Last week, the Holy See published the Intrumentum Laboris (“working instrument”) that will guide the upcoming Synod of Bishops on Marriage and Family.
Since then, most of the attention it has received seems to concern “how some passages in this document secure a path for the ‘Kasper proposal’ in favor of remarried divorcees to be accepted by the Synod.” (See the excellent treatment posted at Rorate Caeli.)
Especially in light of recent events in Ireland and the United States, wherein so-called “gay marriage” has become the law of the land, the document’s treatment of homosexuality deserves a closer look as well.
Though the topic is given but limited mention, what the Instrumentum does say, although nothing new, is very troubling indeed.
Under the heading, “The pastoral care of the homosexual person,” we find in paragraphs 130-131:
Some families live the experience of having family members with homosexual orientation. In this regard, we questioned what kind of pastoral attention that is appropriate to deal with this situation by referring to what the Church teaches: “There is no basis whatsoever to assimilate or establish analogies, even remote, between homosexual unions and God’s plan for marriage and the family. Nevertheless, men and women with homosexual tendencies must be accepted with respect and sensitivity. In their regard should be avoided every sign of unjust discrimination” (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons, 4).
It reiterates that every person, regardless of their sexual orientation, must be respected in their dignity and met with sensitivity and delicacy, both in the Church and in society. It would be desirable that diocesan pastoral plans pay special attention to the accompaniment of families in which homosexual persons live.
One of the reasons the Church is losing this particular battle (other than the unwillingness of churchmen in our day to proclaim the Kingship of Christ) is that even her official organs have adopted the language, and thus the lies, of the very movement it is called to condemn in the hope of converting its adherents.
For instance, in the space of just four sentences, the Instrumentum speaks of “homosexual orientation” and “sexual orientation.”
We’ve heard such phrases tossed about with such regularity that they’re rarely questioned, but the truth is, there is no such thing as a sexual “orientation,” homo or otherwise; rather, there is sexual attraction, sexual behavior, and (as the Instrumentum correctly states) sexual tendencies.
The word “orientation,” in this case, is deceptive, and purposely so.
Don’t take my word for it.
According to the GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Media Reference Guide – Terms To Avoid:
Offensive: “sexual preference”
Preferred: “sexual orientation” or “orientation”
The term “sexual preference” is typically used to suggest that being lesbian, gay or bisexual is a choice and therefore can and should be “cured.” Sexual orientation is the accurate description of an individual’s enduring physical, romantic and/or emotional attraction to members of the same and/or opposite sex and is inclusive of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, as well as straight men and women.
GLADD isn’t alone. The American Psychiatric Association (APA), having been thoroughly hijacked by the LGBT activists years ago, is even more transparent about the agenda behind the word “orientation,” saying:
The concept of sexual orientation refers to more than sexual behavior. It includes feelings as well as identity.
The agenda is quite obvious: To frame the conversation in terms of identity in order to shift attention away from where it properly belongs, in the realm of behavior (i.e., choices, acts of the will, and most importantly, sinfulness), which just so happens to be precisely where the wisdom of the Church is most needed.
The APA elaborates:
Sexual orientation is a relatively new concept. In fact, although same sex behavior has always existed, the idea of a homosexual identity or a homosexual person is only about 100 years old.
The “idea of a homosexual identity or a homosexual person” didn’t come about as the result of a deeper understanding of previously unknown truths; rather, it grew up as a tactic for promoting the push to “normalize” sexual behavior that is thoroughly abhorrent.
This brings me to the very heading under which the Instrumentum discusses homosexuality, “The pastoral care of the homosexual person.”
There is no such thing, properly speaking, as a “homosexual person;” there are simply human beings, some of whom engage in deviant sexual behavior with other human beings of the same gender.
Look, I have no doubt that there are many people of good will, clergymen included, who unknowingly play into the hands of the LGBT warriors by employing their deliberately deceptive jargon, but is it too much to expect better from the Holy See?
That, unfortunately, is a rhetorical question, as the people currently running the show in Rome have demonstrated rather plainly that it is.
How about “Pastoral Care of the Faithful Catholic” who wants to save his soul and go to Heaven????
Good pastoral advice for everyone
” If you pray well, you will live well;
if you live well, you will die well;
and if you die well, all will be well.”
St. Augustine
Turn your back on the vatican 2 apostasy always. We already know that the false v2 shepherds such as mr burke will not condemn wrong…they will continue to be cowards and heretics. What about Bp Fellay (sspx) or Fr Berg (fssp). When will these two so-called “tradionalists” demand that their pope anathematize same-sex marriage in a formal document? Look at cupich’s remarks today…..disgusting. Two scoundrels who call themselves “Catholic” ruled in favor of the SC’s evil decision…..why havent they been excommunicated….what is jorge, or the local bishop, waiting for? Turn your back on v2.
Well, Rich, we HAVE turned our backs on Vatican II and all that comes after it. That’s the whole point of Louie’s posts, and most of the comments here. We are sorting through the modern garbage, bringing forward our Catholic treasures to share, and educating ourselves in the one true Faith.
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The whole Catholic blogosphere is aimed at just that – spreading the word that this whole Vatican II thing will pass – we are educating ourselves and others so we and our children and grandchildren will have something to come back to.
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You expect faithful churchmen like Cardinal Burke to act imprudently to satisfy your desire for a revolt against the horrors in the Vatican…well, be patient. This is going to be a very slow process. We may not see it in our lifetime. Look at the history of heresies, schisms etc. Sometimes it took generations to bring the barque of Peter safely back to harbour. But it will happen because Our Lord promised He would always be with us.
Barbara
I dont believe we have TRULY denounced v2 for what it is….even many good people, though they denounce its heresies, accept it as somehow still being a part of Catholicism. Yes, i do want a revolt….because I know that as every day passes innumerable people die and face their judgement. In true sincerity I ask that you not call burke a “faithful churchman”. He is a v2 (which we all oppose on this site) apostate. I fully see that your Catholic sincerity is true but you refuse to call a spade a spade.
Aw, Rich, cool your jets. Cardinal Burke is a fine Cardinal, and a very devout Catholic and a holy man. Yes, a man of his time, and with that formed in the Vatican II church, but he has embraced the TLM and preaches only orthodoxy. You are being priggish.
What they are teaching is that there is nothing sinful in a desire for the sinful. Should we exhort people to ‘accept with respect and sensitivity’ one’s desire to get cosy with a beast? Should one whose tendency leans towards the ‘adulterous’ encounter be ‘respected in their dignity and met with sensitivity and delicacy’? Is one’s ‘orientation’ towards wanting to kill someone not sinful, then? I guess sinful desires have been ‘rehabilitated’ by the Novus Ordo as to be worthy of respect in their ‘dignity’, accpeted with sensitivy against unjust discrimination.
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The Novus Ordo teaches, “men and women with homosexual [supply any other sort of sinful tendency to put this in a proper context] tendencies must be accepted with respect…regardless of their sexual orientation, they must be respected in their dignity.” What they are pushing is the acceptance of the sin through an implicit identification of ‘men and women’ with the sin.
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The Church teaches: “Who, having known the justice of God, did not understand that they who do such things, are worthy of death; and not only they that do them, but they also that consent to them that do them.” Romans 1:32 = To even ‘consent to them that do [wicked things]’ is to be guilty of the wicked things.
Good man Rich!!! I’m not back – I just could not resist. 🙂
Ok, let’s not get too excited about Card Burke folks…
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8-wQLuTMs8
This man has a VAST collection of the obstinate heretic Fr/Card Ratzinger’s works in his library.
[The very beginning of the interview] Q “You are a great admirer of BXVI?”
Burke: “Oh, yes…”
Q “You have his complete works?”
Burke: “Of all the qualities of BXVI, I think that the greatest is the one of being a master of the faith [??!!]… When there is confusion, protest, I always turn towards him, towards his writings on the liturgy, but also on other doctrinal matters…”
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IOW, if Burke believes the modernist Fr Ratzinger is some sort of theological guru, what does that tell us about his own theological leanings and beliefs? Does it not suggest that Card Burke is in fact, himself a modernist?
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I am not pitting my hope that Card Burke will save the day during the Oktober Sin-Nod, that is most certain.
Last night I was reading through chapters 18 & 19 of Genesis…
Will the Lord find “10” just men to avert the just wrath of God upon mankind?
Answer – NO he found 8 Noah & wife 3 sons and wifes.
Nota bene this statement from the American Psychiatric Association: “The concept of sexual ORIENTATION REFERS TO more than sexual BEHAVIOR.”
Now cue in the statement from the “Instrumentum Laboris”
“It reiterates that every person, regardless of their sexual ORIENTATION, must be respected in their dignity and met with sensitivity and delicacy, both in the Church and in society.”
The conclusion of what they are REALLY trying to get at is inescapable.
Here is a translation for laymen:
“It reiterates that every person, regardless of their sexual BEHAVIOR, must be respected in their dignity and met with sensitivity and delicacy, both in the Church and in society.”
Don’t be fooled by these wolves in sheep clothing.
Sorry in hoc signo vinces my comment above is wrong Lot and family
“We are sorting through the modern garbage”.
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I reckon, however, the ‘sorting’ approach creates a Recognise and Sort, or Sift – as they say – assembly of people…sorting. That’s not the Church. The Churh proclaims, defends, defines and ministers certainty in the Divine Life Our Lord came to give us.
Burke’s recent reiteration of basic Catholic Catechesis (the indissolubility of marriage and the impossibility of gay ‘marriage’) is remarkable from a Novus Ordo hierarch. Which is why he was demoted. But he still recognises Bergoglio as the ‘highest moral authority on earth’ (what a dangerous thing for an immortal soul), which is why he said that he doesn’t think Bergoglio is ‘harming the Church’, simply needing to make himself a little more clear. Does Burke really think Bergoglio simple needs to make his aims ‘clearer’? What sort of lesson is this for the pew-punter?
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PS. The Novus Ordo Archbishop of St Louis had voodoo practices going on in under his watch – widely publicised on the internet 2004-2005, and did nothing, said nothing. At the time (as with Berogolio now) people said, “but he probably doesn’t know”, even though, as with Bergoglio, everyone else knows. Subsequently St Alphonus Church was struck by lightning and was unusable for two or three years (an Anglican deaconess was also ordained there in some sort of interfaith deal). But then, as Burke was appointed by JPII – “witchdoctor” of the Novus Ordo – who can be surprised?
Barbara
Common theme amongst us old enough to be raised before VAT II, how did they destroy my life so quickly? When I graduated from grade school the nuns had me thoroughly immersed in the Baltimore Catechism. By time I graduated from HS we were on the eve of the Novus Ordo.
Here is the tough question. How did the Holy Spirit allow this ecumenical council to take place? We know it has to be in God’s grand design for us. Ironically I believe the Council of Trent refers to the Catholic Church as the Ark of Noah and you have to be on it in order to be saved. No ark for us this time. We have to learn to tread water, to keep our head in the game. Hopefully God throws us a life preserver.
If only you knew how the phrase ” Ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam” means to me. I fear the the day is nearing when the Tridentine Mass will no longer be available to me. God help us.
Got news for you. Cardinal Burke confirmed two of my kids when he was in LaCrosse. He is no saint or savior. Ever notice how the new “orthodox” never quote any pope before 1965, as if the Catholic Church only began in 1965. Watch out!
“… However, there is no reason to be discouraged or despair. On the contrary. Judging from the viewpoint of Divine Revelation and prophecy, we could say that “everything is going according to plan” — so to speak. While we must at all times fight for good morals, common decency, common sense, true justice, and religious truth, nevertheless we know that this world will at some point in the future be ruled by the Antichrist, not because God positively wills it so, but because He permits it as part of salvation history in order to draw a great good from it. This has been revealed to us in Holy Scripture by Almighty God Himself (e.g., 2 Thess 2; 1 Jn 2:18; cf. Mt 24). Although the knowledge that it will and must happen is no excuse to surrender, to sit back and watch it all come about, it is cause to not despair, to not be dismayed, and to understand why all these frightening social upheavals against God’s law — both natural and revealed — are happening, and why God is permitting them. This, in turn, allows us to continue our trustful and loving surrender to Divine Providence, full of Faith and hope, keeping in mind that even though the times in which we live are evil, nevertheless Almighty God, who is all-knowing, all-good, and all-powerful, has chosen to place us into precisely this time of human history and no other — and He did so because He foreknew that this would be most conducive to our salvation.”
http://www.novusordowatch.org/wire/#.VZJymPmeDGc
PS. “Sexual orientation is a relatively new concept.” Not really. It used to be called perversity. Its rebranding as ‘orientation’ is what’s new.
Matthew 5:28 “But I say to you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart.” The ‘orientation’ to sin, is, itself, sin.
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What the above GLAAD friendly mish-mash is saying is that homosexuality is worthy of ‘respect’, ‘acceptance’ etc. on account of its ‘dignity’. It is an incitement to people to ‘consent to them that do wicked things’. The same logic is applied with the synod’s attempts to make adultery worthy of ‘respect’ and ‘acceptance’ on account of its ‘dignity’.
The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”
Matthew 13:28-30
What do you mean you are “not back”?
You have been missed, Peter Lamb.
I am sorry to say, In Hoc, that you are 100% correct in your analysis of Cardinal Burke. He is the best we have, but oh so modernist.
Yes, dear old Catholic. Peter Lamb is correct. This must all come to pass.
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Remember in Matthew 16:21-28 when Our Lord tells His disciples that he must go to Jerusalem to suffer and die? Peter says to Jesus, “No Lord. This shall not be.” Our Lord says to Peter in Mt 16:23, “Get behind Me, Satan. …..You do not relish the things that are of God but that are of men.” ———– Our Lord had to suffer and die so that all would be fulfilled.
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So now, too, the Mystical Body of Christ (His Church) must “die” (or at least appear to) in following after Our Lord’s lead so that all will be fulfilled. We must love this will of God ——– even though it is going to be very painful. I think that is the secret to holiness —- to love His Will. (Not always an easy thing to do.)
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Let us pray for final perseverance for ourselves and each other.
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Also, when you said,
” Ironically I believe the Council of Trent refers to the Catholic Church as the Ark of Noah and you have to be on it in order to be saved. No ark for us this time.”
I am certain that this time the Ark by which we will be saved is Our Blessed Mother (the Arc of the Covenant)
—– Her Rosary, Her Scapular. She will guide us to holding onto (in your case) or learning (in my case) the Truths of the True Faith that are necessary for our salvation.
May God protect you and your loved ones in what we are about to endure so that you (we) may all reach our final goal —- Heaven.
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P.S. If anyone wishes to correct me here, please feel free to do so. The only thing I truly know is how little I actually do know about Our Holy Catholic Faith.
“The ‘orientation’ to sin, is, itself, sin.”
Great insight, salvemur.
The complete insanity of it all:
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Christopher Ferrara reports:
Pope Francis: “We feel that we must disagree with those prophets of doom who are always forecasting disaster, as though the end of the world were at hand.” Evangelii Gaudium (quoting John XXIII).
Pope Francis: “Doomsday predictions can no longer be met with irony or disdain.” Laudato si.
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Christopher Ferrara says,
“How does one reconcile these two statements? It is really quite simple: With John XXIII, Francis rejects traditional Catholic “prophecies of doom,” including those of a long line of pre-Vatican II Popes who warned about the dire consequences of the world’s apostasy. But he accepts liberal prophecies of doom, including those of his atheist, pro-abortion advisers on “climate change.” ”
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Link from:
http://www.remnantnewspaper.com/web/index.php/fetzen-fliegen/item/1837-a-tale-of-two-popes
Bergoglio speaks from both sides of his mouth. Both of them smiling!
God’s “pastoral care” speaks plainly:
[John 8: 31-32]
“Jesus said ..If you continue in my word, you shall be my disciples indeed. [32] And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
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[Romans 1: 25-27]
“Who changed the truth of God into a lie; and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
[26] For this cause God delivered them up to shameful affections. For their women have changed the natural use into that use which is against nature. [27] And, in like manner, the men also, leaving the natural use of the women, have burned in their lusts one towards another, men with men working that which is filthy, and receiving in themselves the recompense which was due to their error. [28] And as they liked not to have God in their knowledge, God delivered them up to a reprobate sense, to do those things which are not convenient; [29] Being filled with all iniquity, malice, fornication, avarice, wickedness, full of envy, murder, contention, deceit, malignity, whisperers, [30] Detractors, hateful to God, contumelious, proud, haughty, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents. ”
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[Jude] [17-25]
“But you, my dearly beloved, be mindful of the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, [18] Who told you, that in the last time there should come mockers, walking according to their own desires in ungodlinesses. [19] These are they, who separate themselves, sensual men, having not the Spirit. [20] But you, my beloved, building yourselves upon your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, [21] Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto life everlasting. [22] And some indeed reprove, being judged: [23] But others save, pulling them out of the fire. And on others have mercy, in fear, hating also the spotted garment which is carnal.”
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“[24] Now to him who is able to preserve you without sin, and to present you spotless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, [25] To the only God our Saviour through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory and magnificence, empire and power, before all ages, and now, and for all ages of ages.
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Amen.”
Amen.
Welcome back. I hope the new baby and mother are well.
There is a hermenuetic of malice and pride going on in many of these comments which ought to digust every Orthodox Roman Catholic.
I knew someone would call me on that. But I stand by what I say. We must not blanket all VII people because they are VII people. There is sorting to be done. Do we dismiss Cardinal Burke because he says the Norvus Ordo mass? He may be the only man able to stand up to this evil empire that is now ‘the church.’ He, and several others will lead those who are not so brave into the last stand.
Read the old testament! Every time the Hebrews left God, He allowed others to overtake them and carry them off to slavery. But he always watched, and waited…and then when their voices rose in anguish and they begged Him for help – there He was.
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There is nothing different today. We just have different evils overtaking us. But the reason God allows it, and the remedy for it, is exactly the same.
Thanks SOL, All eagerly awaiting renounce- Satan day. 🙂 🙂
No, this is not a correct analysis of Cardinal Burke. His loyalty is to the Papacy, but to any particular office-holder. Would you have him speak imprudently and sway masses of Catholics out of the Church with him? He wants to change things from inside, just as others want to do evil from inside.
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I urge you to think about the result of what you want. It’s been stated here that there are millions of souls in the balance. After the revolution what would we have? Millions fleeing the so-called VII church towards what? Millions staying in the so-called VII church towards what?
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‘You know who’ has urged the idiots who listen to him to make a mess. Let US not listen to his rantings.
All this perversion of human dignity comes from the past 100 years, brought to main-stream Catholics by the modernist ramblings of John Paul II.
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For a good take on true human dignity read “The Destruction of the Family” by Leone (sorry don’t have it here so can’t give author’s name in full). He explains the perversion of this thought very well. The false philosophy of personalism pushed through JPII’s tenure is riddled with a very basic misunderstanding of human beings, of human nature, and of dignity.
Our Dear Heavenly Father always has a consoling thought for us. Thanks for this reminder that patience is a virtue. And that HE sees ALL.
O! so harsh!
Examples please. I’m ready to be called out on anything I say that is malicious and prideful. Oh, by the way what is an Orthodox Roman Catholic? Oxymoronic. I am a Catholic. As Michael Voris said in today’s Vortex, anything that is not Catholic is useless.
Congratulations and best wishes on the birth of your grandchild. Hope mother and baby are well.
If one wants to change how people think, change the words they use e.g., “gay”, “homosexual”, “transsexual”, for persons who choose to identify themselves and have others identify them according to intrinsic depraved evil, and give that ratification.
Well, I was merely transcribing Card Burke’s own words from his conversation…
His own words speak for themselves.
He is a huge admirer of the modernist Fr/Card. Ratzinger. This is an undeniable, plain fact. How can he admire the “Nouvelle Theologie” of Fr. Ratzinger, and not be a proponent himself of the same?
But ye’ll hears lot of citations and quotes from “St” JP II “The Great”, the new “theological guru” of the neo-catholics in the Conciliar Church.
He is the man people go to for profound, conservative, theological insights.
God help us.
What need could there possibly be for SPIRITUAL “prophecies of doom” when (as per Francis’ Laudato Si) WE ARE ALL GOING TO HEAVEN!!!! Only need to worry about poor, suffering, and sick Mother Earth now!
🙂 🙂 🙂
Yes. Orwellian “Newspeak” is what we have now.
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Abominable perversion, a sin that cries to heaven for vengeance, leading many people to depression and higher rates of suicide = “gay”
The same can be said for your own comment Mike J.
The term we should use if ‘Sinful Inclination.’
As in “Some families live the experience of having family members with sinful inclinations towards homosexuality.”
Sinful Inclination.
We all have them. It’s very ‘equal.’
Meanwhile, in Russia…
http://shoebat.com/2015/06/29/russian-government-now-wants-to-ban-the-gay-flag-saying-that-gay-delirium-is-threatening-the-entire-civilized-world/
Yes, Barbara!
Do you mean the book “The Family Under Attack” by Don Pietro Leone? I bought the book to restore to myself proper Catholic thinking after having spent months (in error) studying JPII’s humanistic “theology of the body.”
Leone devotes 25 pages under “Appendix A” to analyzing the perversions of TOB (Theology of the Body). It is excellent.
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For an even more thorough analysis of the horrors of TOB, read Randy Engel’s “Theology of the Body” from New Engle Publishing.
http://newengelpublishing.com/products/Theology-of-the-Body.html
Fr Oswalt (who left the Novus Ordo seminary and sought the unadulterated – Glory to God!) said: “Two questions every Catholic must answer: Is the Novus Ordo Catholic? Is the head of the Novus Ordo the Vicar of Christ?”
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The answer is, of course, no to both questions. The ‘need’ to believe otherwise is understandable, but not prudent. The ‘root of the rot’ is VII and the New Order institution which occupies the episcopal sees. Until VII and its New Order (Novus Ordo) are sent packing there is no room in those sees for Catholic Faith and Worship – only a mix of things which has divorced itself from the Indefectible – like any protestant assembly of anti-papal thinkers and worshippers. Christ and belial have no concord. Tradition and novelty likewise. The “ecumenical harlot” is not the Bride of Christ. It is terribly unfortunate that so many Catholics think it right to believe in the defectibility of His Church. “A vacant Holy See is possible [this is Church doctrine], but a Holy See that attacks Catholicism is not possible [this is the Recognise and Resist position].”
The old testament and its covenant look towards the eternal testament and the eternal Bride. To reduce Eternal Israel to that which preceded the advent of the Bridegroom is not exactly the way the Church views herself as the indefectable Bride.
The title of Louie’s post is, surely, ironic. The ‘Holy See’ cannot ‘adopt LGBT’ language. Anything that adopts such language is not the Holy See.
“Congratulations and best wishes on the birth of your grandchild. Hope mother and baby are well.” – It’s so heteronormative…
(just kidding!)
“For instance, in the space of just four sentences, the Instrumentum speaks of “homosexual orientation” and “sexual orientation.””
Two Church documents:
” 2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity,141 tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.”142 They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.
2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.
2359 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 2357 uses the same language, in the same sense, as GLADD & the APA
CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH
LETTER TO THE BISHOPS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
ON THE PASTORAL CARE OF HOMOSEXUAL PERSONS
“3….Therefore special concern and pastoral attention should be directed toward those who have this condition, lest they be led to believe that the living out of this orientation in homosexual activity is a morally acceptable option. It is not.”
“11. It has been argued that the homosexual orientation in certain cases is not the result of deliberate choice; and so the homosexual person would then have no choice but to behave in a homosexual fashion. Lacking freedom, such a person, even if engaged in homosexual activity, would not be culpable.”
“16. From this multi-faceted approach there are numerous advantages to be gained, not the least of which is the realization that a homosexual person, as every human being, deeply needs to be nourished at many different levels simultaneously.
The human person, made in the image and likeness of God, can hardly be adequately described by a reductionist reference to his or her sexual orientation.”
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19861001_homosexual-persons_en.html
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm
## The letter was written in 1986, the Catechism in 1994 (& corrected in 1997). In using the language of “orientation” & “attraction”, the 2015 Synod is doing no more than make its own the language of already-existing Catholic teaching. That the words are used, does not imply that either document is in agreement with the APA or any other body Catholics might regard as nefarious.
“Orientation” is not the same as “preference” – to speak only of “preference”, would be too intellectualistic, as though an attraction engaged only the intellect, and not the whole “acting person”. The affections cannot be adequately discussed if they are regarded as purely intellectual. Christian faith is not a series of lectures, but a communion between persons. Distorted forms of human love cannot be dealt with if they are misidentified as being purely intellectual, rather than as acts of the whole person.
Thanks for the reminder that our identity has nothing to do with perverse inclinations or behaviors:+) I posted the entire article in a Yahoo Group I belong to for people whose loved ones are lost to the sin of sodom.
Ugh, can’t stand the “dignity” junk. Our dignity comes from God and when we dump Him we dump said dignity (per St. Thomas I believe). I refuse to respect someone who practices or promotes perversion and a sin that cries to heaven for revenge. Respect is to esteem excellence and there is nothing excellent about sodomy.
God bless you Louie!
Agree about the ‘dignity junk’
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“What dignity does man have after original sin, apart from redemption?” Bishop Sanborn – http://www.restorationradionetwork.org/season-4-the-root-of-the-rot-episode-11-paul-vi-the-pre-bergoglio/