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Contents © 2000
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

FEBRUARY 2000 LETTERS

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Message left anonymously Jan. 5:

"Well, if there is a God, he certainly doesn't favor the Catholics or your organization. I picked up one of these News Notes here, and I thought this was the most hateful, violent spew there ever was. And believe me, I am going to volunteer as an escort at some of these -- what you call -- abortion centers. And believe me, we're very overpopulated and human life is not the most precious thing that this earth has to offer. You guys are very backward and rotten and hateful people, and it isn't far past memory that we can remember that your organization, the Catholics, collaborated with the Nazis. Good-bye."

Message left Jan. 8:

"Hey uh, we're gonna find out where some of you people live and we're gonna picket out in front of your house and see how you guys like it, and uh, you know, invade your life and make you fear for your safety. You guys fly in the face of freedom with your 15th-century beliefs that have no business in our society. You people should be exterminated. But above all, if there is a God, he does nothing but condemn you for your acts. And by the way, my name's Carl (sp?). Call me at [number deleted]. I'll be home in the evenings if you guys want to talk. I'm not afraid of your cowardly, underhanded, murdering types. Bye."

Message left later on Jan. 8:

"Yeah, by the way, the establishment where I picked up your hateful, garbage rag -- after I showed some of the issues to the management -- they agreed with me, and we discarded the pile that was on their stand, and they do agree not to air any more of your garbage, hate-filled, Nazi-type propaganda rags there any more [no establishment name was mentioned]. I wish you guys the worst of luck in your endeavor. And again, [number deleted]."


NOT AFRAID

I enjoy the tone of the News Notes. You are not afraid to step on people's toes in order to get people to see the error of their ways.

To be a Christian one has to be not afraid to be misunderstood.... The News Notes is doing just that ... causing people to think.

Craig Galik
Duquesne PA


BEFORE YOU CHOOSE TO KILL

According to page 10 of the January 2000 issue of News Notes, an upcoming NARAL Commercial will profess that:

"I believe there's a reason we're born with free will. And I have a strong will to decide what's best for my body, and my life.

"I believe in myself. In my intelligence, my integrity, my judgment. And I accept full responsibility for the decisions I make....

"The greatest of human freedoms is choice. And I believe that no one has the right to take that freedom away."

Now I would like to affirm my personal agreement with each of those explicit statements, though I am deeply concerned about the deadly deception arising from what has been deliberately excluded. There is indeed set before us a vital matter of choice.

As Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, in the NIV translation puts that choice and its consequences:

"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil."

Before you choose to kill a baby, do read Deuteronomy 30:15-20, so that you may understand the effect which such a choice will have upon you. Do understand that our own choices do have consequences for us! And to anyone who will heed, do read what Sirach 15: 14-17 bluntly states.

Jim Harris
via e-mail


THE HOMOSEXUALISTS

Several comments in the last edition of News Notes reflect more the confusion of practicing or promoting homosexualists (pph) than the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church regarding homosexuality and persons with same sex attraction (ssa). PPHs consist of two groups of people. The first group consists of persons whose same sex attraction urges them toward a sexual relationship with another person promising falsely intimacy, relief of tension in areas of masculinity or femininity, and security of permanent friendship with another of the same sex. The second group consists of people who do not suffer ssa but who assert against the Church that ssa is normal, and who encourage persons with ssa to live out sexually their lifestyle.

The problem for the majority of us Catholic faithful, clergy and lay alike, is that the truth of the Church regarding sexuality and spiritual growth has not been promulgated by those charged to proclaim it, foremost the clergy, those in diocesan ministries, and those in Catholic universities. This short exposition will offer us tools of proper Catholic language and true Catholic compassion in order that Catholic persons with ssa be rescued from practicing or promoting homosexualists and come to chastity and discipleship in a Church of imperfect members which will suffer in truth with persons with ssa for growth in sexuality, while offering them opportunity to suffer with the rest of the Church in our other iniquities.

Use the language and thought of the Church, not that of practicing or promoting homosexualists. In this way we can speak the truth, offer compassion, and begin heal this aspect of Christ's body, the Church.

PPHs teach that one is either "gay" "straight". The Catholic Church reveals that sexual identity is either male or female. Never use the street expression "gay" or "straight". Every man and woman is called to accept his or her sexual identity: male or female oriented toward the other for marriage and family life. (CCC 2333).

PPHs promulgate the idea of a different kind of person based on homosexuality. The Catholic Church clarifies that some people experience homosexuality which refers to an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction to member of their own sex through no choice of their own. (CCC 2357-8) This makes the full acceptance of sexual identity more difficult, but not impossible for nothing is impossible with Christ. (Mark 9:23)

PPHs teach that homosexual desires are created, and that people have a right to homogenital relations. The Catholic Church calls one to conversion with the truth that no one has any conceivable right to homosexual behavior (1992 Some Considerations), and that homosexual acts are acts of grave depravity (CCC 2357).

PPHs define and limit people as "gays" or "lesbians" because of a predominant same sex attraction. The Church ministers, saying: "Today, the Church provides a badly needed context for the care of the human person when she refuses to consider the person as a "heterosexual" or a "homosexual" and insists that every person has a fundamental identity: the creature of God, and by grace, his child and heir to eternal life." (#16 PCHP)

PPHs teach persons with ssa to live out their lives sexually and genitally, that there is no hope for spiritual development in sexuality. The Church teaches: "Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection. " (CCC 2359)

PPHs assert against scientific evidence that they were born this way due to genetic and hormonal influences, and cannot change. The Church teaches that, "Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained" (CCC 2357), and that one and and must accept one's maleness or femaleness (CCC 2357, take the steps to live chastely (CCC 2348, 2339, 40).

PPHs assert that all discrimination against people who feel and practice homogenital urges is unjust, and that this lack of acceptance on the part of society creates the problems for them. The Church teaches that while giving persons with ssa compassion and kindness, that all discrimination is not unjust, and that acceptance of some of the ideas of PPHs goes against God's law. (CCC 2358, Some Considerations, #4, 11). The Church affirms that the problem for persons with ssa is the disordered passion within that urges them toward acts of grave depravity, and not the society's rejection without (PCHP #3).

PPHs assert that two persons of the same sex can form a family, marry, have children, and should secure benefits to promote this unit. The Church teaches that the family. The Church teaches that a family begins when a man and a woman in self giving in marriage and open to children, and families need protection against pressure groups which seek to redefine it (Angelus message 12/26/99).

PPHs teach that the Church will change its teaching if PPHs keep an ongoing conversation. The Church sees through the pressure effort and teaches that, " It is true that her clear position cannot be revised by pressure from civil legislation or the trend of the moment" (PCHP #9)

PPHs group all persons with any degree of experience of feelings or acts of homogenitality as "gays" or "lesbians". The Church rejects this saying, "The movement within the Church, which takes the form of pressure groups of various names and sizes, attempts to give the impression that it represents all homosexual persons who are Catholics. As a matter of fact, its membership is by and large restricted to those who either ignore the teaching of the Church or seek somehow to undermine it" (PCHP #9). Men and women in the Courage movement reject homogenital activity, take on Christ in order to live chastely.

PPHs assert ssa is normal, permanent, and that change is not possible, and that no one should be told that they can change or need to convert. The Church calls all to chastity in their state in life (CCC 2340, 2349), to conversion (CCC 1848), and affirms that Christian perfection is possible through friendship, chastity, the sacraments (CCC 2359). She notes that despite rejection of change from living out homosexual desires by PPHs, that many people have deepened their faith and are no longer dominated by ssa. (Matthew 23:13 "You lock the kingdom of heaven before human beings. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter."

PPHs offer support for those with ssa with the delusions that the Church will change, that ssa is normal, unchangeable, no need for conversion, political activism for alternative marriages, families, acceptance of homogenital activity, even in some Church ministries. The Church teaches, "We encourage the Bishops, then, to provide pastoral care in full accord with the teaching of the Church for homosexual persons of their dioceses. No authentic pastoral programme will include organizations in which homosexual persons associate with each other without clearly stating that homosexual activity is immoral. A truly pastoral approach will appreciate the need for homosexual persons to avoid the near occasions of sin.

We would heartily encourage programmes where these dangers are avoided. But we wish to make it clear that departure from the Church's teaching, or silence about it, in an effort to provide pastoral care is neither caring nor pastoral. Only what is true can ultimately be pastoral. The neglect of the Church's position prevents homosexual men and women from receiving the care they need and deserve" (PCHP 15).

PPHs in the Church demand that all be welcomed, invited, and accepted in the Church as they are. The Church teaches that are are welcomed and called to conversion from sin to grow into the image of Christ (CCC 1797, 1848). She calls all to conversion in Christ.

PPHs say that "gays" and "lesbian" Catholics have been given this identity by God, that they should be welcomed into the Church as they are in whatever relationships they have chosen, to live in sexually active monogamous relationships, to be called a family with benefits, that all discrimination against them is unjust and should be removed, and that the Church should support them in living out their homosexuality.

PPHs claim that they have a right to engage in homogenital activity based on conscience. The Catholic Church clarifies that the law of God is written in each heart which he must obey to do good and avoid evil (CCC 1777). Conscience can err. Conscience must be informed and moral judgment enlightened, a lifelong task (CCC 1783-4). Rejection of Church teaching and authority, and lack of conversion can be sources for error in judgment. (CCC 1792)

The Church teaches that the goal of each Christian is to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit (CCC 1695), an interior conversion from iniquity and sin (CCC 1428), accepting one's sexual identity as male or female different and complementary, governing one's passions in self mastery (CCC 2339), living chastely to imitate Jesus (CCC 2359). The church's presentation calls persons back to an interior life in Christ away from reductionist identification to a gay or lesbian identity (PCHP 16), changing the church and society to accept homosexuality as an alternative lifestyle (PCHP #3), seeking special status and rights as gay or lesbian (SC #13), and focusing blame outside the self.

As Catholics then we accept people where they are, but always with the goal of moving beyond iniquity and sin in the area of homosexuality. To truly care for persons with ssa, we must provide a society which frustrates living out homogenital behaviors, and which frustrates the promotion of homosexuality as normal. In the meantime, we welcome people toward a life of conversion in the Catholic Church.

Sincerely in Christ,

Father Richard L. Perozich,
Pastor,
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church

References:

CCC: Catechism of the Catholic Church

Some Considerations Concerning the Response To Legislative Proposals on the Non-Discrimination of Homosexual Persons Revised statement issued on July 22, 1992 by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, Vatican City.

Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith October 1, 1986.

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