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A Healing Ministry
Dear Catholic Exchange:
Thanks for the many articles you have concerning the recent current events in the Church.
I'm the Marketing Advisor for United Hearts Ministry. We are a lay group involved in Catholic evangelizing especially to those in recovery as well as a special focus on sexual abuse victims. Too often, the perpetrators are the central theme in today's society, and no one is working with the sexually abused. We are out here in the pews hurting and no one is reaching out to us.
Did you know that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men are sexually abused before the age of 18? This is just the statistics for the USA. Other countries are different. The positive side of what is happening with the pedophilia ring in our Church is that the Church and us as lay people will now have to deal with the victims.
I've been supporting the ministry for 10 years now, and working another job at the same time. Needless to say, we have a shoestring budget. We also have a professional tape about the founder, Don Matis Jr. He was raped at the age of 10 by a 16 year old Catholic man. At age 11 he turned to alcohol and drugs for 17 years. His family never knew of the event that altered his whole life, being dysfunctional and alcoholic, he couldn't trust to tell them. Then he had a major conversion experience with the Blessed Mother and has been almost 16 years clean and sober this May. He advocates the Sacraments, especially daily Mass and weekly confession. He evangelizes anywhere he goes. He's “on call” 24/7. He's constantly encouraging everyone to join the Catholic Church, but there's no one place or priest to send them to.
Maybe you could give some helpful advice or encouragement. Actually, our Ministry should be flourishing more now than ever. Especially since many Bishops are looking for advice on how to help the victims of this scandal.
God Bless you! Keep United Hearts Ministry in prayer!
Monica Baird
United Hearts Ministry Inc.-non profit
118 W. Streetsboro Rd. #148-6
Hudson, OH 44236
unitedhearts@yahoo.com
Homosexuals in the Priesthood
Dear Catholic Exchange:
Thank you for your article “A Time for Caution” and the statistical citation on homosexuals having a greater predisposition of being pedophiles. This is important to remember when treating this question accurately.
I suspect, however, that with Mr. Hudson's theological background, he would know much better than to propose the following questions as a legitimate topic for debate: Will it mean that all priests with homosexual inclinations are invalidly ordained? Will some Catholics actively demand that they “out” themselves and “resign” their priesthood?
Instead of noting these questions “as a note of caution,” maybe we could propose some clarity. Of course a priest with homosexual inclinations is validly ordained, just as a priest with alcoholic inclinations is. Though it would probably not be prudent or just to demand these men “out” themselves, it would be wise to adopt a “zero tolerance” policy (not only for crimes against adolescents and children but for any public scandal as well).
In addition, the Church should consider homosexual orientation, not necessarily as an official impediment to orders, but as a clear disorder that would preclude ordination. Should we ever wish to have success in attracting healthy, holy men, who wish to give their lives to Christ to selflessly serve as priests, we must strive to provide them with a healthy environment and fraternity in which that gift can grow and flourish in seminary formation and throughout their life. Few healthy, heterosexual men wish to live a fraternal life in a priesthood dominated, or significantly impacted with the presence of homosexuals. Few would want to be associated with such men.
In fact, it just may be that the high numbers of homosexuals in the clergy is one of the most crippling contributors to our shortage of priestly vocations. The Church must act with resolve and prudence in precluding men with homosexual disorders from serving as priests. This shouldn't be done just for the sake of the Church, but also for the good of these individuals who should not be subjected to an environment that may predispose them to the occasion of sin.
Thanks and God Bless,
Patrick Delaney
Assistant Director of Public Policy
American Life League
P.O. Box 1350
Stafford, VA 22555
(540) 659-4171/phone
(703) 690-2510/metro DC
(540) 659-2586/fax