First of all the Galileo affair was caused by Galileo’s insistance that some biblical passages should be changed, not because of Galileo’s scientific findings. Although Galileo was treated wrongly, the affair was not a doctrinal one. The church has NEVER changed a piece of doctrine and never will. Issues between certian members of the church and eclestiatical authorities is a different thing all together.

The church has upheld for 2000 years the sanctity of marriage (which can only happen between a man and a women) and sex. The church firmly teaches that although we are always to love the sinner and hate the sin, sodomy and homosexual acts are mortal (or deadly) sins and should not be encouraged by any means.

To hear it from the “horses mouth” please read Article 6 of the Cathecism of the Catholic Church paragraphs 2357-2359.

Chapter 2 Article 6 Pg.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 HOMOSEXUALITY ACTS AS ACTS OF GRAVE DEPRAVITY,140 tradition has always declared that “HOMOSEXUAL ACTS ARE INTRINSICALLY DISORDERED.”141 THEY ARE CONTRARY TO THE NATURAL LAW. THEY CLOSE4 THE SEXUAL ACT TO THE GIFT OF LIFE. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity.

(and the clincher…)

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES CAN THEY BE APPROVED.

Further reading in the same paragraph:

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.

This is our faith people. It’s not black and white. The Church (and Jesus!!!) have been teaching the SAME thing for over 2000 years. Love it or leave it.

The Church has been wrong on very significant issues before — such as the pre-Vatican II belief that “there is no salvation outside the Church” to “there IS salvation outside the Church” — the new view held after Vatican II.

The Church forced Galileo to recant his views on the universe, and no less than Pope John Paul II apologized for this.

I am confident that the Church — in 50 years or perhaps 100 years down the road — will similarly change its teaching on homosexuality. And perhaps another pope will apologize for the way the Church has treated gays.

For a much better discussion of compassion for sinners, see here:

http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=33803

A few weeks ago, Tony Blair advised Pope Benedict to soften the Church’s position on homosexuality. Not only would it be humane, he argued, it would make Church teaching more palatable for laid-back, non-judgmental, left-ish, educated people — that is, for people like him.

Well, speaking as a native of that social estate (and as someone who wouldn’t himself mind seeing the Church ease up on gayness, somehow), I’m surprised that any world leader should be so insular. Laid-back, non-judgmental, left-ish educaetd people may make up a slender majority in Western countries, but outside of that bubble, our opinions don’t amount to a hill of beans.

For anyone trying to run a universal Church, this is important to bear in mind. Unless I’m mistaken, the Church is growing fastest in the sort of backwaters where neither I nor Tony would ever dream of vacationing. In West Africa, for example, people worry as much about gay rights as they do about snowstorms. Our chief competitors, Sarah Palin-type Protestantism and Osama bin Laden-type Islam, aren’t exactly known for their warm and fuzzy gay outreach ministries.

By contrast, the Episcopalian Church of the U.S.A. has been crumbling from the inside ever since it ordained an openly gay bishop. Conservative Episcopalians, who had held fast to their faith despite rules allowing priests to perform same-sex unions, have finally had enough. Many are fleeing to the more traditional Anglican Communion of the Southern Cone. (Yes, that’s right: old-school Episcopalians are begging Ugandans to give them their marching orders; this is serious.) Others, if you can believe it, are coming back to Rome, which has probably but a big smirk on St. Thomas More’s face.

My point is not that Church doctrine should be determined by popular ballot, or adjusted to meet some perceived marketing need. I mean only to suggest that guys like me and Tony Blair, who take such pride in our rational, modern, non-cavemanish thinking, ought to forgive the Church for not catching up with us. We may be hip, but she’s universal and eternal.

The New American Bible translates the Greek word “arsenokoitai” as “practicing homosexuals.” The concept of practicing homosexuals is something that the Catholic Church created in the 1970s. This distinction is not found in the first- century writings. Also the Greek word “arseno”refers to men or males. It doesn’t say anything about women.

I think people need to research what the Bible really says. This may mean some language study, look at why the chapter book was written, who wrote it, and examine the the changes in key words over the years.

I do not see being gay as a sin, but I do know that we are all sinners. My Bible tells me not to “judge” others. In my opinion, whether one is trying to distinguish beween the person or the act, one is still making a judgment. And judging others is sinful!

Probably.

As to his partner, do any of us know what passes between them? It is a matter for his confessor, not for any buttinsky.

Gore Vidal, when asked to what he attributed the length of his relationship with partner [40 years to death] replied simply: “No sex”.

Are we called upon to at a dinner tell the friend that are a sinner. NO. Is it any of our biz who is sleeping with whom or even IF they are?

Rather than teach her cousin basic fundamental philosophical concepts, she basically claims that he is unable to comprehend them. She thereby enters into a relationship with her cousin and his partner, which she sees no differences between that of a man and a woman, without first acknowledging that homosexual acts are always a sin, as they are intrinsically evil. She thereby becomes materially complicit with her cousin’s sin by mistakenly thinking that she would not be accepting him as a person if she were merely to acknowledge his sin.

Her mistaken kindness in type takes Jesus of the Cross, as Jesus would always affirm the worth of the individual by calling first for his repentance. I can’t believe that her cousin would renounce a soul like this if she were to witness to the truth that Jesus died for his sins so that he may achieve salvation. We all need help. This is the most important help. Rather, out of mistaken kindness, she condones his actions and effectually normalizes them thereby providing a material cause for them to continue. That may be too philosophical. But study is the surest means in making the examined life really examined.

T+

“Yeah, homosexual relations may be sinful,” Catholics seemed to say. “But there’s no call to jump on gays with hobnailed boots. We tried that with Cathars and marranos, and we’ve been apologizing for it ever since.”

Well, now that I understand the Church’s teachings better (hat tip to the boys in the black cappas, who stirred great dollops of Thomistic philosophy into my catechesis), I still think there’s a certain sophistication in it. Unlike so many of her Protestant competitors, the Church at least acknowledges that same-sex inclinations are deep-seated. No one walks into a Catholic church expecting to have his gay prayed away. To me, that’s something to build on, although I can certainly understand why Fr. Nugent wouldn’t see it that way.

A couple of months ago, at a vocational discernment retreat, I found myself paired for an Emmaus walk with an exuberant sister who would have looked perfectly at home working security at the Lilith Fair. To my feeble senses, at least, she also had Christ’s own light oozing from every pore. It seems to me — pace His Holiness — that God calls all kinds.

To Sister Bernadette and Paul, congratulations on forming such a close, honest friendship. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us.