Sometimes I think I’m living in an alternate reality. Massachusetts’ courts have legalized same-sex marriage. The Church, obviously, opposes this as immoral and an undermining of God’s plan for the world. So what do they do next? Catholic institutions are now wondering whether to extend employee marriage benefits to same-sex couples. What?! It makes the whole battle against same-sex marriage seem like a pro-forma opposition in the first place, if we surrender so readily on this point.
This sort of cowardice and spineless-ness is disheartening. The Pope says, “Be not afraid!” We have Christians willing to be martyred for the Faith in other countries. Yet our shepherds are more worried about breaking unjust laws and losing tax-exempt status than on boldly proclaiming the Word of God. Lord help me that I do not despair!!
If the episcopal corporate class capitulates to this evil, at what point—if any—will they stop?
One thing will be clear, if it isn’t already. Their decision will be a pragmatic, not principled. one.
If I remember correctly there was a problem like this in San Francisco about two years ago concerning spousal-like benefits for same sex Church employees. There is also a closely related problem within the Anglican Communion. This is a problem concerning aid from the US Anglican Church, aid with strings to sodomly attached, to the African Anglican Church. In San Francisco the Catholic Ordinary, a true successor to the Apostles, caved in and abandonned the Church’s teachings on human sexuality. He did so in order to retain lucrative government contracts for charitable services. The Salvation Army on the otherhand, which traces its roots back to Jean Calvin, did not cave in. It gave up lucrative government contracts rather than provide benefits to its same sex employees. The Anglican African bishops also refused aid from the American Anglican or Epicipal bishops rather than appear to give an approving nod to sodomy. It is ironic that the successors to King Henry VIII and Jean Calvin are standing up for the Catholic Church’s teachings on human sexuality while our own Shepherds – successors to the Apostles, are running for cover.
God bless
Richard W.
Surely this will be another opportunity for the archbishop of Boston to offer further reflections or apologias or apologies. Let’s all get on the bicycle and ride this one around and around on the track.
Let’s hope that as the archbishop has demonstrated in Fall River and Palm Beach that he is not a slave to attorneys’ opinions, that he will not only take the lead on this, but influence his brother bishops in the Bay Colony.
Why should someone openly living in a homosexual relationship be employed by the Church anyway?
The Archdiocese owns and runs the Caritas Christi hospital network and there are employees of all backgrounds and whatnot working there, especially in the hospitals that were not originally part of the network and became so later.
I’m not sure it’s just to tell the guy who you’re hiring to mop the floor that he can’t have the job because he’s gay. It’s not like he’s bearing witness to the faith in his job.
Domenico:
Would the ADL hire as a janitor a member of the American National Socialist Workers Party (NASI)? Would the NAACP hire as a janitor a member of the Klu Klux Klan? Why would an American Roman Catholic Ordinary hire a homosexual sodomite? Sodomy is objectively a serious or mortal sin. It is an intrinsically disordered act – a perversion of nature. It endangers a person’s immortal soul, his salvation – the reason we are here on this earth. If the Archbishop employs directly or indirectly a homosexual sodomite – someone who engages in unnatural sexual activities, then he causes grave scandal to the faithful. He places innnocent souls at risk. He gives approval to an immoral lifestyle. He prevents other Christians in good conscience from working at an instituition that employs men and women who publiclly engage in grave sin.
For instance the employment conditions for the Papal Swiss Guards specify that they must be practicing Catholics. Why cannot the Archbishop do the same as the Holy Father?
We are all sinners, none more than I; but a Christain in Communion with the Universal Church does not persist in grave, public sin.
Of course I engage in specualtion. No American Orinary would ever knowingly employ a homsexual sodomite who publicly persists in serious sin.
God bless
Richard W.
I don’t disagree, but two questions arise: How would the diocese know whether someone belonged to NASI, the KKK, or was gay if they didn’t volunteer it in the first place? And where do you draw the line?
As I said, I agree in principle.
Dom:
Thank you for your reply. In answer to your questions I hereby pontificate as follows:
The diocese should, as a condition of employment, specify that an employee is a practicing Roman Catholic.
Now, I know many Jews and Evangelical Christians who live the Catholic faith far better than I do; but all things being equal I think that they would prefer employment in a Jewish or Evangelical setting where they can more clearly give witness to their respective faiths.
If the diocese’s mission is to save immortal souls, in a way solemnly defined by Pope and Council for 2,000 years; then how can it employ someone, no matter how honorable, who rejects part or all of the the teachings of Pope and Council?
Of course the diocese would never employ someone other than a faithful Roman Catholic so I engage again in pure specualtion.
Again – great blog.
God bless
Richard W.
Hey there Richard W –
And add in the Boy Scouts with the Salvation Army. Rather than allow known homosexual men to take our sons overnight camping, and to proslyetize them and promote (directly or indirectly) sodomy and the idea that is it normal for men to lust after men, the scouts have held firm and taken their lumps (which are great and many) from secular society. And of course, as an aside, as both a Catholic and a Boy Scout parent, I know that my sons are far safer from homosexual predation in the scouts than in the Church. How I wish my Church could have the strength and principles of the Boy Scouts in this matter…
Hey Mr. Bettinelli –
In response to your question: “I don2
2004-05-04 20:34:32
Here’s a thought on where to draw the line with employees… If the employee is living in unrepentant and unconfessed mortal sin, and is not in the right shape to take Communion, then no employment either. Fit for Communion, then fit for employment.