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WELCOME to the website of The Mission of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish is to Proclaim the Good News to all the world and to Baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Prayers for the People of Haiti
Prayer for the People of Haiti and All Volunteers www.pauline.org/FreeEbookofPrayersforHaiti/tabid/375/Default.aspx Faq's About the Roman Catholic Church 3
Faq's About the Roman Catholic Church
“Following is a collection of Frequently Asked Questions about the Roman Catholic Church. Each question is important. And each question needs more than a simple answer. The responses offer a summary answer to the questions. Each question deserves a much fuller development. Follow-up can take place with your own study, for example, of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, or by sitting down with a knowledgeable source, such as your parish priest or a lay catechist, and having a more detailed conversation. We hope that these questions and responses represent a beginning for your reflection and consideration.”
6. The Catholic Church seems to be against gay people, and yet Jesus doesn’t say anything about homosexuality. This doesn’t seem to make much sense. The Catholic Church is not against gay people, that is, people who identify themselves as having same-sex attractions. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which is an authoritative summary of Catholic teachings, makes a number of important statements about people who have same-sex attractions. The Catechism states that the origin of homosexuality remains unknown and that there a good number of men and women who have these tendencies.
According to the Catechism, “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…” (see numbers 2357-2359) The Catechism also says, “Homosexual persons are called to chastity.” In other words, in Catholic teaching, the only appropriate setting for sexual activity is in the context of the sacrament of marriage between a man and a woman. All those who are not married are to refrain from sexual activity. The Catechism goes on to offer some suggestions how homosexual persons can live chastely. The teachings of Jesus do not explicitly refer to homosexuality (which, by the way, as a specific term dates back only to the nineteenth century and in a medical context). Jesus does teach about marriage and the authentic love to which all Christians are called. This forms the basis for the Church’s teaching on sexuality, including homosexuality. 7. Why are women unequal in the Church, for example, they can’t be ordained priests?
The place of women in the Church (and in society in general for that matter) needs to advance. Pope John Paul II was quite clear on that point, and Pope Benedict XVI has followed the same direction. Equality in the Church and the question of ordination are two different issues. Saint Paul writes: There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28. In Christ, there is radical equality, and we need to embody that in our structures of living together in the Church. We need to do that much better than we have in the past.
On the matter of ordination, the Church has definitively said that it does not have the authority to ordain women, that is, to change the sacrament. This is not a matter of equality or inequality but rather something that has to do with sacramental signs and symbols. Men and women as men and women mean something special and unique for each other. That difference in meaning is drawn into the sacramental sign of priesthood. Theologians are reflecting on the sacramental sign, and their efforts should yield even greater clarity in the future. 8. Wouldn’t married priests be good for the Church, because they would understand the problems of ordinary people much better?
The question of celibacy or married priests receives a lot of coverage in the popular media, probably because it remains such a mystery in a sexually permissive culture such as our own. Also, it would seem to be more practical to have married priests, since there might be more vocations to cover the shortage of clergy and, as the questioner states, they might understand the problems of ordinary people better.
First, a bit of clarification is in order. The discipline of celibacy is part of the Western or Latin Rite part of the Church. In the East, there is a married clergy. This means that there is no absolutely necessary connection between celibacy and priesthood. There are reasons, however, that suggest the connection is a very logical and helpful one. These reasons form the basis for the discipline of celibacy in the Western Church. The long-standing tradition of a celibate priesthood in the West has its own purposes and rationale. For example, celibate clergy represent a particular sign and form of dedication and commitment to Jesus and the Church, just as married couples do in their own way through the sacrament of marriage. Dedicated celibate clergy, who are free of responsibilities for wife and children, can make themselves available for a wider range of ministry in the Church, for example, by moving around more freely. Would a married clergy understand the problems of ordinary people better? When people have consulted wise and experienced celibate priests, they report that they have been understood and, additionally, they have found someone who is very invested in their life and concerns. Practically speaking, it doesn’t seem to make a difference. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Loyola Press 3-Minute Retreat  Thank You for visiting with us on-line. Please take time to check out our site. We have links to some of the best information available to help you grow your faith. We would love you to drop by and join us for Sunday Mass or if you wish a hard copy of our bulletin drop by the church and pick one up AND while there, make a short visit with the ever-present Lord Jesus, the lover and healer of souls. |
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