Liberals acknowledge the Pope's moral authority
By Tom Quiner
The mainstream media breathlessly reported the Pope’s pronouncement on moral matters.
The Pope is THE moral authority of the world
They took his words last week and turned them upside down in an attempt to make them mesh with their own liberal world view. Their headlines were sensational and misleading. Their reporting essentially acknowledged the moral authority of the Roman Catholic Pope, Pope Francis.
Why else spend so much time on the Pope’s words? Because the Pope is THE moral authority of the world.
Their gleeful (mis) reporting of his interview with American Magazine has come back to bite them. The Holy See has just excommunicated a Catholic priest in Melbourne, Australia, who embraced views held near and dear by liberals, and denied by the Church.
Writing in a website called “Inclusive Catholics,” Fr. Greg Reynolds expounded on his version of Catholic theology:
“Inclusive Catholics is an evolving movement/community in Melbourne, still in its embryonic development. In late August, 2011 I resigned as a parish priest and began this new venture/ministry. I initiated it in response to two complementary unfolding experiences.
First was my growing conviction that the Institutional Catholic Church was wrong in its teaching on Women’s Ordination and on Homosexuality.”
Of course, this is one of the issues Pope Francis addressed in his interview last week. The media interpreted the Pope’s remarks as suggesting that homosexuality no longer matters, that perhaps it is not even a sin nor an impediment to taking communion, kind of like Fr. Reynolds thinks:
“More recently I discerned a personal calling to minister to and with Catholic people who share these beliefs and have been longing for a community that celebrates the Catholic Eucharist in ways that support these beliefs. Other people drawn to this movement include victims of clerical abuse, and their supporters, who do not want to be associated with the church institution.”
Ironically, 80% of the clerical abuse to which Fr. Reynolds refers was homosexual in nature targeting teen age boys. He continues:
“There has also been significant interest and encouragement from laicised Priests. Still others are supporting us due to their opposition to the way the Catholic Church is structured and governed. This is not to deny the hierarchical nature of the Church and the important role of the Pope, Bishops, Priests and Deacons, but rather opposing many of the Canon Laws and forms of governance under which these roles are exercised.While in no way compromising our Catholic belief in the Eucharist, including the Real Presence, we do not restrict peoples’ reception of Holy Communion on the grounds of their worthiness or theology.”
Pope Francis is considered a fellow flaming liberal and ally by the MSM. So how did the Vatican under this new Pope react to Fr. Reynold’s public rejection of key teachings of the Church? They defrocked and excommunicated him.
Perhaps Pope Francis isn’t as liberal as liberals think he is.
Pope Francis’ Vatican also came down hard on Nancy Pelosi for her public stand in favor of human abortion.
The head of the Vatican Court, Cardinal Raymond Lee Burke, said Ms. Pelosi has NO RIGHT to be granted Communion because of her anti-Church views on abortion. Cardinal Burke explained:
“This is a prime example of what Blessed John Paul II referred to as the situation of Catholics who have divorced their faith from their public life and therefore are not serving their brothers and sisters in the way that they must — in safeguarding and promoting the life of the innocent and defenseless unborn, in safeguarding and promoting the integrity of marriage and the family.”
Pope Francis told us to focus on the promise of salvation found within the Church. In other words, let us help people get to know Jesus and why He created His Church the way He did. As our love for Christ swells in our hearts, we are drawn to the good, and desire to avoid sin.
The Church is clear that it considers human abortion a sin.
The Church is clear that acting on same-sex attractions is a sin.
The Vatican’s actions this week make it clear that Church teachings have not changed under Pope Francis. The focus of our new, charismatic Pope is on the promise of hope in our Catholic faith; on the sacramental beauty of Catholicism.
Each of his fights sin. The Church extends a hand to us sinners. But if we deny that a sin is a sin, we have excluded ourselves from the Body of Christ. The Church this week simply acknowledges that reality to the chagrin of liberals.
You seem quite upset that anyone would challenge your conservative views of religion. I do admit I am a bit puzzled how apparently what the Pope says can not be taken at face value but instead must first be put through a conservative decoder to get its real meaning.
One thing I find interesting: Speak out against the church and get defrocked and excommunicated. Molest a few altar boys and not only do you get shielded from the law, you get to remain a priest in good standing. That seems fair.
You seem to bring up the fact that these male priests molested male boys, I assume to somehow show the evils of homosexuality. I would bring up that most altar boys are indeed boys. Also, I would imagine these priests get pretty warped being born gay and being told their whole life they are sinners and will more than likely burn in hell for eternity for even thinking such thoughts. They probably joined the church to overcome this “evil”. The problem is when the “righteous” fall from grace, they tend to fall hard.
Joe, just to find somewhere common to start from: have you read the full interview?
Hi Joe: Let’s address your points one at a time:
1.” I do admit I am a bit puzzled how apparently what the Pope says can not be taken at face value but instead must first be put through a conservative decoder to get its real meaning.” MSM reporting implied that the Pope was backing away from traditional Church views on abortion and homosexuality. That is not what he said. I merely clarify.
For the record, the Catechism of the Catholic Church is neither liberal or conservative. It challenges conservatives like me on some issues, just as it challenges liberals on others. Nonetheless, I accept ALL of the teachings of the Church regardless of my politics. The meaning of the Catholic Catechism is clear and does not require a “conservative decoder.”
2. “One thing I find interesting: Speak out against the church and get defrocked and excommunicated. Molest a few altar boys and not only do you get shielded from the law, you get to remain a priest in good standing. That seems fair.” Not quite accurate. Many priests WERE bounced from their vocation who deserved to be bounced. Many others got caught in the crossfire and were relieved of their duties who really didn’t deserve to be released. In the 1970s and 80s, the science of psychology considered homosexuality and pedophilia as being treatable psychological disorders. Catholic dioceses sent priests with these disorders in for treatment. Upon completion of treatment, the medical community considered them “cured.” Many were not, and they were reassigned and returned to their abusive ways. The Church got what it deserves for reassigning priests that they knew were not cured, to the detriment of young people wounded by their abuse.
By the way, almost all of this abuse occurred before 1985. The Catholic Church today has taken so many steps to fix the problem, that it has the LOWEST incidence of abuse of any major institution in the U.S., probably the world. We get more publicity, than say public schools where abuse is rampant, because the Catholic Church is so large and so reviled by the media.
Regarding the question of excommunication, people excommunicate themselves when they reject the beliefs of the Church. If you don’t believe what the Church says, you’re not really Catholic, are you?
3.”I would bring up that most altar boys are indeed boys.” Since the Second Vatican Council, altar girls came on the scene. I cannot attest to what percentage of altar servers are girls. In my parish, it is at least an even split.
4. “Also, I would imagine these priests get pretty warped being born gay and being told their whole life they are sinners and will more than likely burn in hell for eternity for even thinking such thoughts. They probably joined the church to overcome this “evil”. The problem is when the “righteous” fall from grace, they tend to fall hard.” I have been a Catholic for 32 years. I have not heard one sermon EVER on the subject of homosexuality. The Catholic Church is comprised of the “walking wounded,” people who battle a variety of disorders. The Church is all about loving us sinners and leading us to the righteous path. Thank God for His Church! The Catholic Church doesn’t dwell on burning in hell, although Jesus talked about hell twice as much as he talked about heaven, rather the Church celebrates salvation. I haven’t heard a single sermon on hell in the Catholic Church. Frankly, I think they should talk about it once in a while. But your perception of a judgmental, fire and brimstone Catholic Church is wrong, but understandable in light of the skewed reporting on Catholicism in the MSM.
Joe, I appreciate the questions. I have answered as accurately as I can. I love my Church and want to set the record straight to the best of my ability. Hope that helps.
As always, great to hear from you.
As I always, I appreciate that you take the time to respond.
Thanks, Joe. I try to respond fully when I have time. Sometimes, I just don’t have the time (I do have to earn a living!). As always, good to hear from you.