after the fact (which includes sorrow and a giving up of sin) does not release one from the obligation of countering false doctrine. IOW: Gentleness does not equate to cowardice or just passing by.
Perhaps when you and the wife have some children you’ll take a different view. For I cannot imagine any loving father allowing his children’s ears to be filled with false doctrine under any guise.
And much of the castigation for running red lights comes from the police department, YFC. Oh, those haters. Those beasts! And when we all love to speed. How unjust.
Of course those with morals will be against homosexual sex, YFC. As for the phobia portion, you may want to engage in fear of the Lord as it is the beginning of wisdom as you well know. (Or perhaps you don’t if you’re just a paid agitator who likes to say they are a fellow Catholic.) But most secular people, that is those outside the Church, would likely disagree with that, too.
How odd. How profound. How incredibly predictable.
bennet you heard that YFC called people of faith bigots and you do not admonish that? I’m sure you are a good Catholic with good intention, I will do my best to give you the benefit of the doubt, but its hard to believe what you say when you are giving a blind eye. I find that hypocritical!
The Third Lateran Council (1179) establishes: “Anyone caught in the practice of the sin against nature, on account of which the wrath of God was unleashed upon the children of disobedience (Eph. 5:6), if he is a cleric, let him be demoted from his state and kept in reclusion in a monastery to do penance; if he is a layman, let him be excommunicated and kept rigorously distant from the communion of the faithful.”
bennet as for your comments from August 16, 2014 at 12:30 pm, luckily for me, I have an excellent spiritual director, if you are correct, you can expect an apology…… He often checks back on my comments here and does not hold back to phone me, If I fall off track. Lets just say…my phone rings a lot (ya see I am a sinner too, not proud of it, but I do have free will) and I have good friends watching here, most do not comment nor get involved with posting here but surely look after my best interest.
Well thank you for your input, I will take into account, just remember I can not disobey or dishonor God. Chastity involves decency and common sense. When you started off one of your comments with crotches etc….wow…what can I say, I was wondering, what did the ladies say that brought that on? Do you know who MarkF is? He is a perfect example of someone working towards chastity and did not mislead others to embrace their homosexuality. So your arguing with the ladies, gave me a big fat red warning.
PS bennet as for your comments, do you know what you are arguing about? I have no idea, all I know is that YFC is misleading folks and your proof of that.
Abeca, many of our fellow posters describe you as sweet. I have to say, this post of yours has to be among the most sweet, and literally made me laugh out loud: when you described your spiritual director who calls you when you post something he doesn’t like, then you say your phone rings a lot. OK That had me in stitches, though I don’t actually believe your SD calls all that often to correct you.
I’m just picturing the rest of us if God called everytime we sinned. I’m pretty sure we’d all exceed our contract minutes. Thanks for making me chuckle.
Abeca Christian, I overlooked your gossip about YFC because you were committing the sin of detraction. I did not rebuke you for it. I am not going to admonish YFC because of accusations of something he did in the past. It would have been your responsibility to admonish him if he needed it. It should be over and done with. There is no need to bring it up and gang up on him about something that is past.
I am not arguing at all, even though there were things said to me and about me that were attempts to engage me in an argument (or punish me for saying something the “ladies” did not like.”)
I again apologize for using a term you found offensive.
I think your spiritual adviser will agree that one is not to defend oneself or another guilty of sin by comparing oneself to another, even if the other be more sinful.
Good for Fr. Brown! We have fond memories of him here at Our Lady of Mercy in Daly City. This old teacher has seen kid-gossip tear classes apart and can imagine what adult gossip could do.
Fr. Brown appears to be one of those “polo shirt” priests.
Maybe he had just been playing polo?
It’s Tiburon, after all… :)
Boy, did this get off track!
“Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor”. – God’s Commandment
Definition of “Gossip” – idle talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others.
CCC: ” 2477 Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury. He becomes guilty:
– of rash judgment who, even tacitly, assumes as true, without sufficient foundation, the moral fault of a neighbor;
– of detraction who, without objectively valid reason, discloses another’s faults and failings to persons who did not know them;
– of calumny who, by remarks contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them. ”
Breaking God’s Commandment and the definitions from the CCC must be confessed as sins.
Apparently this Priest has done a lousy job encouraging his literate Laity to read the CCC. It has this all covered.
“Apparently this Priest has done a lousy job encouraging his literate Laity to read the CCC. It has this all covered.” Matt, they laity could have the Ten Commandments tattooed on their faces and they would still break them: it’s human nature.
This is why we hear the Bible at Mass each day: to keep us on track, or to bring us back on track if we have strayed!!!