tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post7034128495822315059..comments2024-03-28T19:16:02.689-04:00Comments on Catholic in Brooklyn: Supreme Court Legalizes Sames Sex Marriage: Why Catholics Should Not Judge Or CondemnCatholic in Brooklynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714284710110785019noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-8436971271423173942017-02-01T19:33:43.206-05:002017-02-01T19:33:43.206-05:00Catholic in Brooklyn, I wonder what you think abou...Catholic in Brooklyn, I wonder what you think about what Bishop Robert Barron says about gay "marriage" in a certain video. Check out the following link:<br /><br />https://youtu.be/OYWBNMOCrlo?t=13m33sChristopher Stuarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17477722106362926482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-5386144041366712572015-07-27T08:25:36.086-04:002015-07-27T08:25:36.086-04:00Thank you. God BlessThank you. God BlessGenXBenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15298459502431357489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-19577303562488479602015-07-27T05:57:06.616-04:002015-07-27T05:57:06.616-04:00Here is a link to an article I wrote defending Car...Here is a link to an article I wrote defending Cardinal Dolan against spurious attacks from Michael Voris including Cardinal Dolan's stand on same sex marriage:<br /><br />http://catholicinbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2013/04/michael-voris-declares-war-on-timothy.html<br /><br />Also an article from another source in which Cardinal Dolan talks about the evil of same sex marriage:<br /><br />http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/17/archbishop-calls-gay-marriage-bill-an-ominous-threat/<br /><br />From the article:<br /><br />Archbishop Dolan, speaking on Fredric U. Dicker’s radio program on WGDJ-AM (1300), repeatedly made it clear that he strongly opposed gay marriage, which he called “unjust and immoral,” “detrimental for the common good” and “a violation of what we consider the natural law that’s embedded in every man and woman.”<br />Acknowledging that supporters of same-sex marriage need just one more vote to prevail in the Senate, Archbishop Dolan said that “we are still working for the defeat of this bill,” but that “we’re realistic to know the forces pushing this are very strong, they’re well oiled, they’re well financed.” However, he said: “It’s not a done deal. There is a good chance that this is not going to pass this year.”<br />Archbishop Dolan argued that the passage of same-sex marriage in other states and countries had at times led to problems for clergy and religious organizations who remained in opposition. “You’ve got couples now in England who are now told they can’t adopt children because they’re not open to same-sex marriage,” he said.<br />Archbishop Dolan also rued what he called “the presumptive omnipotence of the state” in considering allowing gays to marry, and decried a “new religion of secularism that feels it’s going to come to a theocracy and impose its values on society.”Catholic in Brooklynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02714284710110785019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-38252957560814403522015-07-26T19:06:18.610-04:002015-07-26T19:06:18.610-04:00I mean no snark or disrespect and I apologize if y...I mean no snark or disrespect and I apologize if you've covered this before. I'm an infrequent visitor. Do you have a link to Cardinal Dolans statements on homosexuality and gay marriage? Thanks. GenXBenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15298459502431357489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-3079396360925279692015-07-20T10:04:42.104-04:002015-07-20T10:04:42.104-04:00Thank you! The whole point of my blog is to point...Thank you! The whole point of my blog is to point people to Christ and His Church. If I'm not doing that, then it's time to shut down. Catholic in Brooklynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02714284710110785019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-33349120884776625032015-07-20T08:12:55.098-04:002015-07-20T08:12:55.098-04:00Thank you for this blog site Catholic In Brooklyn....Thank you for this blog site Catholic In Brooklyn. You make perfect sense!<br /><br />God Bless You.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-52886980807008218532015-07-07T13:43:27.654-04:002015-07-07T13:43:27.654-04:00It was in Matthew 16:23 that Christ rebuked Peter ...It was in Matthew 16:23 that Christ rebuked Peter by saying, "Get behind me Satan." However, just a few short verses before that, Matthew 16:18, Christ said to Peter, "You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church." So, no, Peter was not just "one disciple among several." <br /><br />Also, again, Jesus showed his anger at those who were involved in the Temple (the money changers) and were cheating the people, who were obtaining Temple sacrifices. You can look all through the gospels, but you will never find one time that he showed anger towards a prostitute, thief, tax collector, murderer, etc. <br /><br />I understand why you feel it is necessary to condemn sinners. But my point is that you will only drive them further away by doing so. Why are you a Christian? Why have you given your life to Christ? For me it's because I have experienced Christ's great love and mercy in my life. Remember what Christ said about the woman who washed his feet with her hair and precious ointment: "I tell you, her sins--and they are many--have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love."<br /><br />Why were sinners so attracted to Christ, to the point that the Pharisees accused him of socializing with them? Sinners were attracted to Christ because they knew that He looked beyond their sins and loved them, Mary Magdalene being one of the greatest examples. She left a life of sin because she experienced Christ's great love and forgiveness. The reason the religious leaders of Christ's time rejected Him is because they felt totally self sufficient and had no need for Christ's love and forgiveness. <br /><br />If we want to bring people to Christ, we must expose them to His love and forgiveness, not to condemnation. It is the love and mercy of Christ that gives us the courage we need to face our sin and seek the repentance we need. Meditate on Christ's statement about the woman who washed his feet: "I tell you, her sins -- and they are many -- have been forgiven, so [for this reason] she has shown me much love." Catholic in Brooklynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02714284710110785019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-55458812810696378612015-07-07T13:11:25.687-04:002015-07-07T13:11:25.687-04:00But St. Peter wasn't a leader of *anything* ye...But St. Peter wasn't a leader of *anything* yet at that point. Christ had promised to build His Church on him shortly before, but that was a promise yet to be fulfilled. Peter was still, at that point, just one disciple among several, if perhaps one of a few on unusually intimate terms with Jesus. He had not yet, according to Scripture, exercised any teaching authority - and neither had any of the other Apostles (who also came in for sharp rebukes from Christ at various points). <br /><br />Other examples could be cited. The money changers chased out of the Temple were *not* religious leaders either, just lay Jews buying and selling the animals necessary for Temple sacrifice, as had been done for generations. In short it is not accurate to say that "For the rest of of the world he shows only compassion and forgiveness" - especially since we know that some of the souls in that world would be judged among the damned. Athelstanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07346012062816580296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-75598959011938630672015-07-07T04:31:50.196-04:002015-07-07T04:31:50.196-04:00Do yoy disagree that Cardinals Pell and Burke are ...Do yoy disagree that Cardinals Pell and Burke are supporting a radical traditionalist who rejects Vatican II and the Ordinary Form of the Mass? That is not my opinion, that is a fact, and it is a very troublesome fact. That has nothing to do with my personal opinions of these or any other Church authorities. <br /><br />In what way has Cardinal Dolan ever spoken against church teaching? And don't tell me the "bravo" comment. When asked about someone who announced his homosexuality, Cardinal Dolan refused to condemn that person. But Cardinal Dolan has always stood up for Church teaching on homosexuality. He is a member of the Board of Courage which helps homosexuals live chaste lives, and Cardinal Dolan has publicly spoken about this ministry many times. Catholic in Brooklynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02714284710110785019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-58864024010138674172015-07-07T03:55:21.245-04:002015-07-07T03:55:21.245-04:00But what do you do when people have closed theiir ...But what do you do when people have closed theiir ears to the truth? What good does it do then? I stand outside an abortion clinic every week. I do not preach at the people as they come in. I offer them literature. I offer them rosaries. Mostly I pray. Our Lady of Fatima did not say poor sinners go to hell because they have no one to preach at them. She said poor sinners go to hell because they have no one to PRAY for them.<br /><br />The Church must and will continue to preach against sin. But our strongest weapon is prayer. Spend one hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament and you will do far more for sinners than standing on a street corner telling them they are headed for hell.<br /><br />Here is a link to an excellent article on the power of prayer and suffering. <br /><br />http://www.religious-vocation.com/redemptive_suffering.html#.VZuDABj3arU<br /><br />This article quotes Jesus Christ's words to St. Faustina: "You will save more souls through prayer and suffering than will a missionary through his teachings and sermons alone." Catholic in Brooklynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02714284710110785019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-1528472672998727642015-07-07T03:27:19.287-04:002015-07-07T03:27:19.287-04:00And again, these words are said to a religious lea...And again, these words are said to a religious leader, not to the average sinner on the street. Christ never uses these words or anything like them to someone who is not "religious." For the rest of of the world he shows only compassion and forgiveness. Catholic in Brooklynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02714284710110785019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-694148994814670152015-07-07T00:38:32.506-04:002015-07-07T00:38:32.506-04:00It's odd to hear St. Jean-Marie Vianney cited ...It's odd to hear St. Jean-Marie Vianney cited as an example against the act of condemnation . . . given how zealous was his campaign to stamp out many of the most brazen forms of evil behaviors in his parish, often in quite harsh terms. Even village dances came in for attack, and parents who permitted them direct criticism:<br /><br />“There is not a commandment of God which dancing does not cause men to break… Mothers may indeed say: ‘Oh, I keep an eye on their dress; you cannot keep guard over their heart. Go, you wicked parents, go down to Hell where the wrath of God awaits you, because of your conduct when you gave free scope to your children; go! It will not be long before they join you, seeing that you have shown them the way so well… Then you will see whether your pastor was right in forbidding those Hellish amusements.’” (Abbé Francis Trocu, The Curé D’Ars, St. Jean-Marie-Baptiste Vianney, p. 146) <br /><br />No one can deny the power of prayer and sacrifice. These are essential weapons against the devil. But the truth must be preached at times, too. Thus spoke St. Peter to his first converts: "And he testified with many other words and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”" (Acts 2:40) He did not confine himself solely to prayer and fasting to achieve changes of heart.Athelstanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07346012062816580296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-12608505784947312062015-07-07T00:32:48.579-04:002015-07-07T00:32:48.579-04:00"But you will never find Our Lord talking tha..."But you will never find Our Lord talking that way to anyone else."<br /><br />Christ did, actually - even to the chief of his apostles. For example:<br /><br />"But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance[a] to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men.”" (Matt 16:23)Athelstanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07346012062816580296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-1044334810537001432015-07-07T00:23:23.554-04:002015-07-07T00:23:23.554-04:00"But you will never find Our Lord talking tha..."But you will never find Our Lord talking that way to anyone else."<br /><br />Christ did, actually - even to the chief of his apostles. For example:<br /><br />"But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance[a] to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men.”" (Matt 16:23)Athelstanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07346012062816580296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-14232564171858352762015-07-06T21:13:26.382-04:002015-07-06T21:13:26.382-04:00Other than Christ's condemnation of the religi...Other than Christ's condemnation of the religious leaders of his time, at what other time did he "condemn" sinners? As I said in my comment to Samuel Howard, there is no other time. In fact, Christ said, "I came not to judge the world but to save it." Part of the Church's mission is to point out sin. But that is a far cry from condemning people.<br /><br />Sin has overtaken our world. Sin is now considered normal, and those who oppose it are considered abnormal and extreme. Those who follow Christ no longer even talk the same language as much of the world. Our words mean nothing to them. As I said in my comment to Samuel Howard, as Christ told us, some demons can be expelled only through fasting and prayer. That is true of abortion, and it is now true of same sex marriage. The Church will, of course, continue to speak out against this, and when we are given opportunities, as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta was given, we should as well. <br /><br />Cardinal Bergoglio went to cloistered nuns in the war against evil because contemplative prayer is the most powerful weapon any of us have. As St. Jean Vianney said: "Man has a noble task, that of prayer and love. To pray and love, that is the happiness of man on earth." St. Jean Vianney also said: "What souls we can convert by our prayers. The one who saves a soul from hell saves this soul and his own as well."Catholic in Brooklynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02714284710110785019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-24181242368911718422015-07-06T19:45:59.172-04:002015-07-06T19:45:59.172-04:00Thanks for your comment. Did you notice who Chris...Thanks for your comment. Did you notice who Christ was directing his comments to in your quote from the Gospels? He was talking to the religious leaders of his time, those who claimed to know the Will of God, and yet instead of leading the people to God, they were only burdening the people and making life even harder for them. And yes, Our Lord did not hold back at all. He gave it to them with both barrels.<br /><br />But you will never find Our Lord talking that way to anyone else. Think of the Samaritan woman at the well, married five times and then living with a man not her husband. She was completely rejected by society because of her immoral life. Yet, Christ had no harsh words for her. The worst he said to her was "You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true." Our Lord stated a fact, but there is no condemnation here. In fact, He does just the opposite, and offers her eternal salvation. Then there is the woman taken in the act of adultery. Again, the worst our Lord said to her was, "Neither do I judge you. Go and sin no more." <br /><br />Of course the Church - as the Mystical Body of Christ - must teach about sin. And she does that. I personally think the bishops have been wonderful in their reactions to the Supreme Court decision in that they have candidly stated that the Church can never accept same sex marriage and the homosexual lifestyle. But that is quite different from rejecting homosexuals as human beings. <br /><br />Yes, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta did speak out against abortion when she accepted the Nobel Peace prize. And those who gave her the award knew exactly where she stood on that issue and so were not the least surprised or even angered at what she said, even though they disagreed. Why? Because Blessed Teresa had proven that although she rejected sin, she loved every single human being no matter what they believed. They accepted her "scolding" because they knew that she loved and accepted them as human beings. <br /><br />We, as a Church and followers of Jesus Christ, are entering into our "Passion." Our society and most of the Western world has rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ, just as He was rejected by his society 2000 years ago. Although the Church must keep preaching the message of the Gospel, we have to realize that our words are going to fall on deaf ears for the most part. <br /><br />Our Lord told the apostles that some demons can be cast out only by fasting and prayer. Satan has a firm grip on our world now. Condemning people and pointing out their sin will not work for the most part. Now is the time to sacrifice for them just as Christ sacrificed for us. Catholic in Brooklynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02714284710110785019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-12057915273553980642015-07-06T14:57:34.090-04:002015-07-06T14:57:34.090-04:00The example of Papa (then-Cardinal) Bergoglio writ...The example of Papa (then-Cardinal) Bergoglio writing to cloistered nuns to pray and sacrifice against the evil of same sex marriage is instructive yet also a problematic example, because - as cloistered nuns - this was, quite literally, the only avenue open to these women. That was their vocation. <br /><br />For laypeople, while these weapons are important - indeed, essential - they are not the only ones. The Church has been consistent in emphasizing this. Leo XIII in his encyclical on Christian Democracy urged a vocal role by the laity to ensure that democracy is in fact Christian, rather than social : "The condition of things at present proclaims, and proclaims vehemently, that there is need for a union of brave minds with all the resources they can command." (GRAVES DE COMMUNI RE 21) <br /><br />Vatican II put it fairly clearly in its Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity: "Since, in our own times, new problems are arising and very serious errors are circulating which tend to undermine the foundations of religion, the moral order, and human society itself, this sacred synod earnestly exhorts laymen-each according to his own gifts of intelligence and learning-to be more diligent in doing what they can to explain, defend, and properly apply Christian principles to the problems of our era in accordance with the mind of the Church." (APOSTOLICAM ACTUOSITATEM 6)<br /><br />In saying all of this, I am under no illusions about how formidable the resistance is, and how hostile many of those opposed to the faith have become - or how unwilling many will be to listen. It is fair to ask whether this state (which far more resembles now the social democracy warned of by Leo XIII rather than a Christian democracy) and the society which form it are realistically salvageable. But to fail to speak up clearly on these questions will only hasten the erosion of the rights and freedom of the Church and its members. <br /><br />And that speaking up includes, at times, the language of condemnation, which as Mr. Howard points out above, was frequently used by Christ during his earthly ministry, as well as by his Apostles. Athelstanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07346012062816580296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-55516498664803928542015-07-06T14:36:44.107-04:002015-07-06T14:36:44.107-04:00Hello IncarnationalCatholic,
"That's the...Hello IncarnationalCatholic,<br /><br />"That's the job of the priest and bishop."<br /><br />Absolutely, unless (so it seems) it happens to be a priest or bishop of whom the blog hostess disapproves of. It is permissible for Cardinall Dolan to do so, but not for Cardinal Burke or Cardinal Pell who, alas, stand accused of being seduced by crypto-Lefebvrists.Athelstanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07346012062816580296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-49482672705346080292015-07-06T12:50:31.973-04:002015-07-06T12:50:31.973-04:00Please, please stop.
You don't know what you...Please, please stop. <br /><br />You don't know what you're talking about.<br /><br />"Look at the key words here: "proclaim good news to the poor, "proclaim freedom for the prisoners", "recovery of sight for the blind", "set the oppressed free", "proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." There is nothing in here about preaching condemnation to the people."<br /><br />Yes, IN THAT PASSAGE there is nothing about preaching condemnation, but remember that Christ also preached judgment:<br /><br />"But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men, for you yourselves do not enter in; and those that are going in, you suffer not to enter. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites: because you devour the houses of widows, praying long prayers. For this you shall receive the greater judgment."<br /><br />"Did He tell them that they were all sinners? Did He condemn them and tell them they were evil?"<br /><br />Yes, yes, he did. See above.<br /><br />"His response to those who persecuted Him was to love them."<br /><br />This is true, but not in the way you think it is. Love includes calling sinners to repentance, which Jesus did. This is why the first of the spiritual works of mercy is "to admonish the sinner".<br /><br />Can this be done badly, sure, but so can lots of good things. Just because a surgeon can do a botched up job of cutting out a tumor doesn't mean we give up on cancer surgery.<br /><br />You give the example of Mother Theresa:<br /><br />"Blessed Teresa of Calcutta once said that if enough people spend one hour per week in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, we would end abortion."<br /><br />That may be true. But Mother Theresa also stood on the stage in front of Bill and Hillary Clinton and Al and Tipper Gore and called legalized abortion, the policy they supported, "murder" to their faces. She didn't retire to a convent and prayer only. She was most certainly confronting them. <br /><br />You are setting up a false dichotomy between truth and love that is anti-Christian. God is both love and truth and God is in both love loved and truth proclaimed.Samuel J. Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12766238466391394665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-18360027894812392912015-07-05T03:05:05.770-04:002015-07-05T03:05:05.770-04:00Thank you! And welcome to "Brooklyn"! ...Thank you! And welcome to "Brooklyn"! I did a Google translation of your web page, and thank you very much for your kind comments. I sometimes wonder myself about the changes I have gone through.. I can only attribute it to the Holy Spirit. And a lot of it started happening when I began the practice of praying the Rosary several times a day. The Rosary truly is one of the most powerful spiritual weapons we have ever been given. Our Blessed Mother holds onto us tightly if we but just turn to her.<br /><br />God bless you as well, and keep you safe in these turbulent times. There are so many voices out there. My advice is to always just stay close to the Holy Father. Where the Pope is, there is the Church, and there is Christ.Catholic in Brooklynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02714284710110785019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-32222106747946109202015-07-04T23:03:25.203-04:002015-07-04T23:03:25.203-04:00Greetings from Germany to Brooklyn!
http://rosenkr...Greetings from Germany to Brooklyn!<br />http://rosenkranzbeten.info/rosenkranzbeten/catholic-in-brooklyn/<br />God bless you!Annette Austermannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04976344830688359086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-40475873967154186842015-06-28T21:59:12.623-04:002015-06-28T21:59:12.623-04:00Nowhere am I suggesting that we should ignore this...Nowhere am I suggesting that we should ignore this issue. Same sex marriage is an assault on everything that is right and moral. Nor should we pretend in any way that we agree with it. It is a matter of HOW we get our message across. <br /><br />What I am saying is that our #1 weapon against this grave evil is prayer and sacrifice, as told to us by Cardinal Bergoglio. We have to submit our will to God and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in our actions. We have to show the evil of homosexuality and same sex marriage without demoniziing individuals. This may come down to sacrificing our lives either spritiually or even physically just as Jesus Christ did. <br /><br />Our Lord told us to love our enemies. "But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you." We need to take these words to heart. Catholic in Brooklynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02714284710110785019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5636389828900724226.post-83783950946920077032015-06-28T20:56:42.237-04:002015-06-28T20:56:42.237-04:00I just don't know what to feel right now. I ce...I just don't know what to feel right now. I certainly think we should treat gay people with compassion, invite them to Mass, etc. but I also think that we need to resist what has happened. Those who support same-sex marriage are using rhetoric to convince us who are against it to redirect our energy elsewhere. We should not make homosexuality a graver evil than other sins, but gay marriage is not just a tragedy because homosexuality is wrong; it is a tragedy because marriage is a public statement and has consequences on all aspects of society. How will gay marriage affect what our children are taught in school? And I thought education in this country couldn't get any worse! I went to an all-girls school for 4 years and had to write countless essays in defense of issues I don't even support so that I would not be labeled a bigot or worse.I fear for my children. We must love our enemies but we can't love the sin. Pope Francis is the head of the whole Church and must not single out one particular sin in the world because every country faces different challenges. The bishops in the U.S. are responsible for American Catholics, so they are the ones who should teach what marriage really is. Preaching the truth is not hating others. That's the job of the priest and bishop. Of course, they should do it with respect for everyone and not like the internet evangelists, but the truth should be taught nonetheless, and publicly (because gay marriage affects everyone).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com