they should tell him to go pound sand...
Posted on 01/05/2012 11:41:03 PM PST by Brian Kopp DPM
Thursday, January 05, 2012 at 1:57 pm
“There ought not be open dissension on this issue,” is the message the Catholic hierarchy is telling priests in Minnesota — “this issue” being same-sex marriage.
In a private speech to Minnesota’s priests last October, Archbishop John C. Nienstedt said that any priest who disagreed with the church’s efforts to place a constitutional ban on marriage for same-sex couples should remain silent. Any disagreements should be brought to him personally, he said. The Catholic Church in Minnesota has been a driving force for the anti-same-sex-marriage amendment since it passed onto the 2012 ballot last May.
Nienstedt later sent the text of that speech to priests who were unable to participate in the gathering. Someone in the church recently leaked the text to the Progressive Catholic Voice, a group working for reform within the church. On Thursday, PCV published statements condemning Nienstedt’s speech.
In the speech, Nienstedt told the priests he expects participation in getting the amendment passed from everyone within the church:
It is my expectation that all the priests and deacons in this Archdiocese will support this venture and cooperate with us in the important efforts that lie ahead. The gravity of this struggle, and the radical consequences of inaction propels me to place a solemn charge upon you all — on your ordination day, you made a promise to promote and defend all that the Church teaches. I call upon that promise in this effort to defend marriage. There ought not be open dissension on this issue. If any have personal reservations, I do not wish that they be shared publicly. If anyone believes in conscience that he cannot cooperate, I want him to contact me directly and I will plan to respond personally.
Nienstedt also noted that he’s created teams of “a priest and a married couple” to go into Catholic schools to talk about the amendment.
In a public statement, various members of Progressive Catholic Voice said the Archbishop’s direction is unbelievable.
“When I first read this letter I couldn’t believe that the Archbishop was telling priests and deacons to be silent if they were opposed to the marriage amendment,” said Paula Ruddy, parishioner at Minneapolis’ St. Boniface. “Is one’s position on whether the State constitution should be amended a matter of Church doctrine? How are Catholics to form their consciences if their pastors are not candid with them?”
Ruddy is also a member of the editorial board of the Progressive Catholic Voice.
That group’s editor, Michael Bayly, called the speech problematic.
“The Archbishop’s letter is problematic in many ways,” he said. “As a gay man, I find it particularly offensive that he can’t even bring himself to name gay and lesbian people. We’re simply a ‘minority’ seemingly out to destroy the church and civilization. Such an absurd caricature would be funny if not for the hurtful and damaging consequences to individuals, couples and families resulting from the Archbishop’s anti-marriage equality activism.”
Minnesota’s Catholic hierarchy has come under intense scrutiny over its support for the anti-gay constitutional amendment.
In the run-up to the 2010 gubernatorial election, the church sent out approximately 400,000 DVDs and mailings urging Catholics to vote for Republican Tom Emmer, the only candidate in the race who opposed marriage equality for same-sex couples and a staunch Catholic.
The campaign, paid for by an anonymous donor and produced by the Knight of Columbus, sparked protests against the church.
More recently, the Archdiocese’s lobbying wing, the Minnesota Catholic Conference, has joined with the National Organization for Marriage and the Minnesota Family Council to form the Minnesota for Marriage Coalition, a group dedicated to passing the amendment in November.
There is nothing festive about sodomy.
Ruddy is also a member of the editorial board of the Progressive Catholic Voice.
It's obvious that Ms. Ruddy would feel far more at home in a church where the congregants picked their pastors rather than having them appointed by the hierarchy, i.e. not the Catholic Church, and equally obvious that she has already formed her conscience. Also, that if she belonged to a church where the congregants picked their pastors, and the pastor opposed homosexual marriage, that pastor would not have Ms. Ruddy's vote for renewal of his/her contract. The United Church of Christ, perhaps? ECLA? Ms. Ruddy, a world of churches awaits you.
Ruddy is also a member of the editorial board of the Progressive Catholic Voice.
It's obvious that Ms. Ruddy would feel far more at home in a church where the congregants picked their pastors rather than having them appointed by the hierarchy, i.e. not the Catholic Church, and equally obvious that she has already formed her conscience.
Also, that if she belonged to a church where the congregants picked their pastors, and the pastor according to his/her conscience opposed homosexual marriage, that pastor would not have Ms. Ruddy's vote for renewal of his/her contract.
The United Church of Christ, perhaps? ECLA? Ms. Ruddy, a world of churches awaits you.
but that would be no fun. they want to punk the main rcc. no namby pamby substitutes for them.
Nicely put. This amendment needs to be passed. And progressives who would attempt to change the Church need to change their way of unthinking, or get the heck out of dodge. I would hope that their choice would be to realize that the Church isn’t a democracy, will never support the sort of awful dreck and perversion they want, and repent. But I’m not holding my breath.
As far as I am concerned any Catholic who supports Same Sex marriage needs to find themselves another religion.
That includes Priests , Nuns, and Lay people.
You either believe in the teaching of the Church or find yourself another one.
Coupulation between members of the same sex is not a normal act which should be recognised by calling it a marriage.
That includes Priests , Nuns, and Lay people.
You either believe in the teaching of the Church or find yourself another one.
Let me generalize this a bit.
Any person who supports same sex marriage is not, and cannot be, a Christian (Catholic or Protestant). How can you claim to follow Christ and yet stand for what He calls abomination. No homosexual will go to heaven. (1 Cor 6:9-10)
When will HOMOSEXUAL Males explain their Lifestyle isn’t a DEATH sentence? a 50-50 chance to live to age 65.. average age of death 45..Their definition of Monogamy is 3 or fewer partners.
“Male and female, he created them, saying, Go forth, be fertile and multiply.” (paraphrasing)
It is absolutely a matter of Church doctrine, and not just the Roman Catholic Church; and I'm not Roman Catholic.
Excellent!
I’m pleased to see a Bishop that will properly back Church doctrine.
What part of the Catechism is it that “progressives” in the Catholic Church are having a hard time understanding?
If you are Catholic you cannot support homosexual “marriage.”
Can’t do it.
Your Pastor is candidly telling you, Mizzzzzzzz Ruddy, that faggotry is evil.
As a committed faggot, Mr. Bayly, you have dedicated your life to grave, ungodly evil. You celebrate perversion, and blasphemously proclaim it good.
May God grant you the grace of repentance and conversion.
This archbishop should NOT allow them to be silent; that logic is how Dems win elections in “Catholic” states. Jesus didn’t send out His apostles to “not offend”; He told them to spread the Word of God.
Pius XI had his encyclical condemning racism & Nazism read from every pulpit in Germany’s catholic Churches on Palm Sunday 1937; he didn’t leave it up to the priests to “translate” or “soften” it. He led, and his clergy followed (some to their deaths).
It really is sad that there are spies in the churches these days. It is almost like the United States versus the Soviet Union. I fear that the church should have put it’s foot down decades ago. Too many Catholics are Democrats and it is the cart pulling the horse, with the Democrats being the true religion of many liberal “Catholics”.
Haven’t these homos ever noticed that nature is heterosexual since their are TWO sexes instead of one. If nature were homosexual there would be only one sex and nature would have worked out some way to reproduced with one sex. This issue always reminds me of that old joke, “Who do you believe, me or your lying eyes?”. The homos are actually telling us that our eyes are lying to us and we should listen to them.
An ecumenical “thumbs up” for the Bishop.
you know one would have thought this was rocket science.
they should tell him to go pound sand...
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