Catholic priest tackles Catholic acceptance of homosexuality
Image via WikipediaBemoaning the American pulpit’s silence on the topic, a priest contributor at one of the most high-profile diocesan blogs in the nation says it’s time to start teaching authentic Christian sexual morality with a stronger voice.
Monsignor Charles Pope of the Archdiocese of Washington on Thursday issued an exhortation to accept Catholic teaching on homosexual activity, a teaching he said is rejected “likely due to confusion brought on by a loud culture and a quiet pulpit.”
In an era of deep confusion over sexual morality, wrote Pope, “we must speak the truth that comes from God and live it. Suppressing the truth leads to great distortions, confusion, and suffering.”
While “some who oppose the teaching of Scripture and the Church have taken to calling opposition to their view ‘hatred’ and ‘bigotry,’” Catholics must have faith that the Church’s opposition is “rooted in a principled obedience to the Word of God,” he said. “We can say and teach no other than what God has revealed consistently in his Word.”
The priest pointed to Biblical texts plainly teaching that homosexuality is immoral, including Romans 1 where, said Pope, the apostle Paul teaches that acceptance of homosexuality is “a sign of deep confusion and a darkened mind.”
“The sexual promiscuity of our own day has led to great suffering: venereal disease, AIDS, abortion, teenage pregnancy, broken marriages, divorce, single parenthood. The confusion about homosexual activity is just one more symptom of the general sexual confusion of our day,” he wrote.
The post followed upon Pope’s discussion the previous day of poll results showing Catholics strongly in favor of same-sex “marriage,” a fact he said was “no surprise” given the Church’s silence on the matter.
