America Media in 2022 launched “Outreach,” an “LGBTQ Catholic ministry” personally founded by Fr. James Martin, SJ. The organization has weighed in on a number of debates during its first year, often criticizing U.S. bishops and other Catholic leaders for their opposition to the LGBTQ movement….
In its first year, Outreach has carved out a space for itself as an LGBTQ pressure group in the Catholic Church. Outreach is hardly distinguishable from its secular counterparts except by its exclusive focus on opposing the Catholic Church’s resistance to the LGBTQ movement’s aims.
While a growing number of bishops and dioceses expressed opposition to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ decision to honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (SPI), Outreach published a piece sympathizing with the anti-Catholic drag group.
“Some members of the group use lewd and crude comedy in their performances, as their Catholic detractors have highlighted this week,” wrote Michael O’Loughlin. “But the group also raises money for charitable causes and seeks to bring visibility to a community often under siege….”
This June, Jason Steidl-Jack published an article for Outreach defending a piece of artwork entitled “God is Trans” being displayed inside a liberal parish in New York. The artwork is by Adah Unachukwu, a senior at Fordham University, “who, according to their public LinkedIn profile, uses they/them pronouns and works as an intern for GLAAD, an LGBTQ advocacy group,” Steidl-Jack explained. Another of Unachukwu’s artworks proclaimed “there is no devil, only past selves….”
On the so-called “Trans Day of Visibility” in April, Outreach promoted a statement rejecting the bishops’ efforts against the LGBTQ movement in schools as well as bishop-backed legislation to protect children from sexual surgical interventions.
In another example, America Magazine associate editor Fr. Jim McDermott, S.J., contributed a piece entitled “A Catholic Case for Choosing Your Own Pronouns.”
“In recent months, a number of Catholic bishops in the US have spoken out against transgender and non-binary people’s decision to alter their pronouns, names and bodies,” McDermott began:
Some have even insisted that Catholic schools must continue to use the birth pronoun and names of transgender and non-binary students in their schools, despite the pain that non-binary and transgender people have expressed over this practice.
McDermott quoted a number of Catholic academics on the topic. “It’s their truth, though,” said Fr. James Keenan, S.J., of Boston College. “That’s what we’re talking about: their truth. How does a bishop have more capability of grasping other people’s truth than they themselves do? There’s something deeply disturbing about claiming you understand a person’s truth better than they do….”
From CatholicVote.org
LGBT is an evil that must be stopped. James Martin is an enemy of the church and of Christ.
You are going to be sadly disappointed if you think LGBT can be stopped. Sexual variation is a normal part of the development of species, and is known throughout the animal kingdom. You may be able to put a bucket out during a storm, but you can’t stop the rain from falling. Not a whole lot different.
In human nature we find a huge spectrum of deviant behaviors, including criminals. Deviant and criminal behaviors must be responsibly controlled by society and by the churches, synagogues, etc., with good and decent moral teachings. Parents have the responsibility to teach their kids to live by good morals, and to be a good church member, following Christ, as well as a good member of society, a good citizen. That’s very important! Our schools, likewise, must teach kids good morals, and turn out good and decent citizens, for our society.
Society didn’t used to have all these problems before LG was normalized. And T used to be considered unthinkable. Yes, mental illness is part of fallen human nature. That doesn’t mean that people attracted to the same sex or people who believe they are the wrong sex should be celebrated, affirmed and encouraged in their mental illness or delusion. People who are T are more likely to commit suicide, not because they aren’t accepted as T but because they have a mental illness.
We might not be able to stop mental illness, but we can treat it and we can and should have laws that respect the binary, fixed nature of male-female human sexuality and the nuclear family.
We used to be a better society when we recognized natural, sexual norms.
You are the reason for the books.
We have always had LGBT people and nobody really cared.
People just made fun of them.
Most of them stayed “in the closet.”
Then they got braver and said “We are here and we are tired of being treated as less than…”
Then others pushed back and said “Get back in the closet where we don’t have to think about you.”
Then people started to write books and others wrote other books.
Most people just thought ‘Well, live and let live.”
Then it came to the schools…and that was the beginning of the bigger push back.
LGBTs need a good dose of realism in life. Yes, some people have trouble accepting them. But this is generally true of anyone who seems different. Not just the LGBTs. If you are fat, skinny, or even have red hair and freckles, or even wear glasses — or if you are handicapped, mentally disabled, are crippled, are in a wheelchair, belong to a. “different” kind of church or religion, belong to a “different” kind of race or ethnic group, etc. etc. — or even if you are highly accomplished at something, born with lots of brains and talents (some will be jealous) — well, some people will not accept you. That is the way the fallen, sinful world is– you cannot change it. What you can do is work to be a mature person, rise above cruel prejudices, be good to others, live right, with good morals– and people will respect you, at least. And may even come to like you a lot. It is a difficult challenge– and one has to deal with it maturely and realistically. All the churches and schools should daily preach the Golden Rule, and instill it deeply in the populace. Christian beliefs and values, treating all people with love, kindness, and respect is the best answer.
It is not the 1950s.
People like LGBT people better than they like Christians.
Typical leftwing pablum,,”f you are fat, skinny, or even have red hair and freckles, or even wear glasses” none of these are mortal sins which lead souls to hell.. Sodomy does,,,
“. All the churches and schools should daily preach the Golden Rule, and instill it deeply in the populace. Christian beliefs and values, treating all people with love, kindness, and respect is the best answer.” In plain language, is this excerpt from Reply to bigger pushback saying the summit of Christian perfection is to accept and embrace LGBTQ+ persons in their totality? St. Paul, who knew a thing about God’s love, also knew a few things about God’s wrath upon those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness (Rom. 1). Would Reply to bigger pushback care to comment on this?
We are living in the era of the Death Culture, an evil era of hideous darkness, ignorance and sin– ruled by Satan. Christians must hold forth the holy Light if Christ, and seek to destroy the Death Culture, and work hard for Christ, to bring about the Culture of Life, with Christ as our rightfully enthroned King. It takes great dedication, commitment, perseverance, and strength to endure all evils, to stand by Christ, and reject the filthy, evil, “woke” Death Culture, completely. No compromises. Many good parents are now strongly fighting, rejecting the “woke,” Death Culture in the schools, battling forces of Evil. Canadian parents and their kids are facing jail, for angrily protesting LGBT trash being taught in schools, publicly tearing down and trampling sinful “Pride” flags. Many devout Catholic clergy and laynen are fighting Evil in the Church. Bishop Strickland put it well when he said, “We must all be like first century Christians, in the 21st century.” We must fight an evil, corrupt civilization, for Christ, even lay down our lives for Him, if we must. Just as He laid down His life for us, for our salvation!
bohemond– you completely misunderstood my comment! Bullying was the issue. And bullying is not just an issue of the LGBTs. Nor is it a “leftist” issue. Bullying is a huge problem in our society! My comment was in regard to the LGBTs, especially the transgenders, complaints about feeling rejected by society, and deciding to kill themselves. My point is that kids and people of all ages, starting in childhood, may experience painful feelings of social rejection, for a variety of reasons. Suicide is never the answer to bullying. I couldn’t believe it when Fred Rogers told of his painful childhood, being bullied because he was fat! I have read of children who were cancer patients, who lost their hair– and were afraid of painful rejection and bullying, at school. Isn’t that horrible? Of course– gay pervert sex acts are sinful– but that’s a different issue. Not all gays commit sinful, gay pervert sex acts. Suicide is never the answer to bullying. And suicide should not be used as a weapon, to force social change, to bully society to wrongfully accept gay sex sins, or transgender mutilations.
Even in the 1950s— and 1940s, and long, long before– both devout Catholics as well as devout Protestants made it very clear, that you must “leave the world,” “reject the world” totally, to truly follow Christ. You can still live in the world– but you cannot be “worldly.” Christ paid a high price for our salvation. And He also asks a high price, of His followers. The secular world is very dark ignorant and sinful. It is ruled by the Prince of Darkness, Satan. Christ desires to cleanse His children of worldliness, corruption and sin, and lead us to Eternal Life with Him, in Heaven.
I would like to hear how you came to the conclusion that the cause of suicidality among T is mental illness rather than lack of acceptance. That seems to run counter to what mental health professionals tell us about both transgenderism and acceptance.
Because they kill themselves or attempt suicide after transitioning at very high rates. Obviously, then, the transition didn’t fix what they thought it would fix, and they feel psychologically worse for it. The mental health “professionals” are lying about the state of T mental health and the causes of T mental illness.
Did you know that some Asian people have struggled with acceptance in America, and have suffered terribly? Some have even been suicidal. My mom had a friend, long ago, who was a successful Chinese businesswoman, who was happily married, with a nice family, and large, extended family. Well, this lady was very pretty, and she shocked her friends one day, by saying that she was planning to get an operation to change the shape of her eyes, to look like Caucasian eyes– not Chinese- type, almond- shaped eyes. My mom, and all her other friends, begged her not to do this. She was so pretty, and God made her to be a lovely Chinese lady. Not a Caucasian woman. Would her husband, kids, relatives, etc. all be upset with her? Well– she did it anyway. I have also had Jewish friends who talked about fears of lack of acceptance. They have struggled a lot, with discrimination, in America.
Mental health professionals don’t know what they’re talking about. Why do you defer to people just because they wear white coats?
Transgender suicide rate appears to go down after gender affirming surgery but there needs to be a lot more studies.
If people could chill out and not create more stress for them, it would be very helpful.
The highest rates of suicide appear to be with those under 18 years of age.
Please think before posting, likeing, clicking.
It is a countrywide mental health problem that we all can help with.
You haven’t said anything about the causation of their suicidality.
To the person identifying via “white coats”. First of all I don’t have to defer to them because I know many many transgender people and I trust them to describe what their life is like a lot more than random nameless people on a religious website. Although I don’t defer to them, I do listen to mental health professionals who spend their lives studying and caring for people, rather than people who spend their lives castigating people they don’t know and haven’t even met, on websites, and make accusations about their professional motivations. I surely wouldn’t defer to you.
Acceptance from others is a difficult thing, for everyone. I can’t believe girls and women who have said they nearly killed themselves, feeling “fat,” and going on diets, or ending up with anorexia/bulimia– because they thought they were “fat” and only wanted to lose about ten pounds! Ridiculous! What you need to do, is learn self-acceptance, just as God made you. I would be careful, and put kids with potential bullying issues, due to a sinful, ignirant society– in special schools and social situations, where they can build self-confidence.
Lots of women used to adore the actors, Rock Hudson and Richard Chamberlain– yet both actors were gay men. Nobody knew it! I was a faithful fan of the “Dr. Kildare” TV series, of the early 1960s, starring Richard Chamberlain. And everybody I knew, went to see every comical movie made by Doris Day (a favorite star of mine) and Rock Hudson. Also, I knew of many young women in the 1970s, who were more than fans– they flipped out– over Olympic athlete star, Bruce Jenner. No one ever would have guessed– that Bruce Jenner longed to be– a woman. So, you never know. Each case is different. If you are LGBT– I think you should keep your personal information to yourself, and just share it with a few trusted family members and friends. It is nobody’s business. The world is dark, corrupt, and sinful. Not everyone will accept you, that is reality. If you are an athletic star, that also creates acceptance problems, with some people. Some people feel very inferior– or feel very jealous– of athletic stars. Everyone has to figure out how to deal with the world, and find a comfortable place in it. Life is not easy, no matter who you are. Rise above ignorant people, be yourself, accept yourself, and act mature– that’s the best advice. And live a good, morally-excellent, clean life. That will inspire lots of respect from people.
You know, some women with tremendous mental health issues, and marriage problems, started going to Women’s Lib meetings in the late 1960s, and some became radical and mentally unstable, fueling the crisis of feminism. All these kooky women suddenly were proclaiming that they were marginalized and abused. Lots of groups were doing the same thing. We all laughed until we were sick, at these Women’s Libbers. They were full of the mentally ill, those with marriage problems, and– lesbians. None of them had any common horse sense. Perhaps modern society robbed them all of a sense of normalcy, too. So, there they all went, on a wild binge, tearing up our good and decent society. Yes, women should receive respect, recognition for their work, and good pay. But mostly, we need a good society, and deep inculcation of good and decent Christian, or common, morality– and good manners. And yes, the traditional roles of men and women are excellent– and very necessary. If you do not fit those roles– and are LGBT– try to lead a good, clean life. And people must be taught to practice the Golden Rule– no matter what. The Golden Rule, with good manners, must be at the very heart of our society. No more bullying.
try us….we will defeat you……..have you ever read the Bible?
Outreach has no reach because the Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ.
How can you stop a deviant Catholic priest who is 100% supported by the Pope? That’s the worst!
St. Catherine of Siena, pray for us!
Subject matter aside, that ‘art’ isn’t even done well. If it wasn’t all about the so called ‘trans’ movement it wouldn’t be good enough to put up in someone’s garage. Kid should definitely not quit his day job…
Subject matter aside, that ‘art’ isn’t even done well. If it wasn’t all about the so called ‘trans’ movement it wouldn’t be good enough to put up in someone’s garage. Kid should definitely not quit his day job…
Outreach sounds like a front group for the secular LBGTQ+ lobby
That’s exactly what it is. It’s trying to subvert Catholic faith by pretending to be a Catholic organization.
How is it trying to subvert Catholic faith?
Outreach is trying to convince people that gay relationships and gay sex are cool in Catholic morality, when the opposite always has and always will be the case. Outreach is deliberately misleading Catholics about the truth.
That would be Catholic morals.
Catholic morals are a component of Catholic faith. You might be trying to do the same thing that Outreach and Jimmy Martin are doing: claiming that Catholic morals and Catholic faith are separate; that Catholic morals can change because they don’t affect Catholic faith. “I can still believe in Jesus and the Church, I just think gay sex is okay.” Sorry, doesn’t work that way. Catholic morality is an inseparable aspect of Catholic faith. Catholic morals derive from Revelation, which is the source of Catholic faith.
No I wasn’t doing that. I just think when you say “subvert the Catholic Faith” it would be so inaccurate as to make you look like a liar. I think it is important to be more accurate.
And I think they are careful not to do what you are accusing them of.
Just like I wasn’t doing it.
Broad generalities do not work.
Be specific.
If you do not think Outreach and Jimmy Martin are aiming to change Catholic faith and teaching, then you have not read their materials nor heard them speak. Read this article from only a couple days ago on Outreach:
https://outreach.faith/2023/07/james-alison-conscience-reveals-to-lgbtq-people-who-were-really-are/
It explicitly states, and I quote:
Personally, I think it would be disrespectful to church authority to insist that these deliverances [doctrines] are genuinely part of the Magisterium, rather than to recognize them for what they evidently are: theses of venerable antiquity maintained forcibly by Roman dicasteries long after their sell-by date was signaled by the Second Vatican Council.
Maybe it would be better to see them as temporary “instead-of-teachings”—placeholders which “worked” to uphold general norms at a time when human subjectivity, and its own forms of bodily objectivity, were little understood. Placeholders until we can allow the one Magister, who teaches us all from within our hearts, and can never teach falsehood, time to make available to us what is true about LGBTQ people, and how to live starting from what we know.
End quote.
Outreach is making several claims: 1. the Church’s doctrines about the sinfulness of homosexual acts and the normativity of Christian heterosexual anthropology are outdated and false; 2. the false teachings are being forcibly maintained by a false authority given to the Church’s Magisterium; 3. new understandings about LGBTQ people should replace the traditional teachings of the Church in this matter because the traditional teachings are false but the new understandings are true.
The whole article is arguing that Catholic faith must be subverted. Of course, they aren’t casting it that way: they’re saying that up until now everyone in the whole Church got it wrong about Catholic faith: everyone believed the wrong things and lived incorrectly based on that false doctrine. But now the gays have the truth and they have come to enlighten everyone about what Catholic faith really is, so we should paint the Church into rainbow colors and celebrate diversity and change the traditional doctrines to sing a new Church into being. The gays, you see, are showing us the true Catholic faith. Everyone else has been misled about Catholicism for 2,000 years.
Nope. That’s heretical. Outreach is heretical. So is Jimmy Martin. They are sly about it, but sly methods don’t change the fact of what they are claiming and attempting to do.
Everything! May he repent and pray for God’s mercy on his soul.
El nino: God will collapse and destroy this agenda when Jesus comes in the very near future.
““It’s their truth, though,” said Fr. James Keenan, S.J.” Exactly– the entire secular progressive mindset operates on the autonomy of the individual apart from any claims of the gospel. The Jesuits know it well. Starting from the individual, one can alter the gospel accordingly.
Would the Jesuits be interested in sharing what percentage (no names) of their priests either identify as gay or have same-sex attraction?
I am a heterosexual. My superior did not tell me that I could not answer should someone ask about that (as Fr. Martin claims for himself).
If some think it’s none of our business, they may be right. But, it’s made our business when they start promoting a sexual agenda within the Church.
I don’t identify as a “straight Catholic.” Why do some feel compelled to tell everyone about their orientation(s)? We’re all called to chastity.
Being a Catholic is (more than) enough; there’s no need for adjectives or qualifiers.
That is the whole point.
They are Catholics.
Or invited to become one.
Pride and envy manifest in many ways.
I am obese. Gluttony is a sin.
No one at Church has ever said a word about it.
When i was young and thin, I heard about it all the time.
“I hate you.” “You are too thin.” “Ew. look at that stomach.’
Most Catholics don’t give a hoot what your sins are. They got their own to worry about.
Some people are envious of gay people, not because they want to have gay sex, but because they are getting away with doing something outside the rules.
Some people are genuinely concerned about other people’s eternal destiny.
Some people are worried about their own. we had a poster here many years ago who said they thought God would put them in hell if they did not admonish gay people.
I can imagine how difficult it is for you as a faithful priest to deal with the seeming betrayals of many of your brother priests and bishops. You need the laity’s support in calling to account those within the Church who stray from the true mission of sanctifying the world to the deceitful mission of social engineering, and who are puffed up in conceit while doing so.
You say you don’t understand why gay priests have to identify as gay, since you don’t identify as a straight priest. Yet here you are asking about how many priests identify as gay. Seems like a double standard to me. If you think Martin is promoting a sexual agenda, then you haven’t read what he writes or heard what he speaks about. You just follow along the bandwagon of people who criticize without first getting the facts.
Fr. Martin has promoted articles on his “Outreach” website that attempt to reinterpret the bible to say that homosexual acts are not condemned, which they clearly are in the bible. He is clearly trying to make gayness considered moral in Catholic morality. I know exactly what he’s attempting and what he’s been saying.
Some want to publicize their sexual orientation. Since they want to publicize it, I’m simply asking about it among the Jesuits, like Fr. Martin. No double standard there. We can all keep our attractions and proclivities between God, our confessor(s) and ourselves. What about “angry Catholics” or “gluttonous Catholics?” It would be better to simply be Catholic. I’ve listened to and read some of Martin’s stuff. Can you point out his teaching the whole truth, which includes chastity? When addressing the issue of sexuality from a Christian position, that is one factor (among others) that should be noted every time.
LGBTQ+ Catholics should have a lot more support because giving up sex for God like priests and religious are supposed to is also not heteronormative.
It always strikes me how there is not any priest coming out and saying how he deals with being chaste.
A priest takes a holy vow of celibacy, chastity, for the Glory of God, in imitation of Jesus Christ. This is very holy. A true priest is not worldly, he belongs to Christ. Chastity is a holy virtue, it is one of the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit. Our bodies are not our own, they belong to Christ, and are temples of the Holy Spirit. All Christians must regard their body, and the bodies of all others, as temples of the Holy Spirit. Christ sanctifies us, body and soul, in the graces which He gives in our Sacraments. We must continue to lead a good life, walking close to Christ, in the Holy Spirit– and His beautuful graces will become stronger, and we will be more purified, ready for Heaven someday. We are given many graces to battle against our fallen nature, and tendencies to sin. As St. Paul indicated, this battle against human weakness, prone to sin, is lifelong, and we must persevere. Surrender to Christ, and He will provide all graces necessary for salvation.
All Christians must be chaste.. Chastity is a core Christian virtue.We must control our passions and see Christ in others. We must daily grow in grace and virtue, and become more like Christ. The gift of the priesthood, with a holy vow of celibacy, is a great gift of God. It helps a priest become more Christ-like, and helps prepare the priest for Eternal Life with Christ in Heaven. This is a prelude to the blessed and holy life of the Angels and Saints in Heaven, glorifying God, in union with Christ and His Most Blessed Mother. A great, wondrous, holy gift! We, too must practice well, and grow in the virtue of Chastity, according to our state in life– and seek our salvation, Eternal Life with Christ in Heaven– which He suffered and died to give us.
Christ and His Most Blessed Mother are waiting for us, daily, to ask for all the graces we need, in prayer, to help us get to Heaven! They love us very much, and want to help us to prepare for Eternal Life with them, in Heaven! So very beautiful, glorious, and holy! What must it be like, to behold the most holy, exquisitely beautiful, blessed and glorious faces of Christ, and His Most Blessed Mother, in Heaven, eternally? And to be totally filled with God’s holy, Divine Love and Light, humbly kneeling in awe and wonder, before the great throne of God, together with all the Angels and Saints?
Priests take a vow…does not mean they keep it.
Nobody is saying how to keep it.
https://opwest.org/blog/the-beauty-of-the-vow-of-chastity#:~:text=In%20the%20vow%20of%20chastity,19%3A12).
“It always strikes me how there is not any priest coming out and saying how he deals with being chaste.”….is it different from a layman dealing with chastity in marriage?
“Priests take a vow…does not mean they keep it.
Nobody is saying how to keep it.”….perhaps the question is “Can society operate without vows…not just of celibacy, chastity, poverty, obedience….but also of silence and testifying truth in court procedings? The most important vows are made to God. And perhaps the parable of the persistent widow is also example of a way to keep a vow—constant prayer:
“1
Then He told them a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said,
2
‘There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being.
3
And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’
4
For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being,
5
because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’’
6
The Lord said, ‘Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.
7
Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them?
8
I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?’”–Luke 8:1-8
Many long years ago, when I was young, priests would sonetimes talk about termptation — especially, sexual temptation. They spoke, first of all, of ways to avoid certain situations that might lead to occasions of sin. Many priests, long ago, would go out in pairs, not alone, to do their work. That provided them with support, being celibate. And if you are tempted, they would say– you should hold fast to God, and pray hard. Especially, go pray before a crucifix, and meditate on the sufferings of Christ, and ask His help. Offer up your sufferings and hardships to God, in reparation for your sins. Pray the Rosary, make the Stations of the Cross in a church, offer to God times of fasting and prayer. Try to strengthen yourself as much as possible, by God’s help, against temptation. Distract yourself, get your mind on other things. Get regular exercise, get your mind off temptation. Receive the Sacraments regularly, with good preparation, and do good spiritual reading, regularly. Go to Confession frequently. Don’t let yourself be idle or lazy, and fall into bad habits, which can lead to terrible sins. Boys and girls should socialuze with care, do not be alone together, for a long time. Never watch risqué films or read risqué books, or attend risqué dances and events. Stay close to Christ, and remain with Him.
“LGBTQ+ Catholics should have a lot more support because giving up sex for God …” Don’t forget us singles.
Reply to: that was very helpful. Thank you.
They used to talk about taking a cold shower.
I have not heard that even joked about for decades.
If you have been successful at chastity, give some helpful hints.
I find not exposing yourself to movies-not just dirty one-goes a long way.
One priest told me to watch TV or go for a walk
I wonder if having a schedule or someone to talk to might help.
And it’s nearly impossible to find a Catholic spouse because young people of marriageable age have mostly left the church. Being a young, single, practicing Catholic in a typical parish is frequently a lonely and discouraging period of suffering silently and alone.
Some find spouses at Catholic college. But even then, most don’t.
I know young people that tried Catholic dating apps and they were salted.
They also tried Catholic speed dating online during Covid but it did not really come to anything either. Made some friends.
Young Catholics have really high standards, which is good.
The person will come.
Many long years ago, we used to hear sermons on faith and morals all the time. And the need for mortification, to be strong, less attached to cravings of the flesh. Serving God, the Church and society, was emphasized– not serving yourself. For a young man to be idle, selfishly indulging in thoughts of himself, and carnality, was deemed very weak, selfish, immature and unmanly– as well as sinful. Athletics, cold showers (also a joke) and outdoors activities with other young men, helped strengthen a young man in body, mind and soul. Offering up mortifications and hardships also strengthened you. I think Pope Pius XII also had a short daily regimen, early in the morning, of a cold shower and physical exercise. In many cultures, things like a cold bath, shower or swim,, are part of health regimes, strengthening body and mind– along with hot steam baths, to cleanse body and mind. Fasting also is helpful. Of course, all of these things must be done in moderation, with good common sense. The body belongs to God– do not abuse it. A priest or doctor can be consulted, when taking up a regimen of exercise or mortification, if necessary. A young man usually prepares for a vocation of either marriage and fatherhood, or the priesthood. He must be mature, manly, strong, unselfish, ready for service to God, his spouse and family — or the Church, if a priest — as well as his community and his country. And young women should be prepared likewise for mature, unselfish service to God, their spouse and children– or the Church, if a nun– and service to their community and country. Sadly, I have heard very few sermons on these topics, since about 1970.
When young, everyone was taught that sex before marriage.
Is a mortal sin. And that is true. Christ and Our Lady are with you, on every date. Don’t do anything you would be ashamed of, in front of Christ and our Blessed Mother. Protestants likewise were taught that sex before marriage is a serious sin. It takes “three to get married” – Christ, the bride, and groom. Abp. Sheen also wrote a famous book titled, “Three to Get Married.” If you make a mistake and commit a mortal sin— run to confession ASAP.
Catholics used to be taught to cultivate a deep devotion to Our Blessed Mother. She is a beautiful Role Model for Chastity, and helps you learn that great virtue.
A long time ago, if you were a sickly priest, monk, nun or seminarian,, your doctor would tell those in charge about your capabilities, and the fact that there were some mortifications that you should not be allowed to do– such as strict Lenten fasts, etc. We once were told by a monk who was giving a retreat, that he had been very sickly and thin when young– so according to doctor’s orders, his superior made sure that he ate foods to make him stronger, and put on lots of weight!
Reply to: your posts were very good.
All Christians are called to chastity, according to their state in life. All. That means, you, too. Chastity is a core Christian virtue. Devotion to Our Blessed Mother helps Catholics to cultivate the virtue of chastity. It is one of the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit. As the Bible says, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, for which Christ suffered and died, for our salvation. Our bodies are not our own, they are Christ’s. We must see Christ in one another, with pure hearts. Those that break holy vows to God of chastity, commit mortal sins, for which they must repent.
This is in response to the comment of reply, on July 30th, at 10:56am. Thanks for your comment. I tried very hard to think of every possible thing in my memory, to put forth some information on the subject of the virtue of chastity, the holy vows of priestly celibacy, and Catholic teaching. This material needs to be a routine part of Catholic life and teaching, as it used to be. We need our Pope, all his prelates, priests and nuns, to teach and deeply inculcate all of this material, and guide Catholics daily. We really need a separate Catholic religious culture, with good,, authentically Catholic churches, schools, universities and seminaries, to help Catholics and their families to lead good lives, and remain close to Christ, apart from the evils of the Death Culture.
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
There are some things written on Outreach that seem to be desperate people looking for legitimacy.
Which is a two edged sword.
Do you really believe that every person is made in the image of God?
Do you really believe that God loves everyone?
Do you really believe that God wants everyone to be in His Church?
Do you really believe that salvation is offered to everyone?.
Do you really believe that God is all powerful?
Do you really believe that all people have dignity?
I do believe, I believe in the struggle to live a virtuous life. I understand that chastity is an act of love, that calling people to chastity gives people an opportunity to be truly free. I believe in the corporal works of mercy and the spiritual works of mercy and all they entail. I believe in divine works of mercy that give me self acceptance and a chance to live in accordance with the Gospel mandates.
I desire to surrender to God and not to my vices. How freeing to have the voice of Christ in my heart leading me on, “Go and sin no more.”
Prayer and work.
Too much free time leads to vice.
Thank you for answering.
Even when animals suffer the mental illness disorder of homosexuality it leads to death:
https://nypost.com/2023/07/27/florida-manatee-dies-after-high-intensity-sex-with-brother/
Maybe if the animals had had some females around they wouldn’t have done what they did with tragic results for the younger, smaller manatee.
No such thing as a personal truth. The only truth is the word incarnate Jesus Christ. Fir any one to claim their personal truth is a manipulation, extortion, enslavement, disorientation from the one and only objective truth
God himself creator of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. Who have proper order and purpose to all of his creation in perfect harmony.
Stop the slavery of any other truth.
https://mycatholic.life/the-my-catholic-life-series/my-catholic-morals/chapter-6-chastity-purity-affection-and-marital-love/
This resource brings up something I never thought about-that you might covet your neighbors wife for reasons other than sex. Usually I see the Ninth Commandment presented in union with the 6th, but this brings up something I had never seen before.
https://ronrolheiser.com/chastity-as-purity-of-heart-and-intention/
a shorter read
And so, dearly-beloved, let us rejoice with spiritual joy, and let us with gladness pay God worthy thanks and raise our hearts’ eyes unimpeded to those heights where Christ is. Minds that have heard the call to be uplifted must not be pressed down by earthly affections , they that are fore-ordained to things eternal must not be taken up with the things that perish; they that have entered on the way of Truth must not be entangled in treacherous snares, and the faithful must so take their course through these temporal things as to remember that they are sojourning in the vale of this world, in which, even though they meet with some attractions, they must not sinfully embrace them, but bravely pass through them. For to this devotion the blessed Apostle Peter arouses us, and entreating us with that loving eagerness which he conceived for feeding Christ’s sheep by the threefold profession of love for the Lord, says, dearly-beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul 1 Peter 2:11 . But for whom do fleshly pleasures wage war, if not for the devil, whose delight it is to fetter souls that strive after things above, with the enticements of corruptible good things, and to draw them away from those abodes from which he himself has been banished? Against his plots every believer must keep careful watch that he may crush his foe on the side whence the attack is made. And there is no more powerful weapon, dearly-beloved, against the devil’s wiles than kindly mercy and bounteous charity, by which every sin is either escaped or vanquished. But this lofty power is not attained until that which is opposed to it be overthrown. And what so hostile to mercy and works of charity as avarice from the root of which spring all evils ? And unless it be destroyed by lack of nourishment, there must needs grow in the ground of that heart in which this evil weed has taken root, the thorns and briars of vices rather than any seed of true goodness. Let us then, dearly-beloved, resist this pestilential evil and follow after charity , without which no virtue can flourish, that by this path of love whereby Christ came down to us, we too may mount up to Him, to Whom with God the Father and the Holy Spirit is honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Pope Leo the Great Sermon 74
Regarding blasphemies… Andres Serrano, has made another horrific artwork, this time, of a holy “Madonna and Child”— dunked in his own body fluid. (That is the most polite way I can describe it.) Why was he accepted at a recent Vatican gathering of artists? He ought to be in jail for religious persecution— and his works should be banned. The Pope ought to ban him from the Vatican. Well, there is an uproar and a boycott now, of eBay– because eBay is selling t-shirts imprinted with this foul artwork. Wish the Pope would publicly denounce Serrano.
I think that is from 1989.
I wanted to see if this news story is true. If you go to eBay, and type in “Andres Serrano t-shirts”– you will be very hurt and horrified, to find tons of filthy, blasphemous t-shirts, for men, women and children– all with large “art prints” of Serrano’s so-called art. The “Madonna and Child” one, the “Crucifix” one, etc.– all dunked in…
Why would the Vatican invite this artist and photographer with his despicable works to a gathering of artists? The Pope and the Vatican should condemn these so called artistic works. I guess Almighty God will have the final say in the end.