And miles to go

Homosexuality

Coming to Minnesota this month is a group called "New Ways Ministry" which intends to challenge the Truth of the Church’s teaching on human sexuality, specifically in regard to persons of same-sex inclinations.  This group is meeting from March 16-18 in Minneapolis and no doubt there will be plenty of media coverage in our local areas. The group has already portrayed themselves as "Catholic leaders, ministers, theologians, clergy and lay people, educators, GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transsexual) advocates, family members and supporters." By doing so, they have compromised their Catholic identity in rejecting the Church’s constant teaching. Complicating this scene is the scheduled appearance of priests, religious sisters and even three retired bishops who will be involved in the presentations. Their very presence at this gathering is a source of grave scandal.

According to the Church’s Code of Canon Law, heresy is the obstinate denial or obstinate doubt after the reception of baptism of some truth which is to be believed by divine and Catholic faith (n. 751). Jesus, himself, predicted that this phenomenon would happen among his followers in both Mark 13:6 and Matthew 13:24-39. The Church has witnessed the advancement of heresies in almost every era of her historical experience. Unfortunately, it seems that today’s situation is no different.

Last November, the General Assembly of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops approved a well thought-out document entitled, Ministry to Persons with a Homosexual Inclination: Guidelines for Pastoral Care.

From the outset, the Bishops’ document reaffirms that all persons must be treated with "respect, compassion, and sensitivity."  At the same time, persons with a homosexual inclination are called by God to live chaste lives.

The heart of the matter is that God created human beings in his own image:  "Male and female he created them." (Gen. 1:27).  God’s design calls for the complementarity of a male and a female. They are to:  "Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it." (Gen. 1:28).  Thus, as the Bishops state:  "Homosexual acts also violate the true purpose of sexuality."

Refusing to acknowledge the true complementarity of the sexes and failing to be open to the transmission of life, same-sex acts are "disordered," that is to say, they do not conform to human nature as designed by God and thus are not truly beneficial for the well-being of the persons involved.

This is not to say that the person himself (or herself) is disordered, but that the inclination or subsequent acting-out of that inclination is disordered.

Many behavioral scientists tell us that our unique sexual identity does not begin to be formed until eighteen months and continues until three years of age (see www.cathmed.org). During that time, the child reacts to his or her environment and relationships. It is thought that the homosexual inclination is the result of some psychological trauma that occurs in those relationships.

To say that homosexual activity is disordered must be understood in the context of other human disorders: envy, malice, greed, etc. Such inclinations are not sinful in themselves and may well be beyond a person’s control or desire. But, acting out on these inclinations is always wrong and when done with knowledge and deliberation are sinful.

One of the strengths of the Bishops’ document is its emphasis on the necessity of being trained in virtue.  The Bishops specify:

"In our society, chastity is a particular virtue that requires special effort. All people, whether married or single, are called to chaste living. Chaste living overcomes disordered human desires such as lust and results in the expression of one’s sexual desires in harmony with God’s Will."

Virtue is only acquired through continuous, sustained and repeated effort. Vice or the habit of sin is acquired in exactly the same way.

As Catholic believers, we do not have to rely solely on our own power of persuasion in order to avoid temptation, since we are able to turn readily to the influence of the Holy Spirit alive in our hearts. Temptations do not have to overwhelm us. Christ has "set our freedom free from the damnation of concupiscence." (Pope John Paul II, Splendor of Truth, n. 103).

I highly recommend a careful reading and meditation on the Bishops’ new document. (For a copy, go to www.usccb.org – Church Documents – Bishops’ Statements.)

Today’s "gay agenda" advocates, including many persons in the media, want you to believe that homosexuality is as natural as heterosexuality with only a slight variation. They have cleverly sought refuge under the umbrella of "civil rights."  Neither assertion is true and both must be challenged.

The Church’s role in all this is to proclaim the Truth as found in Scripture and revealed by Jesus Christ. She seeks to defend the dignity of all persons, but she also is charged with challenging moral activity which contradicts the Natural Law as created by God and handed on through the Tradition of our faith.  

May God love you!

(March, 2007)

Falta Mucho por Recorrer

En algunas semanas vendrá a Minnesota un grupo con el nombre "New Ways Ministry." Este grupo intenta desafiar la verdad a las enseñanzas de la Iglesia sobre la sexualidad humana, específicamente con respecto a las personas que tienen atracción con el mismo sexo. El grupo se presentará del 16 al 18 de Marzo en Minneapolis y habrá sin duda bastante cobertura periodística. El grupo se describe como "Lideres católicos, ministros, teólogos, personas laicas y del clero, educadores, GLBT (homosexual, lesbiana, bisexual y transexual) defensores, miembros de familia y partidarios." Al hacer eso, ellos ponen en riesgo su identidad católica en rechazar la enseñanza constante de la Iglesia. Se complica el escenario al presentarse sacerdotes, hermanas religiosas y hasta tres obispos jubilados. Su presencia en dicha reunión es fuente de escándalo. 

El pasado Noviembre, la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos aprobó un documento bien elaborado, Apostolado con Personas de Inclinación Homosexual: Pautas para el Cuidado Pastoral.

Desde el principio, el documento de los Obispos reafirma que todas las personas deben ser tratadas con "respeto, compasión y afectividad." Al mismo tiempo, Dios llama a las personas con inclinación homosexual a vivir una vida casta.

Lo primordial es que Dios creó a los seres humanos a su imagen y semejanza: "Dios creó al hombre y a la mujer." (Gen. 1:27). El diseño de Dios llama a la complementariedad del hombre y la mujer. Ellos son: "Tengan muchos hijos; llenen el mundo y gobiérnenlo." (Gen. 1:28). "Los actos homosexuales también desobedecen el verdadero propósito de la sexualidad," afirmaron los obispos.

Una de las pautas en el documento de los Obispos es su énfasis de la necesidad en ser instruido en la virtud. Los obispos especifican:

"En nuestra sociedad, la castidad es una virtud particular que requiere un esfuerzo especifico. Todos, ya sean casados o solteros, son llamados a vivir en castidad. Vivir en castidad vence los deseos confusos tales como la sensualidad y su resultado es la expresión del deseo sexual de uno en armonía con la voluntad de Dios."

La virtud solamente se adquiere con el esfuerzo continuo e ininterrumpido. El vicio o el hábito del pecado se adquieren de la misma manera.

Como católicos creyentes, para evitar la tentación  no tenemos que confiar únicamente en nuestro propio poder de la persuasión  puesto que podemos volver al poder del Espíritu Santo vivo en nuestros corazones. Las tentaciones no nos tienen que agobiar. Cristo "nos ha liberado de la condena del deseo sexual." (Papa Juan Pablo II, Splendor of Truth, n. 103).                  

Quiero recomendarles a leer con mucho cuidado el documento más reciente de los Obispos. (www.usccb.org – documentos de la Iglesia – Las declaraciones de los Obispos).

Hoy en día la "agenda homosexual" de los defensores, y muchos en el medio te quieren hacer creer que la homosexualidad es tan natural como la heterosexualidad con una variación leve solamente. Astutamente ellos han buscado un apoyo ante "los derechos civiles." Ninguna de las argumentaciones es verdadera y ambos deben ser cuestionados.

Ante todo esto el rol de la Iglesia es proclamar la verdad que se encuentra en la Escritura y reveladas por Jesucristo. La Iglesia busca defender la dignidad de todas las personas, pero también es acusada por actividad moral desafiante que contradice la Ley Natural creada a través la tradición de nuestra fe.

¡Que Dios los bendiga!

(March, 2007)