Bishop J. Terry Steib of Memphis is quickly acquiring a reputation as one of the most gay-friendly bishops in the US. (See previous blog entries here and here.)
Now, on March 11, Steib continues his gay outreach crusade by bringing in Fr. James Schexnayder of the National Association of Catholic Dicoesan Lesbian and Gay Ministries (NACDLGM) to conduct workshops for clergy, religious, and lay leaders on “the spiritual needs of lesbian and gay Catholics and their parents and families, the Church’s teachings that encourage this ministry, pastoral issues that come up in this ministry, and models and strategies for creating welcoming parishs and ministries,” according to a letter sent to every priest in Memphis by Schexnayder. While he will discuss the Church’s teachings on ministry to gays, don’t expect him to discuss the Church’s teachings about homosexuality itself. After all, he’s never been a keen proponent of them:
“We cannot allow the Religious Right to confine our sexuality to the bedroom,” Father James Schexnayder told the congregation at a Dignity Mass at Dolores Street Baptist Church immediately following the 1992 San Francisco Gay Pride Parade. “Our sexuality must burst forth from the bedroom and leaven all of society.”
Please, I don’t want to see anyone’s sexuality “bursting forth” from anywhere.
I’m curious why there’s no special ministry for people afflicted with conditions that lead to sin? How about a diocesan ministry for pedophiles or adulterers or fornicators?
Schexnayder’s view of chastity
Technorati Tags: bishops, Catholic, dissent, doctrine, homosexuality
“Parade. “Our sexuality must burst forth from the bedroom and leaven all of society.”“
Yes, the quote was from 1992 but geez…and these dissenters have the brazeness to charge the Vatican and the Pope with being obsessed with sexual matters.
Is anyone shocked by this? I’m not. It seems like an everyday occurrence in the Church. Dissent is ubiquitous. Excommunications? Not so much.
If the VOTF people got there way, and the Church turned into a coffee klatch with every goofball with a baptismal certificate weighing in on doctrinal issues and such…well, then Pope Benedict and “the great one” would be off the hook.
But the Church is a hierarchy. That means the dude at the top, has to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for the Bishops. If B16 wants to delegate responsibility, fantastic. Give me the authority. I’ll take care of it tomorrow morning.
If the Vatican’s reticence in slapping the renegade Bishops up-side-the-head is based upon “collegiality”, well then we might have to revisit VII again, and come up with another responsibility deflecting excuse for the post-conciliar chaos besides “hermeneutics of rupture”. Maybe we can add “collegial connivance”.
I am certain that, with enough excuses and catchy phrases, VII will eventually be perfect.
Yes, I know. I’m being negative, presumptuous and snide. And to think I gave all that up for Lent. Sheesh. Prayers, please.
Is anyone else sick to death of articles and seminars on homosexuality? If these ghastly people want to be left alone to enjoy their perversities, can they please not talk to the rest of us about them?
Maybe we need a T-shirt that says, “Gay? Please shut up!”