And
Miles to Go
By Bishop John C. Nienstedt
Coming to
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
Por el obispo John C. Nienstedt
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.
(March, 2007)