Retired Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly gay man to become a U.S. bishop in the Episcopal Church, has written an nasty piece of opinion attacking a Catholic Archbishop as well as the Catholic Church in its entirety for defending marriage.
Robinson, writing for The On Faith blog at The Washington Post, attacked Abp. Allen Vigneron for having said Catholics who support gay unions or marriage should not receive communion. And not only does he say that the Church is wrong on gay marriage, he says the Church has “lost its way” and has no right to even discuss the issue. I’ll give you one guess why. For those playing along at home, the answer is easy. It’s page 1 of the anti-Catholic playbook: “Anytime the Church says something you don’t like you should always YELL and SCREAM about….THE SEX ABUSE SCANDAL!!!”
Robinson wrote:
I believe that using Communion as such a manipulative tool surely profanes the sacrament. Perhaps these Catholic leaders should revisit their church’s theology of the Eucharist. Reception of the body and blood of Christ at Communion is God’s gift to God’s people, not a reward for right behavior. We receive Communion not because we are worthy of it, but because God’s offers us the body and blood of Christ despite our unworthiness.
While some are seeking to withhold Communion from pro-choice and pro-marriage-equality Catholics, I have heard no call to withhold Communion from priests and bishops who have engaged in horrific sexual abuse against vulnerable children, nor their enablers. Bernard Cardinal Law, whose administration actively facilitated the moving around of known pedophile priests to other unsuspecting parishes, has not been denied Communion, but instead been rewarded with a prestigious church in Rome.
It seems that the church hierarchy is sending the following message: two gay men or lesbians (not to mention their supporters) who want to vow a lifetime of commitment, monogamy and love should be denied Communion, but those who exploit vulnerable children (and those who facilitate their abuse) for their own sexual gratification are still welcome. Those who make the excruciating and gut-wrenching decision to have an abortion (not to mention those who understand why this might be a moral choice) are barred from receiving Communion, but those prelates who live a lavish lifestyle far from the real-life, harsh circumstances some women face that might make such an abortion morally permissible are accepted at the Communion rail.
American Catholics have a long and honorable history of discerning their own consciences in matters of human life and dignity. For instance, 98 percent of Catholic women have gone against church law and used birth control. Indeed, individual conscience is a core value in Catholic teaching. It seems that Catholic laity are refusing to be treated like morally ignorant children who cannot think for themselves. At a very minimum, Catholic laity (and many of their local clergy) know that these issues should be discussed in an open and faithful way. They also know that people of faith will disagree on some of the ramifications of trying to live out the Gospel.
Robinson is not understanding or he’s pretending to misunderstand the facts here. The fact is that we are all sinners is true. That doesn’t make sin acceptable. And it certainly doesn’t make sin non-existent.
It’s one thing to commit a sin, acknowledge it as a sin, and repent. Murderers, rapists, and yes sexually abusive adults all have an opportunity to seek forgiveness and redemption but they first must acknowledge their sinfulness.
It’s quite another thing to publicly advocate something like abortion and gay marriage as perfectly in line with Catholic teaching. One can’t seek forgiveness if one doesn’t believe in sin.
April 25, 2013 at 4:16 am
You will burn in hell.
April 25, 2013 at 5:26 am
No you won't!
April 25, 2013 at 5:44 am
…..determining God by human consensus..;(
…..please don't tell me he is "humanely" pro choice and "blesses" satans sacrifice, too? This guy is sooo…screwed up from top to bottom.
…..professor robinson, by whose authority do? you march under?….
April 25, 2013 at 6:19 am
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April 25, 2013 at 6:21 am
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April 25, 2013 at 6:51 am
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April 25, 2013 at 6:52 am
Really? Is that the defensive argument? Sinning clergy who come across as hypocrites? Okay, lets pretend that there are no sinners in the Catholic Church and in all fairness lets pretend there are no sinners among the Episcopal church followers, gay and other wise. Now what have you got to stand on?
April 25, 2013 at 6:52 am
How glib. This hit piece should surprise no one. Robinson's arguments reflect those of the founder of his church [Henry VIII]. Do what's convenient for you under cover for the good of many.
Sacrifice? Self-denial? Service? Biblical truths? That's so blasé. It's compassion uber alles. Full speed ahead.
April 25, 2013 at 7:35 am
Persons who abuse children do not advertise their hideous sin. Unless said person is a psychopath they are ashamed of their Shame. I guess these "proud to be gay" people are psychopaths. Well surely some are. Others seem to believe that each individual has the moral authority to determine what is or is not sin. I suppose they will readily determine what sins others are guilty of but will not allow others such moral authority if it is contrary to theirs. Another contradiction of the inequality thinking of promoters of equality. Disordered thinking begets disordered behavior and vice versa.
April 25, 2013 at 7:47 am
He can rant all he likes…he's still an unrepentant sodomite on a highway to hell.
April 25, 2013 at 7:49 am
The fact that this guy who calls himself episcopal "bishop" i.e. a "man of God" is engaging in a lifestyle condemned by God and is attacking other Churches that follow the teachings of God, well, this guy is THE incarnation of "hypocrisy." He should have kept his mouth shut if he has self-respect, decency or some shame. Catholic priests who don't follow their vocation by engaging in sin do not attack other Churches and do not "advertise" their activities or call people to imitate them or call for laws to support their acts. Rather, they are severely punished and sent into isolation by the Church and by civil authorities.
April 25, 2013 at 10:00 am
Proverbs 26:11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool that repeats his folly. Apparently, ol' Gene has an insatiable taste for his own barf.
April 25, 2013 at 11:21 am
I thank God for Gene Robinson… he's the reason my husband and I are Catholic today. ^_^ I pray that his eyes will be opened to the Truth.
April 25, 2013 at 12:03 pm
Ret. Bishop Gene Robinson is not a shepherd to his congregation, he is a celebrity.
When he was replaced, two of the candidates were going through a divorce, meanwhile one of the candidates.
""The parishes that Bridges and Hirschfeld led have had either flat or declining attendance during their tenure, while the large Boston parish that Rich serves has seen an almost 40 percent drop in attendance over the past decade," said Walton.
"Considering that the Diocese of New Hampshire has struggled with a 13 percent membership decline and almost 20 percent attendance decline over the past decade, I don't see how any of these three candidates bring the needed experience to revitalize the diocese."
Now the Diocese of New Hampshire only has about 4000 members, that's a size a Catholic parish in in the Archdiocese of Boston. Imagine your whole church being a Diocese! Yet, still this small and declining organization is being placed on a pedestal.
"Several dioceses stand out on the statistics with significant changes: the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, where outgoing Bishop Gene Robinson is completing his term in office this month, posted a drop of 1,018 members, or down 7 percent, the worst in the northeastern regional Province "
April 25, 2013 at 12:43 pm
Wait, guys. He did say something right:
"I believe that using Communion as such a manipulative tool surely profanes the sacrament."
Well, yeah. But it's the rainbow sash Mass attendees and the pro-abort politicians who are using the Blessed Sacrament as a manipulative tool.
-Elodie
April 25, 2013 at 1:01 pm
So much stupid…I'll just work on the quoted section.
"I believe that using Communion as such a manipulative tool surely profanes the sacrament."
That's because you don't understand what Communion means, and don't have a Catholic understanding of what the Eucharist really is. Telling someone they should not receiving the Eucharist is not a punishment, it's meant to help the individual. If they are out of Communion with the Church (and thus with God), receiving the Eucharist is not only a lie, it's also damning to their soul. So withholding the Eucharist is to both protect them from further sin and to help them to see and correct what is wrong.
"Reception of the body and blood of Christ at Communion is God’s gift to God’s people, not a reward for right behavior."
Right. It's a gift, and receiving that gift includes an outward sign that says "I believe what the Church professes as truth". Don't make that a lie. In addition, Paul warns us about receiving unworthily.
"While some are seeking to withhold Communion from pro-choice and pro-marriage-equality Catholics, I have heard no call to withhold Communion from priests and bishops who have engaged in horrific sexual abuse against vulnerable children, nor their enablers."
Because it's a given. It doesn't need to be announced.
"It seems that the church hierarchy is sending the following message: two gay men or lesbians (not to mention their supporters) who want to vow a lifetime of commitment, monogamy and love should be denied Communion, but those who exploit vulnerable children (and those who facilitate their abuse) for their own sexual gratification are still welcome."
Nope. When dealing with individuals, one tells the individual that he should not receive until he has received absolution. When dealing with a large group of people it is more efficient to make a general announcement.
"Those who make the excruciating and gut-wrenching decision to have an abortion (not to mention those who understand why this might be a moral choice) are barred from receiving Communion,"
That's because abortion is the deliberate murder of an innocent child. Reconciliation is needed.
"but those prelates who live a lavish lifestyle far from the real-life, harsh circumstances some women face that might make such an abortion morally permissible are accepted at the Communion rail."
Living comfortably and not being in a situation where you consider murder is a sin?
"American Catholics have a long and honorable history of discerning their own consciences in matters of human life and dignity."
Yes, but properly formed consciences are required.
"For instance, 98 percent of Catholic women have gone against church law and used birth control."
And many of them have confessed that sin and returned to communion with the Church on that matter. The number is bogus, since it comes from a study where the women were asked if they *ever* used artificial birth control.
Furthermore, this is a logical fallacy. Argumentum ad populum. That doesn't make it correct.
"Indeed, individual conscience is a core value in Catholic teaching."
And we need well formed consciences.
"It seems that Catholic laity are refusing to be treated like morally ignorant children who cannot think for themselves."
In a sense, we are. Our consciences frequently are poorly formed (mine is). We make bad decisions all the time. The Church seeks to guide us on the right path.
"At a very minimum, Catholic laity (and many of their local clergy) know that these issues should be discussed in an open and faithful way."
They have been.
"They also know that people of faith will disagree on some of the ramifications of trying to live out the Gospel."
Undoubtedly true. Thankfully, Jesus gave us help in figuring out how to live out the Gospel.
April 25, 2013 at 2:12 pm
As Pope Francis, may he long live, said, receiving communion is a public act declaring that one believes all the Church proffers for belief. Those dissenting from Church teaching on any issue, including SSM, are perjuring themselves and profaning the Sacrament by receiving, as well as eating judgement upon themselves (cf 1 Cor 11). Sinning, whether it be paedophilia or homosexual activity or something else, requires confession, but then the Catholic is to be re-admitted to the Sacrament.
On another point, does anyone else wish another Council would convene to anathematize anyone who claims an individuals conscience trumps Church teaching?
April 25, 2013 at 2:30 pm
"…a long and honorable history of discerning their own consciences…"
This from a gay, married Episc. priest. More than a little audacious, and not in a good way.
April 26, 2013 at 1:05 am
He's not married.
April 27, 2013 at 5:59 am
He was, with children. So sacramentally he's still married. But there's another thing the Episcopalians messed with.
April 25, 2013 at 3:11 pm
Let us all support Bishop Vigneron with daily prayer!
😉
KM
April 25, 2013 at 3:25 pm
Those who reject Christ and His Church would say they discerned by their own consciences. It is a feeble, irrational excuse. A person is free to reject the Truth – but he is objectively wrong to so do. The moral truth is knowable by reason and the Faith, but many reject reason and construct their own personal "truth". It is wholly irrational – it would mean there was no objective truth so anyone can do or support anything they wish. Christ didn't come to tell us we could do as we wish according to erroneous "consciences" but rather he came to inform, enlighten our consciences.