Gay in Christ Conference at Notre Dame -- Troublesome Questions

Notre Dame is hosting a conference -- Gay in Christ -- featuring Catholics who identify as "gay" but embrace celibacy and the teachings of the Church on marriage and chastity.

Notre Dame’s ‘Gay in Christ’ Conference Aims for Fidelity, But Speakers Embrace ‘Gay Identity’

Troublesome questions keep popping into my head as I read about it:

Deja Vu: Back in Mr. Reilly's Moral Theology Class

When I read the following article at Vatican Radio about the pope's homily today (linked below) I got chills -- not good chills I'm afraid -- the kind you get on Halloween (which it happens to be) when someone "walks on your grave." The pope's homily took me back to 1966 and Mr. Reilly's Moral Theology class where we studied Joseph Fletcher's Situation Ethics, Harvey Cox's Secular City and an entire panoply of authors promoting moral relativism. I don't recall studying Thomas Aquinas or the Fathers of the Church. Mr. Reilly was a modern Catholic. The message I got from the class was that, "There is only one law, the law of love." And then we read in Fletcher's book about how loving it was for the mother in the wagon train to smother her crying infant so the Indians wouldn't find them and kill them all.

Idaho to Pastor Couple: Perform Same Sex Ceremonies or Face the Clink!

Religious freedom? Forget it! If Idaho can force this couple to perform same-sex weddings what logic will prevent them from demanding the same from Catholic priests?

Govt tells Christian ministers: Perform same-sex weddings or face jail, fines

Maybe it's time for the Catholic Church to get out of the civil marriage business altogether, stop being an agent of the godless state. George Weigel thinks so and I recently read of a bishop who proposed the same, but I haven't been able to find the article and can't remember who it was. Can someone enlighten me? Check out other opinions at First Things.

Personally, if I were getting married today I think I would marry sacramentally in front of a priest without any civil involvement at all. (I wonder if a priest would do that.) The government doesn't understand the first thing about marriage, so why on earth should I recognize their right to be involved? I know there would be financial implications but some things are more important than money. (Just think, I could probably qualify for all kinds of entitlements since I have no income besides my husband's and $39 a month in social security.)

Anti-Catholicism is Alive and Well (at least in Washington State)

Read more here  Can you imagine the outcry if they had gone after a Jewish or Muslim politician like this? Somehow Catholicism is always fair game -- especially when a politician is pro-life and supports traditional marriage. Pray that Mark Miloscia wins his race in Washington. They need a solid man of integrity in their state house.

A Virtual Trip to Ireland

One of my readers sent links to two blogs she's working on in Ireland. It took me back a decade to a trip I made with my mom (RIP) and a good friend. We rented a car and drove all over the place for two weeks leading. At one of the B & B's we stayed in the owner laughed and said, "You Americans, you go everywhere and see nothing!" Ah, but we visited Jesus at every church we passed and talked to dozens of the local folks: a bride and groom waiting for the same car ferry we were, two school girls eating their lunch on a park bench, a mom with two little boys who couldn't wait for divorce to be legalized (sad), a distinguished white-haired gentleman painting his rowboat. How I would love to return! Unfortunately, I'd have to get on an airplane and whenever I think about that I think of a sardine can. But I can take a virtual tour and I invite you to do the same.

Blessed Thaddeus McCarthy's Catholic Heritage Association

St. Conleth's Catholic Heritage Association

North Cathedral, Cork City

Franciscan Church Merchants Quay, Dublin

Cardinal Kasper's Disingenuous Theology of Discontinuity and Distortion

Cardinal Kasper: "Thou Dost Protest Too Much."

Reading this article brought to mind the quote from Hamlet, "that one may smile and smile and be a villain." Kasper, like Claudius, is a poisoner -- poisoning Christ's teaching and attempting to seduce his bride, the Church. That, of course, is impossible, but he can certainly poison the faithful with his false and evil "hermeneutic of discontinuity."

Here's a bit from the article. I've highlighted some particularly cogent parts in red. My comments are in blue:

The false arguments presented to defend this doctrinal change [to allow those in invalid marriages who remarry after divorce without annulment] are camouflaged with the usual tactic of speculating about the ramifications of the practice of the ancient Church (the Jesuits’ Karl Rahner was an expert at this strategy). These modern theologians love to speculate. But despite their insatiable taste for speculation, most of Catholic theology is not speculative. The realm of genuine speculative theology is very small and limited.

Who Knows What God Has Planned for the Life of a Child?

Powerful testimony to life! Congrats to all involved in making this amazing short film! Every person is a symphony to be played out over a lifetime. Some of it is somber; some of it is filled with joy; all of it is a gift from God.

Now that the Synod is Over the Spin is On

Actually it started even before the Synod started with dissent groups all over the world writing letters and organizing their own alternative synod in Rome through Catholic Church Reform International (CCRI) formed in June 2013. CCRI is a coalition of over a hundred dissent groups around the world (CORPUS, Call to Action, We Are Church, Women's Ordination Conference, Roman Catholic Womenpriests USA, Voice of the Faithful, American Catholic Council, Loretto Women's Network, etc.). Although I know they are not particularly orthodox at the national level, I was surprised to see The National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW) included as a support group with a link to their president, Rebecca Woodhull I plan to contact my bishop on that one!

The Final Synod Document on the Family with the Tally of Votes

If you haven't read the final document from the Extraordinary Synod on the Family and noted the vote tally on each paragraph you can find it here in English.  Every paragraph received a majority vote of the Synod Fathers. The three controversial paragraphs did not receive the necessary 2/3rd vote, but Pope Francis called for them to be included in the final document along with the vote numbers.

Why? I've been trying to figure out what possible purpose could be served except to send the message that the question is still open on whether the divorced and remarried without annulment can receive Communion as well as the controversial items relating to homosexuality and cohabitation. I can't help thinking that the pope called for the vote tallies because it allowed Kasper and co. to publicly proclaim that the majority of cardinals favored those paragraphs and to imply that change is just a question of time. What other construction can be put on that "unprecedented" action? Can anyone think of one? I've been wracking my brain trying to come up with an alternative other than the continued manipulation of the Synod and its outcome.

What do you think? What next?

You can also find the individual working group reports here. 

Yup! It's a Revolution and the Liberals have a Year to Spin and Spin....

....and make the faithful in the pews dizzy and dumb.



Review:

Define terms -- recognize when the revolutionaries are changing and distorting terms -- like      
                          "gradualism"

Know the revolutionaries -- recognize the "subtle, sneaky types" in Roman collars who are using
                          feelings to undermine the faith and manipulate Catholics to accept the
                          revolutionaries' agenda

Study the Catechism and the Doctrine of the Church -- so you will recognize when you are getting a
                           snow job from one of the wolves in sheep's clothing

And Pray Always!