Jesuit priest cites Pope Francis in praising Catholic student activism backing gay marriage

LifeSIte News ^ | Fri Jan 24, 2014 | Matthew Archbold

[ebb tide]

A Jesuit parish priest who marched in a homosexual parade is now citing Pope Francis to protest the dismissal of an Eastside Catholic High School vice principal following his same-sex marriage, according to the priest’s Facebook site.

In December, The Cardinal Newman Society reported on the forced resignation of Vice Principal Mark Zmuda at a Catholic high school in the Archdiocese of Seattle.

Students at Eastside Catholic High School subsequently created a petition at Change.org, calling on the Catholic Church to end its opposition to same-sex marriage. The students are also reportedly planning a “Z day” nationwide protest on January 31 to support Zmuda and urge a change in Church teaching.

In light of the burgeoning protests, Father John Whitney, S.J., wrote in his piece entitled “The Acts of the Orange and Blue Apostles” that he believes Pope Francis would approve of the students’ protests and that they are an example that other Catholics should follow:

…Over the last year, and especially as I have listened to Pope Francis speak of the need for “uproar” by religious, or call young people to make “a mess” in their dioceses. Like many, I have been refreshed and renewed not by some great doctrinal changes, but by the absence of fear expressed in the words of the Holy Father; by his trust in the workings of the Holy Spirit and his passion for courageous acts of faith—even acts that risk error or end in failure. For Francis, it seems, the timidity of tightly held borders, the safe-harbor of accepted opinion and doctrinal purity risks a greater sin—a greater loss to the Church—than the dangerous paths of love and welcome. Ships may be safe within the harbor, but that is not what ships are for. Like the Church of Acts, Francis calls today’s Church to a fearless proclamation of Christ and the Gospel, even though trying to understand such a proclamation may lead us to conflict and disruption.

In the last few weeks, the students of Eastside Catholic High School, and their companions from other schools in the area, have given us an example of the kind of passionate discernment, motivated by the Gospel, that characterizes an important dimension of Catholic education—and, indeed, should characterize our faith both in and out of school. Regardless of the particulars of this situation (and personnel issues may have complexities I do not know), these students have spoken up as products of Catholic education, as women and men motivated by the Spirit and by their own experience of grace. Though it is a painful time, their teachers and their parents should be proud of the Gospel spirit that has been planted in these young hearts. Likewise, we in the broader Church should be grateful for the mess these young people bring, and should listen with compassion and openness to the Spirit that moves within them. Their love, their gentleness, their quest to make of the Church “the home of all, not a small chapel that can hold only a small group of selected people,” demands more than the silence of authority; it demands communion and engagement with the Church—i.e., education, direction, dialogue—since their spirit is a sign of the Church and is life-blood for the Church. May we engage, with fearless love, at the side of our younger sisters and brothers; and may we trust in the God whose Church we are all becoming.

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Fr. Whitney defended his marching in the Seattle gay pride parade in his parish bulletin and invited parishioners to join him. In that bulletin, he compared the Church’s teaching to Old Testament dietary restrictions.

In a 2012 interview with NPR, he called the bishops’ position defending traditional marriage “a denial of civil rights.”

Reprinted with permission from Catholic Education Daily, an online publication of The Cardinal Newman Society. Click here for e-mail updates and free online membership with The Cardinal Newman Society.

[allendale]

It is ultimately the responsibility of the Archbishop to uphold, defend and teach the Catholic faith. It may be painful. Many will leave, some parishes and schools will close but it is far better than tolerating heresy and misleading the faithful.

[Mrs. Don-o]

400 priests have been removed from clerical ministry (LINK) over the last 2 years ---

Keep in mind that the Vatican has no enforceable means of subpoenaing evidence or witnesses, and is not going to toss out priests on the basis of allegations alone. Of course, and rightly, there's the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. But as soon as there's credible evidence, out they go.

Do click on the link, it's enlightening. Pope Benedict took huge and courageous initiatives which generally didn't get publicity at the time. And now there are homosexuals, and people in the mafia, and people in the "homosexual mafia" who probably want to kill Pope Francis.

Watch and pray.

[lee martell]

How many hills in Pelosi’s city of S.F.? I’m tempted to guess the number is about 666, give or take a sand dune.

[Mrs. Don-o]

As I understand it, he was envisioning domestic partnership of a sort which would not necessarily imply sexual relations: in other words, a stable household consisting of two elderly widows, a grandmother and her grandchild, a father and his adult handicapped son, two unrelated men, in short, any such housemates.

It could be two sexually involved men or two lesbians, but in itself it would not imply sexual relations.

This legislation, as I understand it, was a non-starter in Argentina.

Sexual dissenters, however, are still being excommunicated by Pope Francis (LINK).

[Steve_Seattle]

The archbishop doesn’t seem to be showing much leadership. I admit I have been avoiding this issue because it angers me so much, but I have seen no headlines in the local paper indicating that the archbishop has forcefully defended Catholic teaching. Maybe I’ve missed it, but it has been tepid enough that it CAN be missed.

[allendale]

The world will be watching Seattle. It would seem this Jesuit Whitney and people like him will lead a “Catholic” mob to pressure a Catholic educational institution to accept as a Teacher and role model to Catholic youth, a man who openly violates Catholic doctrine. How the Archbishop and ultimately the Pope deals with this challenge will be telling.

[Steve_Seattle]

It has been known for many years that in some localities - particularly in the US - Catholic institutions have been captured by liberals with only a passing allegiance to church doctrine, and in many cases an active opposition to it. There is also a very strong gay presence in the clergy, the schools, and the bureaucracies. I think that is obviously the case here in Seattle. If a local archbishop unequivocally asserted Catholic doctrine in this environment, he would probably have to shut down half of the churches and most of the schools.

[allendale]

The only defense you can make of the Archbishop’s lack of public speech is that thus far Eastern Christian has done the right thing. This man has left the school and the “independent board” of Eastern Christian has not placed the institution in violation of Catholic doctrine. If it does, then he must act or he will be clearly negligent. This Jesuit Whitney is carefully parsing his words, pushing the envelope and comes close to misleading his parish into heresy. When he does, he too will need to be removed.

[SubMareener]

If I recall correctly, Saint John was astonished when the identity of the Harlot was reviled to him. I am not sure whether that argues for her being Rome, or not. Since this is a post-Rapture event, I don’t expect to be here to find out. Nor do I expect Pope Francis or Pope Benedict to be here either. With true saints removed from the Roman Catholic Church, the “Gay Lobby” would have quite a nice time. At least for 3 1/2 years.

[maxwellsmart_agent]

A Jesuit! Enough said. Remember those kooks the Berrigan brothers? Think back. Alot of crazy stuff came out of the Jesuits. They are an elitest group who think they are superior to everyone else. Look at this goof trying to twist the Pope’s words to fit his agenda.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Fr.Daniel Berrigan (ow 93) is a Jesuit. His brother, Philip, was a Josephite priest for 20 years, then left the order and married. He is now deceased

[maxwellsmart_agent]

Thanks! I wonder how God holds them in his memory.

[aimhigh]

If a local archbishop unequivocally asserted Catholic doctrine in this environment, he would probably have to shut down half of the churches and most of the schools.

If he can't teach truth, then what's the point of keep such churches and schools open? They just spread the infection.

[ebb tide]

Do click on the link, it's enlightening. Pope Benedict took huge and courageous initiatives which generally didn't get publicity at the time.

I'm quite aware of pope- emiritus Benedict's actions, and I miss him dearly. However, Pope Benedict is not mentioned in the article; the article is all about Francis enabling a pro-homo Jesuit.

Pope Francis has recently promoted a well known twinkle-toes, Monsignor Battista Ricca to Prelate of the Institute for Works of Religion, while, at the same time, removing the Superior of the Franciscans of the Immaculate and putting the fox, Fr. Volpi in position to destroy that religious order.

[ebb tide]

It's not an isolated problem within the Jesuit order. It's endemic.

Jesuits produce “All Are Welcome” pro-homosexual lifestyle video series

[BlatherNaut]

And Cardinal Burke's replacement is another unfortunate personnel decision:

" So. Our Christmas present from the Holy Father is none other than Donald Cardinal Wuerl, who will now be more influential than he ever was in appointing new Bishops. George Neumyer writes about the smug Cardinal at the American Spectator. The "Jadot Faction" has returned with a vengeance. It was the extremely strange Jean Jadot who gave us such exemplary prelates as John Quinn, Kenneth Untener, Raymond Hunthausen, Peter Gerety, Bernard Law, James Hickey and Rembert Weakland among other notables. These men were called Jadot's, well....."boys". I wonder why? Now we have the homo-friendly Donald Wuerl influencing new Bishops. His decisions will be with us for a long time. Apparently that certain Mafia in the Church - the one that Pope Francis said that he would see what he could do about it - is still more than a little influential. He has risen to the position because of his service to the Church we are told. One example of that service was his public humiliation and hounding of a good priest for refusing Holy Communion to an obnoxious, extremely fat and loud-mouthed lesbian Buddhist last year. Why do men such as Wuerl rise to such prominence in the Holy Catholic Church? "

http://theeye-witness.blogspot.com/2013/12/wuerl-girl.html

[ebb tide]

Wuerl, Ricca, O’Malley, Maradiaga, Volpi, etc.

At least the Bishop of Rome is consistent in his promotions of liberals.

[Mrs. Don-o]

"I have listened to Pope Francis speak of the need for “uproar” by religious, or call young people to make “a mess” in their dioceses.....Francis calls today’s Church to a fearless proclamation of Christ and the Gospel, even though trying to understand such a proclamation may lead us to conflict and disruption."

The above is a reference to Pope Francis, quoted by this pro-homosexualist Jesuit, Fr.John Whitney. This does not show Francis "enabling" a Whitney, but rather Whitney trying to use Francis.

Read it again: a "fearless proclamation of Christ and the Gospel" does not equal advocacy of sodomy, and making an "uproar" for the Lord, does not mean creating a moral catastrophe for the Church.

In short, this whole thing is on Whitney, not on Pope Francis.

On your second point: you claim that POpe Francis promoted a "well-known twinkletoes, Msgr. Ricca."

Unless you know with moral certainty that Ricca is a sodomite, this statement of yours constitutes slander by insinuation (since I assume that by "twinkletoes" you mean "sodomite," not Irish step dancer.) It requires, from you or anyone who repeats it, not just repentance but restitution.

[ebb tide]

I know with certainty that Ricca is a sodomite.

The intimacy of the relations between Ricca and Haari was so open as to scandalize numerous bishops, priests, and laity of that little South American country, not last the sisters who attended to the nunciature.

The new nuncio, Janusz Bolonek of Poland, who arrived in Montevideo at the beginning of 2000, also found that “ménage” intolerable immediately, and informed the Vatican authorities about it, insisting repeatedly to Haari that he should leave. But to no use, given his connections with Ricca.

In early 2001 Ricca also got into a scrape over his reckless conduct. One day, having gone as on other occasions - in spite of the warnings he had received - to Bulevar Artigas, to a meeting place for homosexuals, he was beaten and had to call some priests to take him back to the nunciature, with his face swollen.

[ebb tide]

On this score, I was told by three sources in Argentina that the Times basically got it right: Bergoglio did, in fact, favor civil unions.

That was confirmed on background by two senior officials of the bishops’ conference in Argentina, both of whom worked with Bergoglio and took part in the behind-the-scenes discussions as the conference tried to shape its position.

“Bergoglio supported civil unions,” one of those officials told me.

Mariano de Vedia, a veteran journalist for La Nación, has covered church/state issues in Argentina for years and said he could confirm Bergoglio’s position had been correctly described in the Times account.

Guillermo Villarreal, a Catholic journalist in Argentina, said it was well known at the time that Bergoglio’s moderate position was opposed by Archbishop Héctor Rubén Agüer of La Plata, the leader of the hawks. The difference was not over whether to oppose gay marriage, but how ferociously to do so and whether there was room for a compromise on civil unions.

Villareal described the standoff over gay [sic] marriage as the only vote Bergoglio ever lost during his six years as president of the conference. [N.B. The “vote” was a majority of the Bishops’ Conference in Argentina overruling the then-Cardinal’s civil union endorsement.]

http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2013/04/ncr-report-from-argentina-bergoglio-did.html