12 quotes from St. Peter Damian(1000 years ago, on homosexuality amongst the clergy)

Bettnet ^ | February 24th, 2006 | Domenico Bettinelli

[Mrs. Don-o]

The following 12 quotes come from the writings of St. Peter Damian, a great ascetic and monk who was especially troubled by the clergy and religious of his time who failed in their duties, especially celibacy.

Think of them as a year of monthly intentions for the US bishops to meditate upon in reparation for the Scandal:

• “Tell us, you unmanly and effeminate man, what do you seek in another male that you do not find in yourself?”

• “For God’s sake, why do you damnable sodomites pursue the heights of ecclesiastical dignity with such fiery ambition?”

• “By what right or by what law can one bind or loose the other when he is constrained by the bonds of evil deeds common to them both?”

• “Who can expect the flock to prosper when its shepherd has sunk so deep into the bowels of the devil?

• “Who, by his lust, will consign a son whom he spiritually begotten for God to slavery under the iron law of Satanic tyranny?”

• “This utterly diseased queen of Sodom renders him who obeys the laws of her tyranny infamous to men and odious to God.”

• “Without fail, [the vice of sodomy] brings death to the body and destruction to the soul. It pollutes the flesh, extinguishes the light of the mind, expels the Holy Spirit from the temple of the human heart, and gives entrance to the devil, the stimulator of lust.”

• ”[The vice of sodomy] leads to error, totally removes truth from the deluded mind . . . It opens up Hell and closes the gates of Paradise.”

• ”[The vice of sodomy] is this vice that violates temperance, slays modesty, strangles chastity, and slaughters virginity.”

• [The vice of sodomy] defiles all things, sullies all things, pollutes all things.”

• “Who will make a mistress of a cleric, or a woman of a man?”

• “It is not mere stumblers, but the wicked who should despair; it is not the magnitude of one’s crime, but contempt of God that dashes one’s hopes.”

[Mrs. Don-o]

Today, the feast day of St. Damian, who lived and taught against sexual corruption in the clergy 1000 years ago, also happens to be the first day of the big powwow in Rome about clergy sex abuse.

I would like to think some of them have had a chanceto read these quotes. St. Damian was a Doctor of the Church --- and holey moley, do they need a doctor.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Sorry for the typo in the headline: that's 1,000 years ago...

[Wuli]

1,000 years ago???

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_Damien

You were more correct in your title. St Damien was born in 1840 and died in 1889. His writings were from a little more than 100 years ago, and far, far less than 1,000 years ago.

[Campion]

You’re confusing St Damien Veuster with St Peter Damian. Two entirely different people, but both holy men.

[metmom]

And here we are 1,000 years later and what has changed in Catholicism?

[Mrs. Don-o]

NoNoNo.

You're referencing St. Damien of Molokai - Hawaii (1840-1889) who was a medical doctor and missionary to the lepers.

I'm referencing St. Peter Damian, of Italy (998-1073) Monastic Reformer, Bishop, Cardinal, and Doctor of the Church, who preached and wrote against --- among other things --- the triple vices of Usury, Luxury and Sodomy.

[Mrs. Don-o]

The Church has been through many cycles that go roughly like this: --> repentance --> faith --> holiness --> growth --> pride --> corruption --> justice --> downfall --> repentance --> etc.

Attentive students of the Bible such as yourself will detect a familiar pattern here.

Blessed be God, Who in his incomprehensible mercy towards sinners, rescues His Church, which is saved, but (Paul's words) "only as through fire."

[Wuli]

Ah, mea culpa

However, in my defense St Damian of Italy is normally referred to as either St Peter Damian or Peter Damian, and not just St Damien/Damian.

[ebb tide]

Ping

[Wuli]

Mea Cupla again.

My brain skipped the “Peter” in your title, and just went looking for “St Damien/Damian”.

[ebb tide]

Archbishop Viganò: Vatican Summit Opening on Feast of St. Damian Is Providential

[fieldmarshaldj]

We need someone like this leading the Catholic church and every Christian sect, speaking the truth to sodomite degeneracy and Satan worship.

[Forward the Light Brigade]

The New Pope will have this Saint pulled from the ranks of sainthood. How dare he say Gay is Satanic! This mans hate speech must be banned—gay is now a must for all priests in the Roman Church—or so it seems. Looks like they need a Reformation.

[metmom]

Another one.

Catholic history indicate that it cannot seem to go more than 500 years without some major upheaval.

There was the Great Schism in 1054 AD when the EO and Rome split off from each other.

Then there was the Protestant Reformation in the 1500’s.

Now, here we are 500 years later and people are calling for Catholicism to get back to its roots again.

And dollars to donuts, the reaction of the church hierarchy will be the same. Double down on their wrong direction and then condemn as not being Catholic, those who disagree with them.

[tbw2]

How The Ancient Catholic Church Dealt With Priest Sex Offenders
https://www.ucatholic.com/blog/how-the-ancient-catholic-church-dealt-with-priest-sex-offenders/

[amihow]

Great post. Were more Catholics so courageous.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Inspiring.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Historian Christopher Dawson pegs it at six distinct "ages", 300-400 year periods of time: each cycle begins with great advancement ans ends with decline and loss --- then renewal into the next age.

Of course, there are different ways to slice it --- these are rough estimates --- but Dawson maps it out thus:

1. Apostolic Age, AD 33 - 315

2. Contantinian Age, 4th through 7th centuries

3. Barbarian Invasion Age, 7th through 9th centuries

4. High Middle Ages, 10th through 13th centuries

5. Renaissance, 14th - 16th century

6. Age of Revolutions 16th - 19th centuries

   followed by the present, seventh age, roughly...

7. Age of Civilizational Suicide/World Delusion, then Remnant and Rebirth of Truth, 20th century to present and foreseeable future.

That last category was named by me, and seems to be where we're at. By "we" I mean all of us,

I would dispute your assessment that "reaction of the church hierarchy will be the same. Double down on their wrong direction."

I would say, rather, that six times (at least) it looked like the Church was finished, both via external assault and internal collapse. Six times, by the grace of God, the Church repented its sins and weaknesses, resurged and outlived its would-be undertakers.

We'll see how our Savior will deal with us on this seventh. I honestly think it might be the last, but that's been said before.

---

"The whole course of Christianity from the first ... is but one series of troubles and disorders. Every century is like every other, and to those who live in it seems worse than all times before it. The Church is ever ailing ... Religion seems ever expiring, schisms dominant, the light of truth dim, its adherents scattered. The cause of Christ is ever in its last agony."

-Blessed John Henry Newman, Via Media (1834)

---

"All times are dangerous times."

- St. Teresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church (1515-1580)

---

[Mrs. Don-o]

Try mine at #18

[ebb tide]

Will there be any pastor who, like St Peter Damian dares to speak the truth to the Holy Father?

Archbishop Viganò issues message to Pope and bishops on opening day of Vatican sex abuse summit

Vatican Abuse Summit: Homosexuality "Does Not" Predispose To Sin