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Contents © 2002
by Jim Holman.
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LETTERS
FEBRUARY 2002
MAYBE HE THINKS HE'S CLEVER, BUT...
The interview with Father Richard Perozich was interesting [see "It's Unmanly," November 2001 Mission.] Too bad he doesn't choose his words or think through his positions with greater care. The remark about gay comments being "unmanly" sounds stupid. Idle chatter about same-sex attraction may be an occasion of sin and conducive to immoral action (both good reasons to avoid it), but relying on dubious stereotypes to try to make a point (which was?) doesn't cut it pastorally. (Like "manly" men don't eat quiche, play the piano, or cook, right? I wonder if Father Rich has ever spent much time in a straight gym.) Ditto for Perozich's comment about why "homophobia" is desirable. Maybe it makes Father think he is clever when he says such things, but it doesn't inspire confidence in the group he is being paid to minister to.
To the question: "Homosexuality is but one evil tendency among many others, yet It seems to be different from the concupiscence of a greedy man, or the concupiscence of ordinary lust...." Father Perozich responds, "that's because their objects are normal. The concupiscence of greed is, 'I want to possess cars and money;' those things are good in themselves, but homosexuality in itself is evil, it's disordered. There's nothing good about it, except for the fact that it makes you turn to Christ for redemption." Obviously there is still a long way to go in the pastoral care of homosexual persons. One wonders how Fr Perozich got through his studies (and got his job) without noticing that the underlying emotional forces which lead homosexuals to seek contact with members of the same sex are identical to those behind the attraction of heterosexual boys (speaking only of one sex) for their fathers, older brothers, male friends, and other same-sex role models/authority figures. The crucial difference is that, for reasons still unknown, in the former the attraction has become sexualized, and therein lies the moral and psychological challenge.
The distortion which results in this sexualization of normal same-sex feelings of attraction is what homosexuals are called to deal with, apart from the temptation to act out. Implying that these feelings in their entirety are "evil" and there is "nothing good about [them]" is a terrible oversimplification and shows little discernment (something we should expect of a priest specializing in this area, right?) You'd do just as well to tell a young kid it is "evil" to want to spend all his time with his dad or older brother, or an early teenaged boy there is "nothing good about" wanting to hang out only with other boys.
Really, it's reading stuff like this interview which makes me realize that there is value in the gay/lesbian rights movement. Until homosexuals are protected from arbitrary infringement of basic human rights (discrimination in housing, employment, and the real threat of violence) and have the security to lead successful lives without fear, there is not going to be much time or interest in the wider gay/lesbian community to explore a form of spirituality which includes chastity. Perhaps this complaint will seem "hypersensitive" to the Father Perozichs of this world, but for those of us out in society making a living and successfully living the Catholic faith, we don't have time for petty prejudices, poorly-formed arguments and undiscerning priests.
Finally, I'm taking the time to pass on these comments because your article was forwarded to me by a young Catholic who is struggling with his sexual feelings. I recommended Courage to him, and after making some inquiries, he came back with this article, which he found very discouraging. That's a shame. I hope the views expressed by your interviewee don't end up doing more harm than good. If he worked for my company he'd be out of a job.
D.C.M. Googe,
received via e-mail
Father Perozich responds:
Thank you for writing to give me the opportunity for exposition beyond the questions Mr. Zehnder posed in the interview. You are very astute in saying that choosing words is important. For most of us, we use the vocabulary and technique of practicing or promoting homosexualists because we have learned only them from the media. The technique involves implication, correction, and revision of society, values, and even an attempt to do the same for Church teaching and scripture, using the language of rights, and attacking the moral values and character of those who believe otherwise. We have not, however, heard the vocabulary of the Church, which reflects God's truth regarding sexuality. The following paragraph presents a synthesis, unfaithful to Church teaching, of practicing and promoting homosexualist rhetoric, using studied ambiguity, partial truth, correction, implication, and revision -- that is, "gayspeak."
"Gay and Lesbian people are created by God and are His children just like every one else. As God's children, they are called to love and express that love like all human beings. Gay and lesbian people do not choose their sexual orientation. Their sexual identity as gays and lesbians is a gift from God. Common experts agree that there are genetic, hormonal, and psychological factors which form the gift that we call gays and lesbians. Gay and lesbian people have suffered much prejudice in the church, which stereotypes them as intrinsically evil and disordered people. They feel offended, unwelcome, and marginalized by a patriarchal church, which has rejected them because of their God-given sexual orientation. The Church must begin a dialogue with gay and lesbian people to accept and celebrate their sexuality, and develop a Christian attitude of tolerance and inclusion, celebrating the natural diversity among God's people. Gay priests and bishops need to come out in support of gay Catholics so that they express their love sexually, following their conscience as all Christians are called to do. Gay and lesbian partners in committed relationships should have their love blessed by the Church, and be recognized as good contributing members of the Catholic Church, sharing their many gay and lesbian gifts with God's people. The Church must do all it can to eliminate homophobia, and all discrimination against gays and lesbians, and accept and celebrate the diversity in the Church, so that gays and lesbians will finally be free from oppression and enjoy the liberation of sexuality that Christ brings to the world."
What I present to you in the following paragraphs is the truth of the Church for a real pastoral care of persons with homosexual inclination -- "Catholicspeak."
"Sexuality first is the given gender of a person and all that is appropriate to that gender with biological, social, spiritual, and emotional components for self giving, procreation, and union of man and woman (TMHS 75 #1.2ff). Each person's process of maturation in sexuality is different (TMHS 75 #6.1ff). Some persons experience an unchosen predominant or exclusive sexual attraction to members of their own sex (CCC 2357). Persons with same sex attractions or homosexual inclination cannot be identified by a reductionist reference to their sexual attractions. Their fundamental identity is that of being a creature of God, and by grace, his child and heir to eternal life (PCHP #16). Each person is called to accept his sexual identity as male or female, different and complementary, and to live chastely developing the gift of male or female sexuality and integrating in body and spirit sexuality, through the long and exacting work of self mastery (CCC 2333, 2337, 2339).
"Persons with same sex attraction are called to chastity, as are all people, and called to attain to Christian perfection through the sacraments and the Church. While homosexuality itself is intrinsically disordered, the human person is never called disordered. Rejection of homosexuality is not rejection of the person, nor is it homophobia, but rather a natural reaction to what is not created in nature by God. While the Church acknowledges psychological origins of same sex attraction, hormonal and genetic causes remain unproven assertions (CCC 2357, Scientific American, November 1995, May 1994).
"'Diversity and tolerance do not include behaviors to which no one has any conceivable right such as homosexuality (Legislation, 1992, # 7). Discrimination regarding practicing or promoting homosexualists is not always unjust. The Church shows Christ's true compassion when she stands and suffers with those with same sex attraction, teaching them chastity and supporting them with good counsel, love and inclusion according to their baptismal call, protecting them from the harm of those who try to lead them astray to live according to sexual feelings. The Church needs good chaste role models to guide persons with same sex attraction to chastity, especially against those who refute the Church's proclamation of the truth. The bishops are asked to exercise special care in the selection of pastoral ministers so that by their own high degree of spiritual and personal maturity and by their fidelity to the Magisterium, they may be of real service to homosexual persons, promoting their health and well-being in the fullest sense. Such ministers will reject theological opinions which dissent from the teaching of the Church and which, therefore, cannot be used as guidelines for pastoral care.
"We encourage the bishops, then, to provide pastoral care in full accord with the teaching of the Church for homosexual persons of their dioceses. No authentic pastoral program will include organizations in which homosexual persons associate with each other without clearly stating that homosexual activity is immoral. A truly pastoral approach will appreciate the need for homosexual persons to avoid the near occasions of sin. We would heartily encourage programs where these dangers are avoided. But we wish to make it clear that departure from the Church's teaching, or silence about it, in an effort to provide pastoral care is neither caring nor pastoral. Only what is true can ultimately be pastoral. The neglect of the Church's position prevents homosexual men and women from receiving the care they need and deserve. An authentic pastoral program will assist homosexual persons at all levels of the spiritual life: through the sacraments, and in particular through the frequent and sincere use of the sacrament of Reconciliation, through prayer, witness, counsel and individual care. In such a way, the entire Christian community can come to recognize its own call to assist its brothers and sisters, without deluding them or isolating them.' (PCHP #15) Masculinity and Femininity are aspects of the essence of a person created by God and expressed in relationship. Expression of romantic fantasies, stimulation of body parts for sexual pleasure with members of the same sex, are not proper to the essence of given masculine or femine gender. One's occupation or food choices are accidents unrelated to gender."
References: CCC -- Catechism of the Catholic Church; TMHS -- Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality, 1995, Council on the Family; PCHP -- Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, 1986, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; LEGISLATION: "Some Considerations Concerning the Response To Legislative Proposals on the Non-Discrimination of Homosexual Persons," 1992, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Courage is a program where men and women live lives in accordance with the Church's teaching on homosexuality by dedicating their entire lives to Jesus in prayer, Eucharist, penance, spiritual direction; having a forum to discuss their feeling so as not to suffer alone, but making good chaste friendships and being examples to others. That is why it has the endorsement of the Vatican, and will continue to offer peace to troubled souls confused by Satan and deceived by some clergy and religious unfaithful to God's teachings.
REMEMBER VAN ZELLER
I very much enjoy the Mission. I thought you, perhaps, did not know that the Brother Choleric "cartoons" which you publish are the work of the late/great Hubert Van Zeller, O.S.B. It would be nice if you ran his name or a "by-line" under the cartoon, as obviously Brother Choleric was his little harmless way of wittinesss which he employed in this medium.
I believe you may not know that he was a sculptor of renown, whose works are on this continent, as well as in the British Isles, and perhaps even further abroad. I don't know how far his work spread, but it is very remarkable. He was also an outstanding spiritual writer, and I believe he was a great friend also of Ronald Knox, the brilliant convert from Anglicanism who became the translator of scriptures by "order" of the bishops of the British Isles back in the 50s, I believe. Knox was also a great writer/educator/translator in his own right.
Madeleine Sorenson,
Simi Valley
SALT IN THE WOUNDS
I was distressed to learn in the December 2001 issue of the Mission that the diocese of Orange is running a deficit of $14 million for the current fiscal year, the first deficit of its 25-year history. This is irresponsible fiscal management on the part of our diocesan leadership. I must admit I'm more miffed at our leadership for allowing (and promoting!) heterodox teaching in our Catholic schools and parishes, but this fiscal irresponsibility does throw salt in the wounds.
Fred Harris,
Brea
NOT THE SAME FAITH
Regarding your article, "Islam may be a heresy, but is it peaceful?" (January 2002 Mission.) in which appears the statement of the Catholic bishops and Muslim leaders which emphasized that both Catholics and Muslims share faith in the same God -- if the issued statement only spoke of people who are Muslims who mean to worship the one true God, then all is well. But if the issued statement spoke of the religion of Islam as proclaiming that it, the religion, worships and proclaims the one true God, then the following would definitely have value as I see it.
Islam teaches that the God Islam worships sent his angel Gabriel with his messages and revelations to his prophet Muhammad. So far that is true. But to say that God is the one true God is wrong. We Christians see absolute denials of the testimony of the God of Christianity in the revelations and messages sent by the God of Islam through his angel Gabriel. Here is the testimony of the God of Christianity: "Who is the liar? He who denies that Jesus is the Christ. He is the antichrist, denying the Father and the Son. Anyone who denies the Son has no claim on the Father, but he who acknowledges the Son can claim the Father as well," 1 John 2:22, 23. "This is how you can recognize God's Spirit: every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh belongs to God, while every spirit that fails to acknowledge Him does not belong to God," 1 John 4:3. "When anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him and he in God," 1 John 4:15. "Jesus Christ it is Who came through water and blood -- not in water only, but in water and blood. It is the Spirit Who testifies to this, and the Spirit is TRUTH. Thus there are three that testify, the Spirit and the water and the blood - and these three are of one accord."
The God of Christianity is not a liar and cannot deny Himself. Since the God of Christianity proclaims the above quoted scriptures from His Word as absolute truth, and since the God of Islam, who sent his messages and revelations through his angel Gabriel, completely denies the testimony given by the God of Christianity in the above quoted scriptures, then it could not have been the God of Christianity who sent those messages and revelations to Muhammad -- for He cannot deny himself.
Conclusion: The God of Islam is not the God of Christianity.
One comment on the religion of Judaism. Even though the religion of Judaism does not accept the God of Christianity's revelation of His Son, Jesus the Christ, that does not negate the fact that the religion of Judaism was founded by the God of Christianity when He revealed Himself to Abraham. Islam was founded either by Muhammad with the revelations from the God of Islam's angel Gabriel, or Islam was founded by the God of Islam through the revelations and messages the God of Islam sent to Muhammad. Either way, the God of Islam is not the God of Judaism, Who is the God of Christianity. The denial of the testimony of the God of Christianity by the religion of Islam is absolute. That the religion of Islam is monotheistic is true, but the religion of Islam does not worship the God of Christianity no matter how much we might wish it to be so.
May the God of Christianity, the one true God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, bring all people into the Light of His Salvation.
Claudia-Marie Person,
Sacramento, CA