Saint Monica
Posted on 03/27/2007 10:09:04 AM PDT by NYer
Sadly, I have been placed in an analogous situation twice. The advantage of having an old Irish priest with a lot of miles on him is that he gives excellent advice (as is given above as well). In both cases, he said that if questioned about my refusal, to simply tell the party that in the eyes of the Church, there is no wedding to speak of! So, for example, would someone attend a birthday party and bring a gift when the person being celebrated doesn't even show up?
The responses I got were incredible. Yes, some of the family was not happy. However, other good, solid Catholics pulled me aside at later events and told me they wish "they had the guts to take that stand." They hadn't for fear of being disliked.
Thanks for posting this NYer. This situation is going to grow more and more common. To consent by your participation or acceptance is giving horrible Witness to the Gospel. I am reminded of a friend--an Orthodox mother-- who told her son she would not attend his wedding if it was not held in a Church, and her son and his fiancee relented. That is tough love!
Amen, Mother. You realize the full impact of that Gospel (it is a Fr. Corapi favorite). The Prodigal Son is ALL of us! God is filled with Divine Mercy and wants us with Him for eternity. However, WE must take that first step and ask forgiveness. He gave us free will to decline His offer!
*************
It is indeed! A good mother, she has my respect and admiration.
A hypothetical....
There is a priest. He is asked to "co-preside" at the wedding of his nephew. It is to be held at a Lutheran Church and the woman is divorced. This will be her second marriage and the children resulting will be raised Lutheran.
Can the priest attend and "Witness" the wedding? One last thing, he baptized his nephew and saw him raised in the Faith.
Thank you, Monica! ;-o)
Letting children play with dynamite might stop them from wailing and from temper tantrums. It is not in their best interest, however. Especially when a soul is at stake. Witness Fr. Corapi's mom, for example. She was St. Monica too.
I'm with sandyeggo and oldandtired...let he who is without sin cast the first stone.
You're not inviting these people into your house to have sex on your living room floor. You're inviting them to a family event.
No!
So you are saying that you condone their lifestyle, is this correct?
That is a unique interpretation.
I can't believe some of the people on this thread. (Not you.)
What ever happened to simple Christian charity.
"Whatsoever you do to the least of my brethren, that you have done unto Me"...said the Lord and Master.
I'm with you.
"In the end, there are these three: Faith, Hope, and Charity.
And the greatest of these is Charity."
That was offensive.
"'m with sandyeggo and oldandtired...let he who is without sin cast the first stone.
You're not inviting these people into your house to have sex on your living room floor. You're inviting them to a family event."
Exactly! I can't figure out how these "families" think that the sin of someone else is somehow going to pervert the gathering. If that were the case, no one would have family gatherings ever!
I agree. What ever happened to 'love the sinner, hate the sin'?
I think this sort of thing has to be taken on a case by case basis. There are, perhaps, times when inviting them over is the best course of action and times when not inviting them over would be.
If the homosexual relative couldn't keep it together during the event and would continually fawn over the "boyfriend" then it would be no, to protect MY family. If I thought that being a Christ-like (to the best of my pathetic ability) witness would serve the relative best, I'd invite him.
In any event, each situation like that would require much prayer.
Jesus told the Truth. All of it, friend...
Luke, chapter 6 "But woe to you that are rich, for you have received you
Luke, chapter 6 . "Woe to you that are full now, for you shall hunger.
Luke, chapter 6 u shall hunger. "Woe to you that laugh now, for you shall mourn and
Luke, chapter 6 . "Woe to you, when all men speak well of you, for so
Luke, chapter 10 . "Woe to you, Chora'zin! woe to you, Beth-sa'ida! for i
Luke, chapter 10 you, Chora'zin! woe to you, Beth-sa'ida! for if the mighty works do
Luke, chapter 11 "But woe to you Pharisees! for you tithe mint and rue an
Luke, chapter 11 s. Woe to you Pharisees! for you love the best seat in t
Luke, chapter 11 s. Woe to you! for you are like graves which are not s
Luke, chapter 11 And he said, "Woe to you lawyers also! for you load men with burd
Luke, chapter 11 s. Woe to you! for you build the tombs of the prophets
Luke, chapter 11 n. Woe to you lawyers! for you have taken away the key
atthew, chapter 11 . "Woe to you, Chora'zin! woe to you, Beth-sa'ida! for
Matthew, chapter 11 ou, Chora'zin! woe to you, Beth-sa'ida! for if the mighty works done
Matthew, chapter 23 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! beca
Matthew, chapter 23 n. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for yo
Matthew, chapter 23 . "Woe to you, blind guides, who say,
Matthew, chapter 23 . "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for
Matthew, chapter 23 ! "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for
Matthew, chapter 23 . "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for
Matthew, chapter 23 . "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for
He couldn't attend of course, and it broke his heart in more ways than one. It was a long story...
We have been taught today that the greatest sin is "intolerance."
F
Frank, I really can't make any sense of your citations. The Pharisees were EXACTLY the sort of folk who would deny people entrance to their homes because the potential guests didn't meet the definition of holiness as outlined in Jewish law.
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