Per Christum

Catholic Bishop Joseph Devine of Motherwell, Scotland has said that the Catholic Church has been caught unawares by a “huge and well orchestrated conspiracy,” noting “we neglect the gay movement at our peril,” the Catholic New Agency reports.

The Church has suffered from new laws advanced by the gay movement in Britain and other places resulting in the closing of Catholic adoption agencies and the forced hiring of actively gay youth ministers in England.

The bishop vowed to “pick a fight” in order not to give in to a many front assault on Christian morality citing gay marriage, gay adoption as examples of the erosion of Christian family values.

In my opinion, the Church only has its moral authority which it loses if it does not exercise it. Good for the bishop to make his opinion known, but now he has to do the hard work of organizing the Church for action. Does he have the will to do it? Do we? We must.

US Catholic University Approves Gay Straight Partnership Club

By Thaddeus M. Baklinski

PORTLAND, Oregon, February 20, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The University of Portland, a Catholic university run by the Holy Cross Fathers, has officially recognized the university’s first-ever sexuality club, the Gay Straight Partnership (GSP).

The GSP’s mission, according to the club’s constitution, is “to build a community that is open and welcoming to all students” and “to help all students grow in friendship, knowledge, faith and service.”

Although the university administration had turned down previous requests to form a homosexual student’s club (in 1994 and 1999), the school was listed in 2004 as a ‘gay friendly’ institution by homosexual activist website Catholiclesbians.org (see LifeSiteNews.com report: U.S. Homosexual Activist Website Provides List of ‘Gay Friendly’ Catholic Parishes).

The club’s initial advisers, social work professor Anissa Rogers and Kristina Houck, the Health Center’s substance abuse prevention coordinator, were replaced by Holy Cross Fr. John Donato and Stacey Noem, a campus minister.

Donato said that he was chosen to be the club’s new adviser not only because he can act as a liaison between the administration and the students, but also for his ability to “vocalize and facilitate the mission of the university.”

“The fact that I am a Holy Cross priest and the associate vice president for student life is a good way to make sure that this group stays focused for what we hope all student groups are involved in, but also this particular one which deals with the sacred area of human sexuality,” Donato said.

(READ ALL…)

There are really no two ways around it… Designating something as “gay” puts it in the sphere of association of a sex act. In the same fashion the University of Portland would likely not approve the “Playboy Swingers Club” or the “Porn Club” or the “Future Strippers of America” chapter… Well this one seems a no brainer. Any number of clubs that cater to interests students have beyond their sexual proclivites (within the confines of morality! The U of P “Reefer Club” doesn’t cut it!) are or can be available.

I would go one step further and suggest Portland probably has some gay bars and night clubs, so persons committed to being part of this community are probably not without recourse to social activities there. Quick Googling of “Portland OR Gay” confirms that.

Really though, the culture of the Catholic University should be one that is about promoting a vision of sexuality and family life that contravenes today’s social standards. This needn’t even be turned on its side and be made a “gay issue”… Frankly, given the “hook-up culture” that permeates the culture of 20somethings, there is no way to speak about it and re-affirm it enough.

Certainly setting up clubs based on orientations and preference for behaviors that go directly against it is not the way to promote how the Church deals with the “sacred area of human sexuality”.

Sperm cells created from female embryo

I am at a loss to give any reason why this sort of study would be done EXCEPT for the benefit of lesbians. I can’t really understand what other applications it would have.

A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle.
- Irina Dunn

Largest Anglican Parish in Canada Secedes over Same-Sex Blessings
By John Connolly

VANCOUVER, February 15, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Citing disagreements over homosexuality, the largest Anglican congregation in Canada voted overwhelmingly to break with its diocese and join a conservative Anglican movement based in South America. St. John’s, a parish in the upscale neighborhood of Shaughnessy in Vancouver, voted to leave the Diocese of New Westminster on February 13… The full text of the story is available at: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2008/feb/08021505.html

I wish them well. I hope they are able to find a seperate peace.

It does occur to me that for the time being, they will still be in communion with all the elements of Anglicanism they find problematic, just switching bishops to one who better suits their understanding of orthodoxy. I think that begins to open another discussion: Does authority dependent on the consent of the governed constitute any form of authority at all? Is that a model for episcopal government or de facto congregationalism?

It is understandable that Canadian Anglicans might experience a warmness when looking southerly mid-February. For more orthodox sunshine and warmth year round, it may be time to cast their gaze more Romeward.

To anyone surprised by the story about the UMC congregation celebrating and affirming same sex couples, behold Rev. Drew Phoenix. Formerly he was a she known as Rev. Ann Gordon. As it turns out transgendered clergy, by ruling of the UMC committee brought together to examine the issue, are acceptable.

What was that about same-sex partnership being blessed?

Am I alone in the name change reminding me of The Simpsons episode where Homer opts to be called Max Powers?
As Homer “Max Powers” Simpson once pointed out “Once you go Vatican you never go back again!”

How true.

The move toward same-sex marriage in Christian Churches is unrelenting. Methodist congregations, including this prominent one, are particularly creative at sidestepping denominational law. Christian Newswire reports:

The prominent United Methodist church formerly attended by Bill and Hillary Clinton has announced that it will begin to host services that recognize same-sex unions. According to Foundry United Methodist Church of Washington, D.C., homosexual couples can have their associations recognized and honored at the church beginning this month.

The 7.9 million-member United Methodist Church officially prohibits any ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions and involve United Methodist pastors or church buildings. United Methodism affirms God’s love and civil rights for all people, while also affirming marriage as the lifelong union of man and woman.

IRD Director of UMAction Mark Tooley commented:

“The United Methodist Discipline clearly prohibits celebrating homosexual unions. By providing worship leadership and a church building, Foundry United Methodist Church is doing everything short of an exchange of vows. This is clearly a violation of the spirit of the Discipline.