Gay Catholics Push for Church Weddings

Aletelia ^ | July 29, 2015 | JOHN BURGER

[NYer]

When the Supreme Court ruling came down in late June, extending the right to marriage to members of the same sex in all 50 states, some observers felt that the Catholic Church was fairly immune to any requirements that it would have to allow same-sex weddings before her altars.

Now, though, calls for the Church to allow such nuptials are bubbling up. How far they will get is another question.

The issue was raised Tuesday by a report in the New York Times that featured “gay and transgender Catholics” who are making noises with the approaching visit to these shores of Pope Francis. And the noises are not exactly joyful.

“While some American conservatives are eager to see Pope Francis make use of his popularity on this trip to advance the fight against abortion and same-sex marriage, gay Catholics want him to acknowledge their rejection by the Church, and to welcome them as full members with equal access to sacraments like baptism and marriage,” the report said.

The article’s lede focused on an incident in which a young transgendered Catholic was put off by another member of the congregation who, perhaps indiscreetly, suggested that the person not go up to receive Communion.

While such an incident cannot be taken as emblematic of an entire Church’s collective treatment of “sexual minorities,” as some like to call homosexuals and persons who believe they were born with a body of the wrong sex, the Times found several people who believe otherwise. In fact, the paper said, “a large group of gay and transgender Catholics...are seeking a meeting with the Pope during his first visit to the United States, in September, pushing him to take a stand on the issues of sexuality and gender that are increasingly dividing Catholics and causing rancor in the Church.”

Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive director of DignityUSA, said that many homosexual Catholics face constant torture in the Church, in situations ranging from denial for a child’s baptism or hearing something offensive in a homily. She wants to meet with Pope Francis when he comes, to share such “stories of pain and alienation,” which “do real harm to people.”

“It needs to end,” she said.

A July 5 press release issued by Dignity, which has been denied Catholic status by the Church because it advances viewpoints contrary to doctrine, said that members meeting for the organization’s national convention voted to begin advocating for “equal access to all of the sacraments of the Catholic Church for LGBT people and their families.”

“We can’t be fully equal if we are barred from any of our Church’s sacraments,” said Duddy-Burke. “Right now, we are officially banned from marriage and ordination, and often denied other sacraments, as well."

Earlier this month, the Episcopal Church in the United States voted to allow sacramental wedding ceremonies of same-sex couples. 

Dignity’s convention took place in the bright afterglow of the Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges decision, which said any remaining state laws banning same-sex “marriage” are unconstitutional. At the same time, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops expressed support for a congressional bill that would help protect the Church and other religious institutions under the new “law of the land.” The First Amendment Defense Act, introduced by Sen. Mike Lee, R-UT, and Rep. Raul Labrador, R-ID, would prohibit the federal government from discriminating against individuals and organizations based upon their religious beliefs or moral convictions that marriage is the union of one man and one woman or that sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage. For such individuals and organizations, the Act provides broad protections, including in the areas of federal contracts, grants, employment, and tax-exempt status.

The push for a meeting of same-sex-attracted Catholics with Pope Francis runs contrary to one of the main reasons for the Pontiff’s first American visit. The last event on his five-day schedule will be in Philadelphia: the closing Mass for the World Meeting of Families, a triennial event meant to strengthen the natural family founded on the marriage of a man and woman. The Church and many Catholics have been supporting such initiatives as a way to counter the growing acceptance of “alternative” relationships and families.

That’s not stopping some from pushing a different agenda, of course. The Times reports that about 14 families with gay or transgender members have registered to attend the World Meeting of Families. Deb Word, president of Fortunate Families, a support group for Catholic parents seeking full inclusion of their gay children in the church, said her group applied to have a table in the exhibit hall, but was rejected.
 

“We wanted to go and share resources on how you can safeguard your child’s long-term health by using loving acceptance in your home. It doesn’t sound like a scary message, does it?” said Ms. Word…. In Philadelphia, she will be wearing a small rainbow ribbon pin and carrying a bag of literature for Catholics she meets who express interest.

As the Times pointed out, though the Pope’s words during an in-flight interview, “Who am I to judge?” have been interpreted to mean that he is open to a new understanding of homosexuality in the Church, he has perhaps more often spoken out strongly in support of orthodoxy. On a visit to the Philippines in January, Pope Francis said that “the family is threatened by growing efforts” to “redefine the very institution of marriage,” the Times noted. He also criticized wealthy Western countries for imposing their ideas about gender on developing countries, calling it “ideological colonization.”

A month later, he was quoted in a book saying that “gender theory,” which holds that gender is a social construct, is one of the great modern dangers to humanity, like nuclear weapons.
 

[48th SPS Crusader]

So you desire to mock God even further?

[RobbyS]

That seems about right.

[I want the USA back]

They think the Church does what it does because of a rule that it made. Not it all. The Church’s practice conforms to the Natural Law, embedded in all creatures.

[Still Thinking]

There is no such thing as a gay Catholic.

If I understand Church doctrine (and I'm not a Catholic, nor do I play one on TV) correctly, that's not correct. I believe homosexual orientation is accepted, just not active practice of homosexual sex. IOW, hate the sin, love the sinner (as are we all).

[kosciusko51]

That being said, if I was a Catholic parishioner, I would want the priest to bar them from communion until they repented of their sin. That is what I would want in my church as well.

[Defiant]

I think the notion that there are people that God created who are genetically gay is not based in sound theology. That there are people who engage in homosexual acts, and may develop some kind of attraction for same sex persons during their lifetime is a fact of life, but I don’t believe, and I don’t think the Church believed, historically, that a person “is” gay. They are man and woman, and the Church believes they should act within the confines of marriage, and if they do not, then they have committed sin, for which they should seek foregiveness. However, I think that “being gay” in the sense that these people mean it, as an intrinsic part of their personality, is something that is compatible with being Catholic. If you are Catholic, you seek to overcome your sinful inclinations and be what God created you to be.

[jmaroneps37]

The truth is coming out now. The Catholic Church is and always has been the target of phony gay “marriage.” I predict here as I have before: at sometime soon a non-threatening gay couple probably two women will ask Cardinal Dolan of New York to marry them in St. Patrick’s Cathedral. They will do so with a cab waiting outside. When they get turned away as they will, they will run right down to 26 Federal Plaza to file a federal lawsuit demanding the Church either marry them or be stripped of her tax exemption. The Church will still say no and the war will be on.
When people in the pews hear the Federal government is bankrolling about 60 to 80% of Catholic Charities across the country they will demand the Catholic Church get out of the social services business. The money that they would be giving away would then go to paying taxes. If need be the next thing to go will be Catholic schools. Eventually many “fair weather” Catholics will leave but the ones who stay will be stronger in their faith.

[NKP_Vet]

There is also no such thing as same-sex “marriage”. Marriage is the union of one man and one woman and all the Anthony Kennedys in the world cant change that basic fact. I could give a damn less what some liberal or faggot thinks about the truth.

[RichInOC]

“Right now, we are officially banned from marriage and ordination, and often denied other sacraments, as well.”

Actually, no, you’ve never been banned from the sacraments, you just couldn’t (and can’t) have them on the terms you want.

[Tax-chick]

What goes unmentioned is that in Catholic teaching all people—gay and straight, married and single—are called to chastity. There are not different standards or expectations for gays from everyone else.

Not that many "straight" people are interested in chastity as the Church defines it. We'd be in a very different situation if they were.

[Tax-chick]

If I recall correctly, I predicted that the first lawsuit demanding a “wedding” ceremony in a particular church will be filed by September 1. If I’m wrong, I’ll give FR an extra $100.

[LibertarianLiz]

and they will come after the rest of us, especially if the Catholic Church capitulates to these demands.

Oh, I hate to break it to you, but, they are coming after all Christian denominations that do not recognize "homosexual marriage". It won't matter what the Catholic Church does. Every Christian denomination is in the crosshairs.

[caww]

Don't be so quick to slam the catholic church alone.....the Protestant Churches are doing likewise, very rapidly, I might add..... And as many Protestants are leaving those churches because they see what this is about and coming...and contrary to what catholics are saying..the only Protestants entering the catholic church are the ones who don't see what's coming.

This is a a major push now of the enemy of men's souls using Hoosexual and other perverted groups groups as the “pushers” and that quite willingly. This along with the Globalist movements....things are rapidly coming into place just as is written they would.....

Won't be too much long before the true church goes underground just as was spoken of. Amazing we are living at such a time....I really didn't expect it to be so apparent in my lifetime....but things have defiantly escalated.

[kosciusko51]

Oh, agreed, but like “slip-and-fall” lawyers, they are going after the deepest pockets first.

[LibertarianLiz]

denied other sacraments, as well.”” Sounds like they are planning lawsuits

Of course they are planning lawsuits. That is the whole reason for all of this nonsense; to make it illegal to refuse them the sacrament. Now, how the Courts can decide who gets a sacrament in the Catholic Church, I don't know; but, I'm sure they feel they are qualified to do so.

[Amendment10]

..., I would want the priest to bar them from communion until they repented of their sin.

With all due respect kosciusko51, Matthew 18:15-17 shows that Jesus taught that a church is ultimately expected to expel unrepentant sinners from the congregation. Note that 1 Corinthians 5 indicates that Paul told that church the same thing with respect to a member guilty of incest.

In fact, Matthew 18:17, 1 Corinthians 5:11 and 1 Corinthians 15:33 which I had referenced in previous post all compliment each other. So I question why the RC Church is tolerating gay members.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Well, that didn’t take long . . .

[kosciusko51]

I don't disagree with you, but I don't know the inner workings on how that is done in the Catholic Church. I do know that the priest can bar them from communion.

If this happened in my church, I would expect that after the appropriate calls to repent of their sin, that they would be barred from the church.

[kosciusko51]

Let me clarify. If the CC knew they were practicing (I can't even find the right word anymore to convey my disgust), then the CC should have started discipline then. If not, and they just came out, then they should start discipline now.

That being said, I think the CC is the target because like the bank robber said about banks, "that's where the money is".

[Morpheus2009]

Yes, but it only intensifies every time one denomination goes with their teachings, because each church that goes along, adds people to their ranks in pushing the other churches to change likewise.