A columnist in the Post yesterday, Robert McCartney, illustrated his tolerance and appreciation of diversity by bashing a priest friend of mine, Fr. John DeCelles, the pastor of St. Raymond's in Springfield. What did Father do to deserve his attention and vitriol? He replaced the Boy Scout troop in his parish with Trail Life USA, a Christian organization that expects members to shut up about their disordered sexual inclinations. Now remember, we're talking about groups that start admitting boys at, what, six years old? Many members are in the latency stage when sex is the last thing on their minds. But, hey, when recruitment of young, undiseased new gay boys is part of your agenda you want them talking about sex and "questioning" their "orientation" as young as possible. "Sex before eight or else it's too late." So let's all stand up with Robert McCartney and pledge allegiance to the rainbow flag.
But, oh my, McCartney is outraged!
No tolerance for Fr. DeCelles. How dare he hold a different view from Robert McCartney and other gay promoters? Of course McCartney spouts the now infamous quote of Pope Francis, "Who am I to judge?" taking it out of context as all these "honorable" reporters always do.
About half the article talks about how the Boy Scouts have seen little impact from their change in policy. However, the days are early yet. In my own parish in Woodstock, the Scout Troop is in transition. The program for the young boys is switching to Trail Life while the Boy Scout troop continues since so many young men are close to achieving their Eagle Scout rank. This may be happening in many other places as well. If it is, it spells death for the Boy Scouts over time and the demise will accelerate once the group begins accepting homosexual leaders which is inevitable. How do you tell a graduating scout he is unfit to be a leader? The end may not be near yet, but the corruption and moral degradation of the Scouts is well underway. McCartney celebrates that saying that the Scouts should "end discrimination at all levels," i.e., admit homosexual leaders. Funny, when you consider the uproar over the years concerning the abuse of scouts by leaders. So now, we're going to send young boys camping overnight with same-sex attracted teens and men? Talk about letting chicken hawks guard the chicken house which is exactly what tents full of young scouts represent to those with perverted desires. Young scouts will be nice fresh chicken meat for chicken hawks on the prowl. Any parent who puts a young son in that situation is insane!
I want to publicly thank Fr. DeCelles for his concern for the young boys and teens at St. Raymond's. He is acting like the father of his parish which he is called to be. As for Robert McCartney, his intolerance oozes through every line of his slimy article. "If you don't think like I do," you can almost hear him say, "you are an intolerant, homophobic bigot. So get with the program and celebrate the diversity of gay life with its anal sex, fisting, AIDS, S&M practices, and all its other benefits!"
At morning Mass, our acting pastor said the modern day pharisees can be found in the ranks of the media. Robert McCartney illustrates that truth in spades!
Then why have so many bishops come out in support of BSA? The Archbishop in DC and Boston both said that what BSA did was bring the membership policy in line with the churches teaching that there should be no discrimination against Homosexuals.
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The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. They do not choose their homosexual condition; for most of them it is 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.
Also, those involved with the Pack are not as upset with the fact that he decided not to renew the charter, they are upset that he kept all of the money and the gear. The fact that he threw away Cub Scout uniforms that were not of use to his Trail Life program instead of donating them to a Scouting group is horrible!
How the heck did Father get the uniforms? My experience with scouts, and both of our sons belonged, was that we bought the uniforms. So pardon me if I find your contention strange. The scouts also had their own budget and financial program. The parish didn't run it. Now if you are talking about the parish donation, Father has a perfect right to redirect it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm guessing that there were plenty of folks involved in scouts at St. Raymond's who were perfectly happy to switch to the new program. As for your statements about the bishops, what they have said is not an endorsement of what the scouts did, simply a statement that it doesn't conflict with Church teaching. But the next step, which McCartney says is inevitable (and I agree) is to have homosexual leaders. If openly partnered homosexuals are leaders that would, indeed, conflict with Church teaching and it is obviously the next step. So those transitioning out of the BSA at this point are showing prudence.
In view of Cardinal Wuerl and Cardinal O'Malley's past actions, I wouldn't consider either of them particularly credible examples to emulate.
There are apparently a number of units in our diocese in transition now.
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NOVA Cubmaster's reference to uniforms could be valid. The Troop had a robust uniform exchange program wherein growing boys could exchange uniforms that no longer fit for a new uniform. The uniforms were kept in the parish hall. It was a great program for the Troop.
ReplyDeleteThere were several uniforms that had been given to the pack by parents whose boys had bridged to Boy Scouts or had simply outgrown their uniform to be used by boys who could not afford to buy a uniform. Obviously these were not something that could be used by any other organization.
ReplyDeleteThere was no parish donation. At least in the last few years St. Raymond's parish NEVER gave the pack any money or made any purchases for the pack. It was a self-sustaining group. Raised their own money... and he kept it.
After he announced that he was going to be pulling the plug about half of the pack started a new pack in October. The other half remained with Pack 683 to the end of the year. At that point all but three that I know of moved to a different pack. I only know of three former Cub Scouts (only 10% of the pack) who signed up for Trail Life.