Archbishop William Lori asked that a letter of his be read to parishioners concerning the upcoming gay “marriage” vote.
It seems Fr. Richard Lawrence of St. Vincent dePaul parish in Baltimore did just that. And then he told parishioners exactly why they shouldn’t listen to Archbishop Lori and why he supported gay marriage.
Now, according to the pro-gay New Ways Ministry, he made four points, which are as follows:
1) There is a separation between religious law and civil law. While there are some civil laws we cannot accept, there are others than we can accept, even if we disagree with them. He makes the case that Catholic institutions (parishes, schools, hospitals) hire and provide benefits to people whose marriages are not canonically valid. We may not agree with the civil law in this regard, but, as Catholics, we support that law.
2) Fr. Lawrence states that “personally, we can go further than that,” as he explains a hope for the eventual change in church teaching regarding same-sex relationships. Citing Vatican II’s change in theology of sacramental marriage by making the procreation of children an equal function to the mutual support and common life of the couple, he notes that both became primary functions of marriage.
Developing this idea, he notes that the church marries elderly couples who cannot procreate because they are able to exemplify this other function of mutual support and common life. The same, he says, can be done for gay and lesbian couples, for whom reproduction is not possible, but mutual support and common life is.
3) If it is possible for church teaching on marriage to change, than why can’t civil law on marriage change, he asks.
4) He notes that Genesis his two different verses which are used to define marriage: ”Be fruitful and multiply” and finding “a suitable partner or helpmate” for the human being. A suitable partner for a heterosexual person is someone of the other gender, while a suitable partner for a gay or lesbian person is someone of the same gender.
He reportedly was applauded for this speech. I don’t know if that’s true or not.
If you’re wondering what the Archbishop is going to do about this, there’s some indication that something is happening.
The New Ways Ministry folks say you can watch the video of this on Vimeo but once you get there, it’s gone. It’s been pulled. It just says, “102812 Homily” was deleted at 3:27:35 Wed Oct 31, 2012.”
And even the parish’s website which has Fr. Lawrence’s homilies, doesn’t have any past October 14th. It could be they just haven’t uploaded them yet but I suspect there’s something more going on here.
I hope so.
November 2, 2012 at 8:59 am
Priests like Father Lawrence, if they are not prepared to preach the Catholic Faith, should stop masquerading as Catholics and have the courage to leave and join the Episcopal Church clergy with whom they are likely to feel right at home. Since it is highly unlikely Fr. Lawrence will recant his views, he should be shown the door and told not to come back until he starts acting like an authentic Catholic priest.
If the reports of are true, those in the congregation who applauded Fr. Lawrence's wicked remarks should also be given opportunity to use the exit and follow their pastor to any place but where they will inflict their poisonous doctrines on faithful Catholics.
November 2, 2012 at 10:56 am
Thanks for the post. And, Thank God for the successor to Archbishop John Carroll, the first American bishop. For too long the Archdiocese of Baltimore tolerated flagrant sin. Abp O'Brien began the call to repentance, now, Abp Lori has courageously continued it. Pray for us, Abp Carroll, and pray for repentance in Baltimore.
November 2, 2012 at 12:34 pm
If the relevant Church authorities would do their sacred duty, the priest would be immediately removed from ministry, with no possibility of return until retraction, apology and atonement had been duly and sincerely served. Of course, confession of this aggravated mortal sin would be required before the priest could receive Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist. The damage done by such priests is profound and wide.
November 2, 2012 at 1:09 pm
St. Vincent dePaul parish in Baltimore (I go to Church in the city, also) is dissident vis-a-vis woman ordination, too. From their website: "Women in Ministry is a group of women who believe that, through Baptism, women as well as men are called to ministries in the Church, including ordination." (emphasis added)
(From website: women-in-ministry@stvchurch.org ; Cathy Bunting, 410-296-4685)
When it rains it pours.
Gerry
November 2, 2012 at 1:55 pm
Homosexual practice is sexual abuse of oneself and another. In civil law, homosexual practice is assault and battery of another person. The human being’s soul is left unacknowledged or protected. The human soul is ignored and assaulted. The human body is battered. Sexual assault and battery through homosexual practice is morally a sin and legally a crime. IF WOMEN ARE TO BE ORDAINED SHOW ME WHERE JESUS ORDAINED WOMEN. Nothing is to be added or subtracted from Sacred Scripture. Get this priest back to the seminary for a couple of years.
November 2, 2012 at 2:46 pm
Developing this idea, he notes that the church marries elderly couples who cannot procreate because they are able to exemplify this other function of mutual support and common life. The same, he says, can be done for gay and lesbian couples, for whom reproduction is not possible, but mutual support and common life is.
Wow, where to begin. First, procreation and unity are not indivudal ends, but complentary – both need to be present. Or would Fr. approve of rape where unity is not present, but possibility of procreation is?
Second, elderly heterosexual couples are by condition not likely to conceive, but in principle still demonstrate the procreative nature of the act. So they still can demonstrate this aspect of the act, they just are not likely to achieve it. Homosexual couples, in principle as well as condition, are not open to procreation adn therefore cannot fulfill this end.
November 2, 2012 at 3:37 pm
By their fruits ye shall know them works for Councils too, especially ones that claimed to not introduce any doctrinal changes and then went ahead and strongly implied some anyway…
November 2, 2012 at 3:50 pm
Matthew,
This press release was issued on the Archdiocese of Baltimore website and linked to the Archdiocesan newspaper, The Catholic Review.
http://archbalt.org/news-events/press-releases/priests-teaching-role.cfm
This was issued on October 31st, the day after this story hit Catholic World News. From what I understand, the Pastor is due to retire next year. In light of the release from His Excellency, I think it is possible that his departure will be accelerated.
Note this paragraph:
"No bishop, priest or deacon has the right to use the pulpit to advance his personal opinions. The pulpit is the place where the living word of God, as it comes to us through the teachings of the Church, is to be proclaimed and taught. In this Year of Faith when all Catholics are called to deepen their relationship with Christ and the Church, may all priests, including myself, be mindful of their obligation to preach the Gospel even when it is unpopular with prevailing culture; may we be given the sublime humility required of each of us to accept as our own the Word of God as communicated through the teachings of our Catholic faith, and may we bear witness to that word by what we say and do."
D.v.
November 2, 2012 at 4:08 pm
And NOTHING will be done to discipline this heretical priest. Nothing. He should be laicized but that will never happen. He will be permitted to preach heresy and allow thousands of "Catholics" to follow this any many more errors and nothing will be done…..as usual. If he is teaching this what else is he doing/teaching? If Archbishop Lori does not correct this then he to should leave his post also. Letting this kind of error to foster in the Church is why we find ourselves defensless in the face of government control, because most "Catholics" don't believe in the faith anymore.
November 3, 2012 at 12:27 am
@c matt: the simpler way to state your point is that, while some heterosexual couples are infertile, if their sex-organs were healthy, they would be able to conceive. The healthiest colon in the world, on the other hand…
November 3, 2012 at 12:30 am
"The Lord God brought her to the man." Gen.2:23 and established a covenant between the man and his wife. The Lord God did not bring "him" to the man to become the man's fake wife. Homosexual practice is perjury in a court of law.
November 3, 2012 at 4:22 am
Oh no, Mary. This is exactly the kind of priest we don't want back in the seminary! (or probably whoever "taught" him)….
I'm lucky enough to have a priest from the JP2 generation, and all I can say is… God has a plan; some of the best priests ever are starting to emerge. May God sustatin them as they help Christ with the task of resurrection. Cause churches like the one this priest is preaching at are in are headed the same way as gay sex:a dead-end. May they become fruitful again. kim
November 5, 2012 at 1:14 am
The poor man is clearly confused with regards to canon law, seemingly unaware of natural law, and he thinks that he can actually accomplish anything beyond creating a little conversation with this type of action. Hmmm, looks like it is time for a penal precept!
November 6, 2012 at 4:05 am
disgusting. this so called catholic
priest is the DEVIL !!!!!!!!!!!!!