Dear Catholic Exchange,
Thank you for the information regarding the letter of Bishop Cupich to Senator Daschle. I commend the Bishop on his fidelity to the teaching of the Church and his courage for speaking out. However, I cannot understand why I have not heard of one Bishop protesting the appointment of Leon Panetta, a very strong abortion supporter, to the Bishop's National Review Board. Mr. Panetta's views are a matter of public record so what is the explanation for his being chosen as a member of this board since he is in blatant, public opposition to the teaching of the Church?
Sincerely,
Patricia Lynch
Dear Patricia:
I too am frankly mystified at this choice. Happily, the National Review Panel has no real authority. It was basically a foolish knee-jerk reaction, created in haste by panicked bishops who had little ability to grasp the nature of the catastrophe they themselves created by their woeful neglect of fidelity to the Tradition. Rome's response has made clear that lay review panels cannot supercede the authority of a bishop, so Panetta's ignorant and un-Catholic worldview will not have any real teeth.
Now the real work begins: getting bishops to be faithful to the Tradition it is their responsibility—not some review panel's—to guard and teach. Pray for them. They will need it.
Mark Shea
Senior Content Editor
Catholic Exchange
Dear Catholic Exchange:
I enjoyed your article, Ordaining Homosexuals. I believe the Most Rev. Thomas J. Gumbleton, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit, is completely wrong when he takes the position that gay men should be ordained.
I believe (and I believe the Church believes):
A. The homosexual act is intrinsically evil. (Catechism of the Catholic Church and On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons.)B. The homosexual person has inclinations that are un-natural, depraved and objectively disordered. (See above references.)
C. Permitting homosexuals to be priests as long as they remain celibate addresses only one of the sinful activities committed by a homosexual. What about their sins of thought, word, or deed (cordis, oris, operis)? How can a homosexual want to “come out of the closet” and not sin? (The Nature of Sin).
D. The priest must be heterosexual and must choose to be chaste and celibate (“renouncing thereby the companionship of marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven [cf. Matt. 19:12], they embrace the Lord with an undivided love altogether befitting the new covenant). (Please see the Decree on Priestly Training.)
E. The priest must be held to a higher standard (“…light of the world…”).
The Church has been consistent on its position. Statements supporting this position are found in both Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.
The problem is we have US Bishops who refuse to comply with the teachings of the Church. This is why we have so many problems in our seminaries and our universities. This is not rocket science.
In Christ,
Bob O'Meara
Nashua, NH
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