Catholic Spirituality,  Culture of Death,  Homosexuality,  Theology of the Body

A Church for Gay People

July 29, 2013

Hint: it’s also a church for alcoholics. And for recovering bulimics. And for former (or current) pornography addicts. For liars, cheaters, shoplifters, and drug users. In short: it’s a church for humanity.

Pope Francis made an unexpected gift of his time and did a little Q & A with the lucky group of journalists accompanying him home on the papal flight from World Youth Day in Rio this morning, and inevitably, the question of homosexuality came up.

The Pope reiterated the Church’s teaching on homosexuality, clearly stated and lovingly (one hopes in all cases) implemented:

If someone is gay, who searches for the Lord and has goodwill, who am I to judge? The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains this very well. It says they should not be marginalized because of this (orientation) but that they must be integrated into society.” 

Did you catch that? The Pope isn’t judging gay people. The Pope isn’t judging any of the rest of us poor, sinning schmucks either, people who are trying – and failing – day after day to live a Christlike life and do His will in our lives. 

Did the Holy Father invite people to practice homosexuality? By no means. Did he infer that gay ‘marriages’ would soon be performed in Catholic parishes around the globe? Nope. He simply stated the eternal Christian truth which is preached for all people and for all time: if you are searching for the Lord in earnest, you will find him. And you will be welcomed. 

Too many Christians have been branded by a media eager to demonize and divide as ‘intolerant’ or ‘bigoted’ because of their rejection of homosexuality. But the rejection of homosexuality must never be confused with the rejection of homosexual persons. No person is unwelcome to Christ, or to His Church. We are all of us sinners, found wanting, and in need of His mercy.

Does this mean the Church will ever stop calling people to repentance? Definitely not.

Will the same Church ever embrace sinful behaviors in her children in order to assuage their misguided notions  of happiness? Never. 

The Church does not dictate morality; she reveals what is inherently true, good, and beautiful. 

Homosexual behavior is not deemed ‘sinful’ because the Church says so; the Church says so because the behavior is inherently damaging to the human person. As is all sin. The teachings of Jesus Christ are not arbitrary, but are rather deeply informed with the most intimate knowledge of the human person. He knows what makes us tick, because He made us. And neither He nor his Bride are ever, ever going to recommend a behavior that is harmful to us. 

That’s why the Church will never change Her teachings on contraception. She’ll never jump on board with Planned Parenthood and endorse the concept of ‘therapeutic abortions.’ And there are never going to be a special set of readings for use at ‘same sex wedding’ Masses. 

Because He loves us too much.

And because homosexual behavior, for all the noise being made by Hollywood and the media, is fundamentally damaging to the human person.

The Pope was not speaking some sort of secret code and green lighting gay ‘marriage’ with his statement to the press today. Though it will surely be misconstrued in many circles as such. He was simply reiterating the words of Christ, spoken 2,000 years ago, and spoken still today. 

Come to me, you who are burdened, I will give you rest. Forget what you’ve done, where you’ve been, what you’ve seen…and come to me. And be at peace. I made you. I alone know what can fulfill the desires of your heart. Do not seek the world’s happiness; the world did not make you, and cannot know what you are made for. Only I can tell you that.

20 Comments

  • LeighAnna
    July 29, 2013 at 8:52 pm Reply

    “The Pope was not speaking some sort of secret code and green lighting gay ‘marriage’ with his statement to the press today. Though it will surely be misconstrued in many circles as such.” Well said! The mob-media-frenzy is exhausting, and it got old about… well, it’s always been old. (I’m remembering the uproar over Benedict XVI’s condom remark. Ugh.) The liberal media just has no sense of priority… they blow a standard comment about human dignity out of proportion because it fits their pet agenda, and ignore/skim over the really interesting stuff. For example, Pope Francis dismissed the non-issue of women priests when it was raised and said instead we need a “deeper theology of woman.” Why can’t they ask follow-up questions about that?! 🙂

  • Anonymous
    July 30, 2013 at 2:31 am Reply

    I don’t understand why Catholics feel they have to provide an interpretation for what the Pope said. Why can’t you accept and love…the end.

  • Jason
    July 30, 2013 at 10:49 am Reply

    To our friend Anonymous, we feel we have to provide an interpretation because the media usually feels like the need to provide an interpretation that is against all the Catholic Church teaches, so if we don’t speak up, then that interpretation is left to stand as “truth.” The great thing with Pope Francis is he is unafraid to speak the Truth no matter how it may be interpreted by the media, and I think is getting the rest of us Catholics to speak out as defenders of the Faith.

  • Ruthie
    July 30, 2013 at 12:39 pm Reply

    this is wonderfully written. well said..here’s the thing, i WISH papa francis said THIS and not what he did…sigh. it just all can be so frustrating in the sense that alllllllllllllll things mainstream media (that the 98% of contracepting “Catholics” read) didnt headline WYD one bit!! sure his security issues got a tag line here or there but nothing about the millions, the Masses, etc. and then BOOM. front page. headline. the whole shabang. and they’ll read the crappola version on msn and not understand a damn thing and that is what stinkkkkkkkkkkkkks, i think. andddddd furthermore on women priests, yes! definitive (sp) answer. JP2 closed door. period. but why not take the opporutnity to explain its impossible?! put some gender back into the crazy ass world that is trying to make “all things equal” women want a voice in the church??? raise a priest!!! they love their mamas and share their wisdom and knowledge from the pulpit DAILY!! oh, now i’m ranting and dont even know why. but so well written. keep it up!

  • R2P2
    July 31, 2013 at 7:50 pm Reply

    A friend of a friend cross-posted this on FB, and I’m so glad she did. This is SO well-stated, thank you. I cringed when I saw the headlines & media response, especially by the talking heads who tried to understand it as a “change” in policy. His response was very specific to the context of someone not acting out homosexual desires through a sexual relationship, which is something they overlook in their frenzy over his response. Thank you for your eloquently, lovingly stated commentary.

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