A Life
Site News article tells us that, since Cardinal Schönborn reversed himself and sided with the homosexual man whom a parish priest had said could not serve on the
Parish Council, the priest involved has asked for another assignment (all emphases mine):
Coming only a few days after
Easter, the resignation of Father Gerhard Swierzek, the pastor of a parish in
the Archdiocese of Vienna, has been hailed
by homosexualist activists in the Catholic Church as a victory. Fr.
Swierzek had refused to allow an active
homosexual, Florian Stangl, who is living in a legal registered partnership with another man, to sit on the parish
council in the town of Stützenhofen.
A victory for the homosexualist activists? You bet it’s a
victory. And it’s a scandal for the faithful – a scandal perpetrated by a cardinal
archbishop. It’s a scandal
perpetrated by a cardinal archbishop whose name is closely associated with
the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Cardinal Schönborn just gave the stamp of
approval to homosexual unions.
[Side
note: Cardinal Schönborn also authored the “Youcat” (Youth Catechism), which
has been criticized
for its weak presentation on the sinfulness of homosexuality. Coincidence?]
Look, I'm not saying these things to be mean or disrespectful to the Cardinal. I'm saying them because I'm scandalized, too - and angry that a Cardinal, a Prince of the Church, would lead the faithful astray in this way, and fail to offer some correction to the homosexual men. Doesn't he care about their souls?
Fr. Swierzek, on the other hand, is standing firm for the truth;
good for him! He’s the model to follow in this mess.
The Austrian Independent
reported Tuesday that Fr. Swierzek has asked his superiors for another
assignment. He said he was “saddened” that the cardinal archbishop of Vienna
met with Stangl and his partner but had
refused to meet with him about the situation.
What is it with these bishops who won’t meet with and
discuss matters with their priests? I’m thinking of Fr. Marcel Guarnizo’s statement
that he was not allowed to present his side of the story of his denial of Holy
Communion to a self-described lesbian actively living a homosexual lifestyle.
And I’m thinking of a couple of instances I know of personally, as well.
Anyway, I like the way Fr. Swierzek seems to think:
The German language Catholic
news service Kreuz.net quoted
Fr. Swierzek saying “I have a priestly
conscience and I respect divine and ecclesiastical law.” He explained that
he could not remain active in a parish, whose members “wanted their right at
any price”.
He cited the teaching of the Church according to Pope John Paul II and
the Catechism of the Catholic Church on homosexual behaviour. “Living in sin is not considered to be the
norm in a Catholic Church community,” he said. “It is much more the task of
a priest to bring a sinner to penance.”
Exactly. There is no charity in letting a person who
practices a grave sin remain bound by that sin. “Tolerance” of sinful
activities does not save souls.
But the Cardinal, apparently, finds that a man living in an
openly homosexual relationship – a “legal registered partnership”, in fact – is
“at the right place”…whatever that means.
A statement was later posted on
the cardinal’s blog, saying, “…There are many parish councilors whose lifestyle
does not in every way conform to the
ideals of the Church.”
Of course; we are certainly all sinners. And yet, all sin is
not equal! Remember that pesky distinction between venial and mortal sin?! And
according the Catechism of the Catholic
Church:
…tradition
has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.” They are contrary to the natural law…Under no circumstances can they be
approved.
And yet, the Cardinal – who should surely know what the CCC says! – has just given the distinct
impression that homosexual acts can be
approved. He said of the two homosexual men with whom he met:
“In view of the life-witness
that each of them gives taken as a whole, and their commitment to the attempt to live a life of faith, the Church
rejoices in their efforts. She does not thereby call the validity of her ideals
into question.”
After his lunch with Stangl,
Schönborn said he was “deeply impressed by his faithful disposition, his humility,
and the way in which he lives his
commitment to service.
 |
| I admit it: I have a tough time dealing with a Cardinal who condones and participates in a balloon Mass, and who condones homosexual activity. |
Sorry, but I submit that any Catholic who is living in an
openly homosexual relationship and who has formalized that relationship
according to the laws of the land cannot objectively be said to be committed “to
the attempt to live a life of faith”. This
type of openly homosexual relationship shows a refusal to accept the clear
teaching of the Church; these men do not seem in any way repentant
regarding their homosexual behavior, nor do they manifest any intent to amend
their lives. This is not a “faithful disposition”. And neither does it reflect
humility; on the contrary, open defiance of Church teaching surely indicates a
measure of arrogance that says “I know better than Holy Mother Church”.
And furthering the scandal caused by the Cardinal’s
comments, look who applauds his decision to support the homosexual man over the
priest:
The head of the outlawed group,
New Ways Ministry appears to agree. The renegade
priest, Francis DeBernardo, who directs the group, said the cardinal’s
position supported their own, “that no one in the church follows all of the
church’s principles, and that it is their
total life commitment, not their
adherence to litmus tests, which qualify them for church leadership”.
“Litmus tests”?! Give me a break. We are all
subject to a “litmus test” when it comes to being in a state of grace and
receiving Holy Communion, being in communion with the Church. It’s called sin.
If you’ve committed a mortal sin, you’re not in a state to receive Communion.
You are not in communion with the Church. Period. Steps must be taken to
correct that – confession, contrition, and penance, and a firm resolve not to sin
again!
And that old saw “no one in the Church follows all of the
Church’s principles”…what exactly do they mean by that? Are they simply saying “No
one’s perfect”? That’s true enough; but we are supposed to always be striving
toward perfection: “Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect”
(Matthew 5:48). And if they are saying
that no one really believes all that Catholic
stuff, I beg to differ. New converts being received into the Church say, “I believe and profess all that the holy Catholic Church believes,
teaches, and proclaims to be
revealed by God” during the rites of initiation.
 |
| Thousands were received into the Church just last week, and they all said, "I believe and profess..." |
I said it when I was received into the Church.
I meant it.
How about you, Cardinal Schönborn?
