Fr. Brian Costello, the pastor of the notoriously pro-homosexual Most Holy Redeemer parish wrote in the parish bulletin this week (March 3, 2013) that he removed a portrait of Pope Benedict XVI for fear of offending gays.
Here’s what he wrote:
“Two weeks ago, after Pope Benedict XVI had announced to the world that he would be resigning the office of Peter as of February 28th, I put the Pope’s picture, that usually hangs in the rectory, in the church. A handful of people told me that they would rather it not be there. They explained that the feeling was while he was Pope, as well as his time as a Cardinal, Pope Benedict had made hurtful and hateful statements regarding the LGBT Community and thus, his picture should not be placed on the altar of MHR. I was also warned, many parishioners would walk out of Sunday Mass if the picture was not removed. I spoke with a close priest friend of mine, and even though both of us were saddened by this, the wisest course, I felt, was to remove the Pope’s picture.”
I continued to think and pray about this and started to think about the bigger picture: How do we deal with the Pope, the Archbishop, Priests, Family and Friends that don’t understand or accept us as we are? Do we banish them from our lives, or do we pray as Jesus did while dying on the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” I think in learning to forgive, and embrace the Pope and the Church, even when they don’t accept us, we learn to do the same for our own family and friends, and in the end, grow to be more accepting of our own failures and limitations. I find that forgiving people’s shortcomings, including the Pope’s, makes it easier for me to forgive my own shortcomings.
During this Lenten Season we need to remind ourselves of the Lord’s Prayer, especially the part that reads “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us.” I pray for Pope Benedict XVI, who is now retired, as well as for the Cardinals of our Church who will be gathering in Rome to choose his successor. May the Holy Spirit guide them and continue to bless and guide the good and holy people of Most Holy Redeemer.
Happy Lent!
Fr. Brian
Happy Lent, huh? But don’t worry about changing yourself. We’ll just pretend to change Church teaching so as to make you feel better about your sins.
Gibbons Coney wrote of this incident, saying:
Because the real lived religion at MHR is the celebration of homosexuality, things or persons that support this celebration will be experienced as orthodox; conversely, things or persons that assert Catholic teaching when it conflicts with the celebration of homosexuality will be experienced as blasphemous. Observe MHR’s variety of ecumenism. Like all religions, the religion at MHR is quite willing to practice ecumenism when there is nothing vital to its identity at stake. As long as that’s the case, MHR is perfectly happy to accommodate other denominations.
March 6, 2013 at 3:24 am
I guess they don't read St Paul's Letter to the Romans there, then, do they.
March 6, 2013 at 3:28 am
That doesn't even make sense. If he'd meant that about praying as Jesus did when he died on the cross, he would have left the portrait where it was and let the people look at it and "offer it up." Instead, he gave in to demands of people who threatened to walk out of Mass because a picture of the pope — the actual leader of our Church — made them feel bad. All else aside, that's dumb.
March 6, 2013 at 7:30 am
And people like Paul Zummo and "Sophia's Favorite" wonder why I think Catholicism is kaput….
March 6, 2013 at 12:29 pm
Joe, I don't think Catholicism is kaput, but I do believe many of it's clergy and laity are spiritually dead and bankrupt.
March 6, 2013 at 1:09 pm
Forgiving the Pope – wow, how big of Fr. Precious.
March 6, 2013 at 3:17 pm
Another example, if one was even needed, which illustrates the dire, catastrophic state the Church is in, and has been in for many decades.
Also, another good reason to stop the silly electioneering and useless speculations going on about the Papacy and to start doing the only thing laymen can possibly do at this time: getting on our knees.
If we never had a good reason for Lenten mortifications before we certainly have a good one now.
March 6, 2013 at 3:40 pm
And people like Paul Zummo and "Sophia's Favorite" wonder why I think Catholicism is kaput….
Yes Joe, the behavior of several extreme Priests and parishes indicates that a 2,000 year old Church instituted by Jesus Christ is "kaput."
March 6, 2013 at 3:55 pm
BTW, that statement makes clear that there is no functional difference between Joe D'Hippolito and Fr. Brian Costello. Sure they attack the Church from different sides, but the pride of both causes them to ditch her entirely rather than seek reform within.
March 6, 2013 at 4:35 pm
"I was also warned, many parishioners would walk out of Sunday Mass if the picture was not removed"
After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. 67 Jesus said to the twelve, “Will you also go away?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life;
March 6, 2013 at 5:27 pm
Remember Peter denied Christ 3 times at the start of the Church as she survived just fine. I'm not going to worry too much about a few priests lacking the courage to stand up to a group that might walk out over something so small. If they are so sensitive they will be impossible to please anyway.
March 6, 2013 at 5:28 pm
Joe, I think that spiritually a lot of the parishes in America are dead but the Church,never. It will be there when Christ comes again even if it's just one pope and a dying martyr.
March 6, 2013 at 5:44 pm
Fr. Costello don't have back bone. I'm glad he wasn't born in the time of St. Athanasius, Costello would have supported Arius the heretic. St. Athanasius motto was: If the world is against the truth, then Athanasius is against the world!
This Costello guy need to find a new job, he is USING the Church for his own benefit!
March 6, 2013 at 6:00 pm
Everything goes is not the way of Jesus nor His Church. Tolerance and not giving offense are the heresies brought by Liberals.
March 6, 2013 at 6:22 pm
the crazies are running the asylum…bring on the eschaton!
March 6, 2013 at 6:29 pm
Once again a priest is trying to conform the Church to the world. I think Jesus had a few words to say about that.
Our Lord also instructed the apostles to shake the dust off their sandals and leave any town that wouldn't accept the Gospel.
Spreading the Gospel means reaching out to people, but it can never mean watering down the Message.
Pray Father never experiences more serious attacks against the Church, because given this example, he might cave like a house of cards.
March 6, 2013 at 6:35 pm
Oh my goodness is this true? So liberal Catholics think since the Church stands for traditional marriage and chastity that She is against homosexuals or not "accepting" of them. I can't think of any instance Pope Benedict was derogatory against gays. I'd challenge these people to come up with one instance. And how horrible of him to use Jesus last words on the cross and distort them like that.
March 6, 2013 at 6:39 pm
People who think that the Church is "kaput" are clearly lacking any true understanding of Catholicism. The One Church that Christ founded upon St. Peter has stood for 2,000 years. The gates of hell have tried to destroy it and continue to do so now. Let me tell you something – the Church is not going anywhere! She will not conform to a society and culture that seeks to destroy the human person in any way.
March 6, 2013 at 6:40 pm
Is this actually a sanctioned church? I saw in the bulletin it said it's a parish in the "Roman Catholic Tradition" not "In the Diocese of San Francisco"
March 6, 2013 at 7:36 pm
Given that you've publicly advocated the nuclear destruction of entire cities in the Islamic world, Joseph, you needn't be concerned that many of us worry about what you think about the Catholic Church.
March 6, 2013 at 7:38 pm
And it was questioned why SF needed Abp. Cordileone…