By REY FLORES
I was invited to participate in a teleconference just before the opening of the Synod of Bishops on the Family, being held in Rome October 4 to 25. The call was titled “Living the Truth in Love” and was hosted by Carmel Communications founder Lisa Wheeler and facilitated by Dr. Pia De Solenni of the Augustine Institute.
The main focus of the teleconference was the question of people who identify as homosexual, or who are dealing with same-sex attraction, and the pastoral care that the Church has been extending to these folks.
While it was proposed that we would also be hearing about the Church’s teachings on marriage and family life, and an ongoing appeal to oppose some of the ideas has been put forth by Walter Cardinal Kasper and others who are proposing significant changes to Church teachings, we did not discuss this as much.
On the teleconference were a number of respected authorities on the faith including Mark Brumley, president of Ignatius Press, Fr. Joseph Fessio, SJ, editor in chief of Ignatius Press, and Dr. Janet Smith, co-author of the book Living the Truth in Love. Also on the call was Fr. Paul Check, the executive director of Courage International, which is a ministry that provides support for Catholics who experience same-sex attraction and want to live chaste lives.
As I have written before, homosexuality is a topic I do not like to address, but since the Church feels this is a topic it must speak to, then here I am writing about it again. And as I am writing about it, a priest was dismissed from his job at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith because he announced he had a “boyfriend” and was planning some high-profile public events to push the Synod of Bishops to accept homosexuality.
I don’t know how much more I can take of all of this “gay stuff” in our Church. I say enough!
I had the opportunity to ask the panel, which also featured some “recovering homosexuals,” how we as Catholics are supposed to defend our beliefs and our position on traditional marriage between one man and one woman when it seems the whole world, including elements in the Church, is so readily promoting acceptance of homosexuals.
I asked: “How do we deal with the aggressive homosexual culture that is bordering on bigotry against Christians and our beliefs of traditional marriage?”
I got all sorts of answers about dealing with homosexuals with love and charity.
But I can’t help thinking of all the anti-Christian hate mail I have received from some via emails and social media because of my stand in favor of solid Church teaching against active homosexuality. How does one deal with these types with charity? I guess I still haven’t worked my way up to Christ-like levels of dealing with people who hate me.
All I can say is that every time I read about this problem or hear the feel-good platitudes from much of the Church and see Catholic parish after parish flying rainbow flags, then again I say: Enough!
What if we flew symbolic flags for alcoholics, adulterers, drug addicts, murderers, thieves, gluttons, and those committing every sin under the sun? Our sanctuaries would need to replace all of the sacred art and statues with banner after banner representing all of our sins and errors.
Why is it that we must constantly be finding ways to welcome homosexuals into our churches? I say they should be coming into the churches, but not flaunting their homosexual sin, as with wearing their rainbow sashes whenever they enter.
Let the homosexuals come into the church as the rest of us sinners do, repentant and humble. Let them come in not to draw attention to themselves and make themselves a “bigger attraction” than Jesus in the tabernacle. Why must we give them any special treatment?
After all, a homosexual’s sins must be brought to the foot of the cross the same way we all bring them to Jesus and ask for forgiveness in the confessional. Isn’t there supposed to be a firm resolve to amend our lives — otherwise our Confessions are nothing more than lies and a facade?
I think we need to get back to the basic tenets of the Church for everybody. Enough with this “let’s meet people where they’re at” business, because where we are all “at” is a fallen world with a myriad of sins which endanger our eternal souls every day of our earthly lives.
Our clergy should be reaching out to all of us equally without any special treatment or privileges or special status given to homosexuals in the Church.
The secular world and the media want nothing more than to drag our Church down to their level. We must ask ourselves: If they hate the Church so much, why are they so hell-bent in getting our acceptance and approval validating their sins?
They know we have something and someone very special in Jesus Christ our Lord.
And as to issues at the synod now underway, I recommend that you watch the highlights of Raymond Arroyo’s interviews with both Cardinal Kasper and Cardinal Burke who are polar opposites on the marriage and family issues. EWTN’s The World Over with Raymond Arroyo can be viewed on YouTube online at this link: https://youtu.be/QiCz0Jv4KYE.
Pope Francis opened the synod on October 4 with a Mass and reminded us of “the sacredness of life, of every life” and defended “the unity and indissolubility of the conjugal bond.”
He also stated in no uncertain terms: “God did not create us to live in sorrow or to be alone. He made men and women for happiness, to share their journey with someone who complements them . . . to love and to be loved and to see their love bear fruit in children.”
Homosexuals could never be part of God’s plan like this, so this synod should put an end to any talk about accepting abominations like so-called “gay marriage” once and for all.
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(Rey Flores is Catholic writer and speaker. Visit his new website www.TheConservativeHispanic.net and contact him at reyfloresusa@gmail.com.)
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