Posted on 05/01/2004 2:10:36 PM PDT by Phx_RC
Priestly pedophilia a homosexual problem - Letter of May 5, 2004
Columnist Mary K. Reinhart (Tribune, Saturday) has attributed thoughts to Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted that are false. He "doesn’t want gays and lesbians in his church," as she writes. What he and the Vatican do not want are sexually active men in the priesthood, homosexual or otherwise.
It may have escaped Rinehart’s notice that more than 90 percent of the victims of sexual abuse in the Church have been teenage boys, not prepubescent children. That is a homosexual problem, not a pedophile problem.
The doors of too many seminaries were thrown open to homosexuals during the sexual revolution of the 1960s, despite a Vatican directive in 1961 that forbade their entry. The head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Bishop Wilton Gregory, has stated, "The Catholic Church is locked in an ongoing struggle to make sure that the priesthood is not dominated by homosexual men."
Thank God we finally have a bishop in the Phoenix diocese that knows which end is up. If it all adds up to homophobia in Rinehart’s eyes, too bad.
KENNETH R. FOOTE
MESA
Compassion need not include acceptance - Letter of May 7, 2004
Mary K. Reinhart’s acknowledgment, midway in her diatribe (Tribune, Saturday) against Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, reveals her ignorance about Catholic teaching on homosexuality when she states she is no religious scholar.
Catholic teaching does not condone violence or discrimination against men and women because of any perceived sexual orientation. Nevertheless, and this is where the Roman Catholic clergy who signed the of the Phoenix Declaration erred and have rightly been called to correct their actions, the Catholic Church goes on to state that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered and "[u]nder no circumstances can they be approved."
The Phoenix Declaration, as it is written, could lead Catholics into a situation where, because of the misguided actions by some clergy in signing it, they may conduct themselves in a manner they think is not improper while jeopardizing their eternal souls.
I don’t expect Reinhart to understand this; she is not a religious scholar. However, I expect Bishop Olmsted to understand this and act to safeguard Catholics in our diocese from being misled. Furthermore, there is nothing inconsistent with embracing all of God’s children with respect, compassion, and sensitivity and denying acceptance of immoral conduct.
BILL MONTGOMERY
GILBERT
THE VENT - MAY 04, 2004 - East Valley Opinion
The Vent is your chance to sound off: Phone comments to (480) 898-6806
-
"One of the biggest problems with today’s society is that too many people are trying to put a question mark where God puts a period."
-
"I agree with one thing Mary K. Reinhart in her Saturday column: She is definitely no Bible scholar. Neither am I. But if she would read Romans 1, she would see (that) the New Testament condemns homosexuality as well as the Old Testament."
-
"Father (Jack) Cunningham did something good and positive for the Catholic religion and gets suspended, while other priests who molest children, are still allowed to celebrate Mass with nothing done against them. That’s wrong."
-
"Just to set the record straight: Parishioners of the Gilbert parish of Father John Cunningham are not just ‘irked’ at the bishop. We are furious!"
-
"How about pro-choice before conception and pro-life after? That should make everyone happy."
-
THE VENT - MAY 05, 2004 - East Valley Opinion
-
"I’m also a parishioner at St. Mary Magdalene’s. Just to set the record straight, not all of us are upset at what happened to Father John Cunningham. What he (is accused of doing) was against Church law and what he’s going to get is a natural consequence of his actions."
-
Orders to pro-gay rights priests dismaying - Letter of May 9, 2004
I was extremely disappointed and dismayed by the directive issued by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted requiring the nine Catholic priests to remove their names from the statement that they signed last year affirming gay rights and denouncing discrimination against them.
Like most Catholics in the Phoenix diocese, I welcomed Bishop Olmsted as our new leader with the hope that he would put an end to all the turmoil and chaos that our diocese has endured for the past few years. I had hoped that he would bring a new enlightenment and renewed sense of community among all Catholics. Unfortunately, the opposite seems to be happening.
As a member of St. Bridget's Parish, I am proud to say I personally know two of the priests who signed that document.
How could it possibly be wrong to condemn hatred and intolerance, and to promote love, compassion and dignity for all?
How could it possibly be wrong to welcome all people into the faith community and to apologize to those who have been excluded by church leaders in the past?
That is exactly what Father John Cunningham, Father Scott Brubaker and seven other priests have done by signing the statement signed by 120 religious leaders of all denominations. Rather than requiring these men to recant their beliefs, why isn't Bishop Olmsted joining them? Is that not the true meaning of Christianity?
LINDA A. SOMO, MESA
Bishop's stance is correct and praiseworthy - Letter of May 9, 2004
I am not Catholic but I applaud the stance Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted has taken regarding condoning homosexual behavior, and pray he stays the course.
Mary K. Reinhart's Saturday column was obviously based on a very shallow understanding of Christianity.
She quotes the stringent consequences of Mosaic law concerning sin to justify the fact that Christianity should not just tolerate outsiders, but rather include all people, without regard to their morality or holiness, in the church.
She also distorts the truth. For example, a childless widow was to marry her dead husband's brother, not have sex with all his brothers until she conceived an heir! Read Deuteronomy 25:5-9. Reinhart obviously is attempting to ridicule and discredit the Bible.
While the New Testament does teach love of God and neighbor, it also teaches obedience to God and holy living.
The New Testament teaches a new covenant that supercedes the judgments of the Mosaic law for all who are in Christ.
If you want to sin and be a homosexual, go right on ahead! But please do not bring the practices into the Christian church of God and defile what was meant to be holy, and do not call yourself a Christian.
DEBBIE JACQUES, CHANDLER
LINDA A. SOMO, MESA
Has this woman even read the declaration that these priests signed, and the ambiguity of it? Has this woman even wondered why the many other priests in the Diocese did not sign this declaration because condoning homosexuality (the act/sin) is contrary to Scripture and The Church? And she can't figure out just why our Bishop Olmstead is remaining faithful to The Church here?
One word she used (I might be wrong) completely gives her away..."enlightenment"
I had hoped that he would bring a new enlightenment and renewed sense of community
The pompous me wants to shout, "smells of infected liberalism". This diocese and it's some of it's parishoners need a refresher teaching in The Catechism of The Catholic Church, and need to pay more attention to the details.
Or am I missing something here?
Exactly. This is the reason Fr. Cunningham's parishoners have reacted in the manner they have so far. They don't know what they don't know.
have you updated this list yet? I know some names that are not on the list?
**The leader of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix made that abundantly clear this week when he ordered nine priests to remove their names from a statement they signed last year affirming gay rights and denouncing discrimination against them.**
Woohoo!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.