The Gravity of Sins Disputed

I don't know what it is about America magazine, but the editors frequently seem to be drifting Leftward, and happen to be Jesuits.

On this occasion, Fr. James Martin S.J. takes issue with the Pope's declaration that Abortion and Homosexual "Marriage" are gravely evil sins. From America magazine's blog:

Pope Benedict XVI's comments last week in Fatima, Portugal, in which he stated that abortion and same-sex marriage were "some of today's most insidious and dangerous threats" to the common good seemed oddly discordant. The equation of abortion, something that clearly is about a threat to life, with same-sex marriage, which no matter how you look at it, does not mean that anyone is going to die, is bizarre.

The Pope said they are "insidious" threats, because all but the most wise would not believe them to be threats. Like Fr. Martin S.J., who seems to be under the impression that gay marriage is a socially and spiritually harmless diversion.

Why has same-sex marriage been equated with abortion? Are they really equivalent "threats" to life?

They aren't equated, but they do spring from a similar source: "My body is MINE, and I shall do with it as I see fit." Abortion denies life to a life already started, while homosexual relationships denies life to future life. Both refuse the rule of God over our sexuality and reproduction. This is mortal sin.

If you’re looking for a life issue with stakes as high as abortion, why not something that actually threatens life? Like war? Or the death penalty? Or the kind of poverty and destitution that lead to death? Why aren't “abortion and war” the most "insidious and dangerous" threats to the common good? Or “war and the death penalty”? Or “war and poverty?”

These are not "insidious and dangerous" because they are OBVIOUS and dangerous, and the Church speaks out about these things all the time, the Gospel also speaks out against theft, hatred and violence. But, War is not socially acceptable, and neither is poverty. It is not only against socially abhorrent sins, but also against the sins that our culture embraces that the Church is to speak out. Don't filter your message because you fear the loss of party invitations and the shallow goodwill of the social elites.

The great danger is that this increasingly popular equation will seem to many as having less to do with moral equivalency and more to do with a simple dislike, or even a hatred, of gays and lesbians.

Instead of condemning the message and messenger, the writer should be expounding on Church teaching, not just pounding on it. He'd be doing all his gay friends a better service by preparing them for the Kingdom of Heaven, rather than railing for their comfort on Earth.

Arbiter of Constitutional Validity

By all means, let's not do anything to make a popular TV personality sad.

Spot the Fake

Two tales from current events, about spotting something fake:

A wedding procession is stopped near Bagdad, Iraq, by those meddling American troops:

Upon inspecting the convoy, soldiers found a stubbly-faced man, Haider al-Bahadli, decked out in a white bride's dress and veil.

Bahadli was wanted on terror-related charges, as was his groom, Abbas al-Dobbi, the official said.

It may be a good thing that the soldiers intervened. Whatever would betray such an oddly conceived masquerade?

The soldiers became suspicious of the convoy because its members -- save the "bride" -- were all male and because one of the cars in the convoy did not heed orders to stop, the official said.

Also, soldiers said, the people in the car seemed nervous and the groom refused to lift his bride's veil when soldiers asked him to, according to the official.

Ahh, so the behavior of the party and composition of the group belied its appearance. That's something to remember.

A homily is delivered by a Roman Catholic priest, at a Roman Catholic Mass, at a Roman Catholic church:

"Two people came into Church to pray. One was an Evangelical pastor whose regional services are broadcast nationally who prayed " I give you thanks oh God that I am not like others - greedy, dishonest or like others who give into same gender sex drives which the bible calls an abomination."

The others who came into Church to pray for a same sex couple raising children born by way of donor insemination who prayed: "Oh god, be merciful to us for not finding our own medium to share with the broader audience the biblical passage of 1 John 4:16 – God is love and when we abide in love we abide in God and God in us."

Jesus concluded the last ones went home more worthy in God's sight than the first."

Hmm, the person delivering this alternative view of the Gospel looks like a Roman Catholic priest, but he's showing a decidedly firm deviation from the doctrines of the Catholic Church. I sense that he's closer to an Episcopalian than a Catholic. What other cards is the priest playing?

Two people came into Church to pray, one was a Catholic Archbishop who refuses communion to Rainbow Sash people at the Cathedral on Pentecost Sunday who prayed " I give you thanks oh God that I am not like others – greedy, dishonest or like others who need to make their dissent from official Church teaching so public and divisive."

The other were Rainbow parents of GLBT people at the Cathedral on Pentecost who stood off on the side and prayed, "Oh God be merciful to us for failing to attend our own Churches more often; they say they love God then turn there backs on us in hate directly contrary to 1:John,4 – whoever loves God must also love the neighbor."

Jesus concluded the last ones went home more worthy in God's sight than the first.

There's another straw man argument against the doctrines of the Church whose uniform he's sporting. He's not supportive of Catholic doctrine on sexuality, and he's promoted the LGBTQI agenda before, and only backed down when promised some heat.

So, we have a terrorist dressed as a bride, and an Episcopalian dressed as a Roman Catholic priest. Which do you think will end up doing more damage?

h/t Curt Jester

With Such Ardor

From the NCR:
The archbishop's out of town, as are his co-adjutor and auxiliary bishop, and some suspect shenanigans are scheduled to take place at a local parish. In steps Dennis McGrath, communications director for the archdiocese, to fill the shoes of his absent Archbishop by declaring Catholic teaching..umm, sort of:

[McGrath] contacted Fr. Leo Tibesar, pastor of St. Frances Cabrini, to tell the priest that “news of this would likely not be acceptable to the bishops.”

Ok, not a particularly rousing expostulation for the Magisterium, but we'll take what we can get. The event was cancelled, the Catholic Father/Lesbian Daughter duo were banished to a U.C.C. church for their lecture, and all is well.

In speaking to a National catholic Reporter writer, McGrath further softens his intervention, lest he come off like a modern Bernard Gui:

McGrath said he told Tibesar, “I do not speak for the archbishops and do not want to represent their authority, but this talk does not seem to be in keeping with archdiocesan rules and policies or Vatican rules and policies.”

Alright St. Jimbob, just shut up and be glad he said something to begin with..

Tempest, Teapot, Cleanup

The furor this week was all about the Archbishop of San Francisco and a group of homosexual activists. Let's see if I can boil it down a bit:


If your 'Sunday Best' is drag, you might be in San Francisco


"Psst, I wonder if he'll notice we're in drag.."


And so, the drag queens did receive the Eucharist from the hands of Archbishop Niederauer. Video captured at the event shows a slightly befuddled prelate.

The catholic corner of the blogosphere was in full lather over the offensive display, and many, including myself, dropped a note to the Vatican urging an explanation. And lo and behold, a couple days later, an apology from Archbishop Niederauer:

At Communion time, toward the end of the line, two strangely dressed persons came to receive Communion. As I recall one of them wore a large flowered hat or garland. I did not recognize either of them as wearing mock religious garb...

Although I had often seen photographs of members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, I had never encountered them in person until October 7th. I did not recognize who these people were when they approached me.

After the event, I realized that they were members of this particular organization and that giving them Holy Communion had been a mistake.

I apologize to the Catholics of the Archdiocese of San Francisco and to Catholics at large for doing so.

Good enough for me.

Still, I would hope that the Archbishop will become more aware of the spiritual challenges of his archdiocese. After all, everyone knows that San Francisco is the Gay Mecca, with the Castro district being the core.

America LOVES Failure

Two pointless incidents which americans, and their media vending machines, have turned into a stomach-turning, ubiquitous display of our crass interests.

a) The stunning blather of a beauty pageant contestant. Hey folks, she was on the spot, probably with a prepared comment in her mind, and was thrown a curveball. What I heard was a young person thinking with their mouth open. How merciless are we becoming, as a society, when brief moments of our humanity are suddenly national news, and something we're forever marked by.

b) The more lurid accusations and circumstances that a certain U.S. Senator has found himself in. Like Ted Haggard before him, Larry Craig has not made the "I'm a Gay American" speech, ala Jim McGreevey, which makes the militant gay lobby that hounds him even the more enraged. Really. The nerve of this guy, trolling public restrooms for gay sex, but voting against gay interests. Craig's denials make it sound as if being gay is something to be ashamed of, and our society won't tolerate that. That's why the media is being so merciless.

The Democrat-controlled congress is even going to spend some precious Ethics Committee time to further explore the issue, further cementing the idea that democrats are more interested in fanning scandals than actually accomplishing anything.

Know Thy Enemy

From CNN's continued gloating about their homosexuality poll:

For the Rev. Mel White, the founder and president of faith-based gay rights group Soulforce, the poll results were a "tremendous relief."

"The poll is such good news," White said Thursday. "Over half of America thinks we don't have to be healed from a sickness; suddenly we are OK as we are."

White, once a ghostwriter for the Revs. Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and Billy Graham before coming out in a public sermon in 1993, said the church was the barrier to nationwide acceptance of gays and lesbians.

"Until the church changes, this debate will go on and on and on," he said. "Once the church changes, it'll be over."

Good to know that there's still tension between the World and the Church, and the World knows that it cannot win the argument unless the Church cedes her authority. It's also good to know the stakes that the other side is playing for.

Slouching Toward Sodom

My, my. The handbasket is picking up speed:

Poll majority: Gays' orientation can't change

In addition to orientation, a majority is coalescing around the rainbow flag for adoption and marriage issues. More people have a sitcom view of human sexuality anymore, and it will continue to worsen, especially when they pass those mores onto their children:

CNN's Paula Zahn speaks with a transgendered 7-year-old and her family.

The video report includes the parents telling how horribly sad their son was until he was allowed to dress like a girl. How could good parents countenance waiting one nanosecond before allowing their child to dictate their own identity. Were I as good a parent as these folks, I'd have already changed my son's name to 'Godzilla' and let him exclusively dress in reptile costumes.

But, I should be mindful of my criticism. The closer our comfy handbasket gets to the iron gates of Dis, the more likely this will apply here:

Belgian Bishop Accused of Homophobia
Belgian homosexual activists have brought charges against Mgr André-Mutien Léonard, the Roman-Catholic bishop of Namur, for homophobia, a criminal offence in Belgium according to the country’s 2003 Anti-Discrimination Act. In an interview last April in the Walloon weekly Télé Moustique, the bishop is said to have described homosexuals as “abnormal” people.

We are not to blaspheme the popular sacrament, as our intolerance will not be tolerated.

Episcopalian Discernment

All the news organs are a-twitter over Jim McGreevey, former NJ Governor and Catholic, entering the Episcopal church and joining their seminary. Here's the very first paragraph in USA Today's version, which tells you why it's newsworthy, and exactly why the Episcopal church wants McGreevey:

The nation's first openly gay governor has become an Episcopalian and been accepted into a seminary, according to a published report.

The Episcopal church, in recent years, has laboured hard and fast to build its reputation as a "Gay Church". These endeavors have made others in the Anglican Communion uncomfortable, and have infinitely widened the gulf between them and Rome. Back to McGreevey, for a moment:

McGreevey was an altar boy and attended Catholic schools. While in office, he continued to practice the religion, but differed from church teachings in several areas, including his support of abortion rights.

I would also add, to his list of disagreements with Rome, his penchant for buggery. By joining the Episcopal church, he's found a religion that has all the outward ceremonial appearances of the Catholic faith, but without the inconvenient theology. In the Episcopal seminary, he'll learn about:

• The United Nations' 'Millenium Development Goals'
  
  
• How to get people to give money to fund futile attempts to achieve The United Nations 'Millenium Development Goals'
  
  
• How to parse the Bible to justify sinful behavior
  
  
• How to ignore the Bible when you can't parse it to justify sinful behavior
  
  
• How to distract attention to the fact that you're ignoring the Bible to justify sinful behavior, by focusing your attention on The United Nations 'Millenium Development Goals'
  

Pray for this confused man, as he thrashes wildly in the jaws of a wolf.

The 'I' in Obvious

I love book reviews, and love lefty books reviewed by lefty reviewers even more. High comedy, and capital amusement. Let me share with you…

In a review titled “Putting the ‘I’ in GLBT”, the reviewer introduces the primary author of the book ‘What Becomes You’”, a book about transgendered identity written by a pair of tormented souls:

“Aaron Raz Link was born Sarah, daughter to the now-celebrated University of Nebraska-Lincoln English and women and gender studies professor Hilda Raz. Aaron was a boy born, physically at least, as a girl.”

I’m sure that Sarah’s problems stem directly from mom’s occupation and philosophy:

“Raz Link talks about the arduous path of making his external self match up to the man he’s always been inside.
That path includes not only navigating the dense thicket of psychiatry and surgery — as it turns out, they don’t just let you get a sex reassignment operation — but also Raz Link’s struggles to leave womanhood behind, an act seen as a betrayal by the feminists that populate Raz Link’s life.”

More likely, it’s the feminists that betrayed Sarah, by poisoning her view of womanhood and femininity and driving her into the darkness she currently inhabits. But, for all the poisonous sociology, Sarah exhibits an unusually normal trait:

“And there’s another wrinkle: Not only is [Sarah] a former physical woman who is now physically a man, he’s also a gay man.”

Ok, so she’s attracted to men. Men with issues, but she shows an inclination towards men. You’d expect that from a woman.

Now a quick note to any readers who have any personal stock in the GLBTAN continuum; If you’re offended now, prepare to be appalled.

A quote from the author:

“People said ‘she’; I fought for ‘he.’ I got the word ‘he,’ complete with expectations of violence and invulnerability and testosterone jokes and shaving products advertised as the high point of my existence. So I fought for the word ‘I.’”

Isn’t ‘I’ the focus of all behaviours that separate us from God? “I want this”, “I feel that”, “I am this”, “I will not do that” are all mantras to define ourselves, and we often define ourselves contrary to the role God assigns us.

The focus on ‘I’ by Sarah is a learned trait from her mother, as unconsciously noted by the reviewer:

“Then, Hilda Raz’s part, the reaction of the mother saying goodbye to the daughter she never really had. Her assignment was to focus on herself, bits of her own autobiography and identity in addition to her daughter/son’s change, but the book actually would have been more cohesive had she dwelt less on certain aspects of her own life and focused mainly on Raz Link’s relationship to her and their family.”

Maybe, if Hilda weren’t so practiced at dwelling on the self, she may have enjoyed the daughter that God gave her, instead of twisting that gift into a mockery of femininity.

There’s an ‘I’ in “Faith’, ‘Humility’ and ‘Obedience’, but it’s nowhere near the front.

I'm Not Gay

Inspired by Ted Haggard's stunning confession that he's not gay, and the media's fascination with the gay lobby...

GAY LOBBY : Bring out your gay!
GAY LOBBY : Bring out your gay!

MEDIA: Here's one.
GAY LOBBY: Ninepence.
TED HAGGARD: I'm not gay!

GAY LOBBY: What?
MEDIA: Nothing. Here's your ninepence.

TED HAGGARD: I'm not gay!!

GAY LOBBY: 'Ere. He says he's not gay!
MEDIA: Yes, he is.
TED HAGGARD: I'm not!

GAY LOBBY: He isn't?
MEDIA: Well, he will be soon. He's very poofy.
TED HAGGARD: I'm getting better!

MEDIA: No, you're not. You'll be flaming queer in a moment.
GAY LOBBY: Oh, I can't take him like that. It's against regulations.
TED HAGGARD: I don't want to go on the cart!

MEDIA: Oh, don't be such a baby.
GAY LOBBY: I can't take him.
TED HAGGARD: I feel straight!

MEDIA: Well, do us a favour.
GAY LOBBY: I can't.
MEDIA: Well, can you hang around a couple of minutes? He won't be long.
GAY LOBBY: No, I've got to go to South Beach. They've outed nine today.

MEDIA: Well, when's your next round?
GAY LOBBY: Thursday.
TED HAGGARD: I think I'll read a Playboy.

MEDIA: You're not fooling anyone, you know. Look. Isn't there something you can do?
TED HAGGARD: [singing]
Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to..
[whop]

MEDIA: Ah, thanks very much.
GAY LOBBY: Not at all. See you on Thursday.

[apologies to Monty Python]

Tolerance, Eh?

"From my point of view, I would ban religion completely. Organized religion doesn't seem to work. It turns people into really hateful lemmings and it's not really compassionate." - Elton John

So much for tolerance for the hateful lemmings, eh? That kind of generalization is what the gay lobby has been trying to shrug for years, so why are they engaging in the very stereotyping and dehumanization as their "oppressors"? If you can find some essential difference between labelling folks "hateful lemmings" and "flaming butt pirates", you're much more the scholar than I.

Religious leaders have also failed to do anything about tensions and conflicts around the world, he said.

"Why aren't they having a conclave? Why aren't they coming together?" he asked.

I guess that Elton doesn't keep up with Vatican news releases, him being him and all. Unfortunately, all we can do is tell people how they should be towards each other, we can't force them to actually do it. If religious authorities had that sort of power, Elton would be the first to decry it when it conflicts with his carnal predilections. So if believers cannot bring peace, who can? Elton knows:

"It's like the peace movement in the '60s. Musicians got through to people by getting out there and doing peace concerts, but we don't seem to do them any more," he said. "If John Lennon were alive today, he'd be leading it with a vengeance."

Those peace concerts were really successful, weren't they? Tibet is free from Chinese domination, everyone in Africa has something to eat, and the family farm is flourishing. Oh, none of those happened? But the musicians played, sang, and shouted for "Peace".

Oh. and by the by, if John Lennon were alive today, he would be crushed to death inside his cremation urn.

h/t Dad29

MIGHT be Perceived as Sexually Inappropriate?

From the Sarasota Herald-Tribune:

"From his home on the island of Gozo, near Italy, Anthony Mercieca described a series of encounters that he said Foley might perceive as sexually inappropriate.

Among them: massaging Foley while the boy was naked, skinny-dipping together at a secluded lake in Lake Worth and being naked in the same room on overnight trips."

Talk about oblivious. These events are not just perceived as inappropriate, they are inappropriate, and a priest should know that. Unless the priest gig is only active so long as one's clothes are on.

Mercieca, 72, told the Herald-Tribune he and Foley became fast friends when Mercieca moved from Brazil to Florida in 1966 and "loved each other like brothers."

Mercieca said he taught Foley "some wrong things" related to sex, though he wouldn't specify what he meant. He also said they were naked together in a sauna twice.

Mercieca said that, at the time, he considered his relationship with Foley innocent. But he now says he could see how his actions could be labeled inappropriate.

Once again, the disconnection from reality and sound moral judgment is appalling. Are we penitent yet?

Mercieca was adamant that his encounter with Foley was an aberration, and that the Catholic Church never had to send him for counseling during his 38 years in the priesthood in Florida.

"I have been in many parishes, and I have never been" accused, he said.

Never been accused, or never been caught and PUBLICLY accused? Forty years ago, this was unthinkable, and so many abuse tales were relegated to 'Twilight Zone' credibility. Not so anymore.

Is the deference to sin to blame for the Foley episode? Of course not:

One night, when Mercieca says he was in a drug-induced stupor, there was an incident he says he can't clearly remember that might have gone too far.

"I have to confess, I was going through a nervous breakdown," he said. "I was taking pills -- tranquilizers. I used to take them all the time. They affected my mind a little bit."

Substance abuse and depression are the hallmarks of closeted gay men, regardless of vocation. Maybe the reviled "Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations With Regard to Persons With Homosexual Tendencies in View of Their Admission to the Seminary and to Sacred Orders," has some merit, and should be used instead of thrown in a seminary closet, along with the seminarians who persist in deference to the Magisterium.

Casting suspicions

h/t Amy Welborn

The media's casting about for Foley's perp, and they find this fine fellow. When asked about Foley:

"Don't even try to pin that one on me!" he said. "I've been smeared enough. Mark Foley is not in any of those pictures."

But quickly Romero adds he has talked to the man who allegedly abused the future Republican star.

It's a dialog right out of NYPD Blue! Det. Sipowitz has an ex-con in the interview room, and he's putting the screws to him. "Don't even try to pin that one on me", the ex-con says, looking towards the window, wiping his nose. "And who do you think the papers, and the jury pool will believe, eh?" Sipowitz would retort. " Okay, okay. I know this guy," the ex-con squirms as he says it "he was into the same scene, if you know what I mean."

The whole thing reeks, and something tells me it's going to get worse the farther Foley gets into his "healing process."

Meanwhile, while his deviant cruising will be excused, and his deviant sexuality will never be questioned. Sure, older gay men never rarely go cruising for young men.

In other news, Ted Kennedy announces that in 1969, his car was FORCED off the road, and into Poucha Pond, by a drunk driver in another car. He will announce the name of the driver to the Massachusetts DMV.

Naming Names

Foley will give archdiocese name of alleged abuser, says CNN. Wow, I'm sure that Mr. Foley has had ample time to peruse Google, the John Jay report, and any public archdioscesan records for a suitable patsy.

Mark Foley is intending to work with the Archdiocese of Miami and Greater West Palm Beach for the purpose of revealing the name of the particular priest who is involved so the archdiocese can then deal appropriately with the issue," said Gerald Richman, one of Foley's attorneys.

Richman said, however, he will not press criminal charges against the still-unnamed clergyman because of the difficulties the case would face.

It's the perfect cover, as Foley doesn't have to actually prove anything, he just has to name someone who has been accused in the past, and his area was full of them. By telling the Archdiocese, the name will leak out, and the heat will be on someone else.

I must admit, if Mark's story is true, then it is a lamentable crime, and the perp should be tarred as such. But, Mark's a politician, and in a politically untenable situation he's lobbed out this charge of abuse. It makes it really hard to be sympathetic, even for this abuse "survivor" (I've never bought into the whole "abuse survivor" thing, it didn't kill me, and I don't need a medal, thank you).

Oh, well that explains it..

Foley alleges he was abused by clergyman

Oh, alright, we understand then. Why didn't you just say that in the first place. Which diocese should we sue for you? Any particular prelate you want to accuse, while we're at it? Bernardin is conveniently dead, and Weakland would be an easy mark as well.

/ sarcasm.

The whole thing stinks to me, both the timing of the revelations, and the political posturing afterwards. It makes sense that he'd use the Church to try and deflect some of the fecal splatter. Cue Rosie O'Donnell.

I hate being right

The upcoming, at the time, Boston Gay Pride Parade was the subject of discussion over at Lair of the Catholic Cavemen, and I mentioned that it would be telling where Fr. Walter Cuenin popped up in the festivities. Little did I realize that he would be the headline in the Boston Globe: Ousted Newton priest cheered at gay pride service

A Catholic priest preached yesterday at the main worship service associated with Boston's gay pride week, setting up a potential conflict with a church hierarchy that has been increasingly vocal in its criticism of the growing acceptance of gay relationships in Western societies.

The Rev. Walter H. Cuenin, a longtime advocate of outreach to gays and lesbians in the Catholic Church, did not criticize or dispute Catholic teaching during his remarks, and he quoted several times from a 1997 document issued by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, which declared that ``the teachings of the Church make it clear that the fundamental human rights of homosexual persons must be defended."

So, a priest goes to a demonstration whose sole purpose is to elevate sin, and instead of admonishing the participants, he instead insists that the Church should uphold the dignity of those who adore their own sins. Hmm. Gross negligence, in failing to minister to the obvious need for spiritual guidance? How does leaving those in sin as captive to that sin fulfil his duty as a successor to the Apostles?

" Master, as you were on your way, your dear friend Lazarus has died."
" Oh well, I shall go to him anyway."
" Master, is there anything you can do?"
"Yes, roll back the stone."
Several men roll back the stone, and recoil from the stench of Lazarus' corruption.
" Lazarus, I uphold your inherent dignity, and I hope that tomb is comfy. You're going to be in there for quite a while.."
" Is that all, Master, you're just going to leave him in there?"
" Sure, God made him dead, why mess with that? Oh, look at the time! I've got a lunch at L'espalier to get to."

It just doesn't work. But, Fr. Cuenin thinks so:

`I told a friend of mine, about a month ago, that I was going to be here today, speaking at the gay pride interfaith service, and she said to me, `What's a Catholic priest doing at a gay pride service?' Cuenin said. ``My response was, `Why wouldn't a Catholic priest be here?' In the tradition of my own Christian faith, it seems to me, as I read it, that Jesus was always with those who were often the target of hatred and persecution."

Fr. Cuenin forgets, like so many others of his ilk, that Jesus called those sinners to repentance during His visits. "Go, and sin no more."(John 8:11, for those who actually believe sacred Scripture) Ring a bell, Fr. Cuenin? I'll let the Cavemen give Fr. Cuenin the lashing that my sense of charity forbids.

Lavender Mafia Disappears With A Poof

No, the blog titled "The Lavender Mafia" has pulled the plug. What were you thinking of?

Brother Angelo Mary started the blog about a month ago, then had to bail, leaving it to some others. The content was fair, and didn't resort to unnecessary invective, but stuck to the facts. The recent disappearance leaves one to believe that either the Lavender Mafia is an urban legend, or that Brother Angelo Mary is now laid to rest next to Jimmy Hoffa. Does anyone know?

Pentecost Sunday in my church was without Rainbow Sash drama. But, St. Therese's a small parish in Lincoln, Nebraska. So, while defiance would get some press, there seems an expectation that Rainbow Sashers would get excommunicated faster than you can say 'Judy Garland'.

The alternate reading in the missal was an apt message to those folks caught up in the Rainbow Sash Movement:

Galatians 5:16-25

Brothers and sisters, live by the Spirit
and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh.
For the flesh has desires against the Spirit,
and the Spirit against the flesh;
these are opposed to each other,
so that you may not do what you want.
But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Now the works of the flesh are obvious:
immorality, impurity, lust, idolatry,
sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy,
outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness,
dissensions, factions, occasions of envy,
drinking bouts, orgies, and the like.
I warn you, as I warned you before,
that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, generosity,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Against such there is no law.
Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh
with its passions and desires.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.

The RSM can obfuscate the nature of their dilemma all they want, but scripture and tradition make the truth painfully clear. The defiant defense of immoral sexuality, in any form, is a work of the flesh, nothing more.

Awww.. feeling unloved?

From 365gay.com (via cwnews)

“When considering Pope Benedict’s discussion of the different dimensions of the concept of love, it is striking that in so many ways the Catholic Church fails to love lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, said Debbie Weill, executive director of Dignity.

"His letter describes in considerable detail several facets of God’s love, which the Church intentionally chooses not to extend to LGBT persons, in direct contrast to the idea that ‘Deus Caritas Est:’ God is Love”." [emphasis mine]

I'ts hard to explain the difference of loving the sinner and hating the sin, if the sinner cannot separate the sin from their own identity as a child of God. We were not made to be servants of our carnal appetites, to the point where we cannot hear about the love of God without receiving it as a rebuke.

Kyrie Eleison.

Golden Calves..

From Access Hollywood:

"It was a triumphant night for films dealing with homosexuality and transsexuality.

Along with the victories for "Brokeback Mountain," acting honors went to Felicity Huffman in a gender-bending role as a man preparing for sex-change surgery in "Transamerica" and Philip Seymour Hoffman as gay author Truman Capote in "Capote."

"I know as actors our job is usually to shed our skins, but I think as people our job is to become who we really are and so I would like to salute the men and women who brave ostracism, alienation and a life lived on the margins to become who they really are," Huffman said.

Contrast

From 'The Imitation of Christ':

My Son, pay diligent heed to the motions of Nature and of Grace, because they move in a very contrary and subtle manner, and are hardly distinguished save by a spiritual and inwardly enlightened man. All men indeed seek good, and make pretence of something good in all that they say or do; and thus under the appearance of good many are deceived.

2. "Nature is deceitful and draweth away, ensnareth, and deceiveth many, and always hath self for her end; but Grace walketh in simplicity and turneth away from every appearance of evil, maketh no false pretences, and doeth all entirely for the sake of God, in whom also she finally resteth.

3. "Nature is very unwilling to die, and to be pressed down, and to be overcome, and to be in subjection, and to bear the yoke readily; but Grace suffereth self-mortification, resisteth sensuality, seeketh to be subdued, longeth to be conquered, and willeth not to use her own liberty. She loveth to be held by discipline, and not to have authority over any, but always to live, to remain, to have her being under God, and for God's sake to be humbly subject to every ordinance of man.

5. "Nature willingly receiveth honour and reverence; but Grace faithfully ascribeth all honour and glory to God.

So..

From Access Hollywood:

"Brokeback Mountain" won the screenplay award for Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana. McMurtry thanked his constant companion during the lonely process of writing.

"Most heartfelt, I thank my typewriter. My typewriter is a Hermes 3000, surely one of the noblest instruments of European genius," McMurtry said.


Jimbob says: Thanks for making my point, Larry.