Monday 26 August 2013

HOMOPHOBIA IS A SERIOUS SIN AND COULD KEEP YOU OUT OF HEAVEN

HOMOPHOBIA IS A SERIOUS SIN AND COULD KEEP YOU OUT OF HEAVEN


WHEN JESUS WAS CHALLENGED BY A LAWYER TO STATE WHAT THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT OF GOD WAS HE GAVE THE FOLLOWING ANSWER:

1. YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, ALL YOUR MIND AND ALL YOUR SOUL.

2. YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF

ON THESE TWO COMMANDMENTS STAND THE WHOLE LAW AND THE PROPHETS ALSO.

WHEN ANYONE IS HOMOPHOBIC THEY ARE BREAKING ONE OF THE TWO GREATEST COMMANDMENTS THAT JESUS GAVE THE WORLD. THAT MEANS THAT THAT HOMOPHOBIC PEOPLE ARE COMMITTING A VERY SERIOUS SIN.

IT IS A SIN AGAINST GOD TO HATE ANYONE - FOR ANY REASON. 

IN ANOTHER PLACE JESUS SAYS: "IF YOU DO NOT LOVE THE BROTHER THAT YOU CAN SEE - HOW CAN YOU EVER HOPE TO LOVE THE GOD THAT YOU CANNOT SEE".

IF YOU DO NOT LOVE SOMEONE BECAUSE THEY ARE GAY OR LESBIAN - THEN THAT PROVES THAT YOU DO NOT LOVE GOD.

SOME OF THE GREATEST HOMOPHOBES CAN BE FOUND IN THE SO CALLED "CHRISTIAN" CHURCHES.

IN THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH THERE ARE MANY HOMOPHOBES - AND SOME OF THESE HOMOPHOBES ARE GAY THEMSELVES" IS THAT NOT HYPOCRISY?

A VERY SIZEABLE NUMBER OF ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS AND PRIESTS ARE GAY AND ACTIVELY GAY - AND YET THEM CONDEMN GAY PEOPLE. CARDINAL KEITH O BRIEN IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF SUCH A HYPOCRITE AND PHARISEE
CARDINAL KEITH O BRIEN - CENTRE

O BRIEN DESERVED THE TITLE - "BIGOT OF THE YEAR".

AND THERE IS WIDESPREAD GUILT IN THE SO CALLED OTHER "CHRISTIAN CHURCHES.                      

THESE RIGHT WING CHRISTIANS TRY AND USE ISOLATED STATEMENTS FROM THE BIBLE TO JUSTIFY THEIR HOMOPHOBIA. 


ITS THE WORDS OF JESUS THAT COUNT. JESUS HAD VERY LITTLE TO SAY ABOUT SEX IN GENERAL AND ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AT ALL TO SAY ABOUT HOMOSECUALITY. 

YOU CAN DRAG IN OUT OF CONTEXT PASSAGES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT OR ST PAUL TO TRY AND JUSTIFY YOUR HOMOPHOBIA. BUT YOU ARE ONLY FOOLING YOURSELF. YOU CANNOT FOOL GOD.
THE BIBLE IS INDEED THE "WORD OF GOD". BUT IT WAS WRITTEN BY MEN. WHILE THE WORD AND SPIRIT OF GOD GOES RIGHT THROUGH THE BIBLE YOU ALSO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IN WRITING DOWN THE WORD OF GOD THE MEN OF THE TIME - THATS RIGHT MEN - NOT WOMEN - ALSO BROUGHT THEIR OWN IGNORANCES, PREJUDICES AND LACK OF UNDERSTANDING TO WHAT THEY WERE WRITING. 

THAT WHY SCRIPTURE NEED INTERPRETATION.

YOU GENERALLY FIND THAT MANY OF THOSE WHO USE THE BIBLE TO JUSTIFY THEIR OWN HOMOPHOBIA ARE IGNORANT, UNEDUCATED OR SECRETLY HIDING FROM THEIR OWN STRONG HOMOSEXUAL DESIRES. 

THE FOLLOWING IS THE TRUTH:

1. GOD LOVES GAY PEOPLE AS MUCH AS HE LOVES ANYONE ELSE.

2. GOD MADE GAY PEOPLE - AND HE PROBABLY MADE THEM GAY.

3. HOMOPHOBIA IS A SIN.

4. HOMOPHOBIA MIGHT VERY WELL KEEP YOU FROM GETTING INTO HEAVEN 






45 comments:

  1. I am a young priest in Belfast - who happens to be gay.No one knows about my sexuality - family, friends or fellow priests. Last year I had my first sexual encounter with another man. I liked him. When I told him I was a priest he did not want to meet me again. I do not want to spend my life as lonely and frustrated as I am now. I have thought about contacting you Pat - but I am afraid you will breach my confidence. I am not in a good place just now. I am having panic attacks. Please pray for me................

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    1. As a priest of the Oratory Society I would say that you can contact any of us. Once you place any of us including Pat under the seal of confession then your confidence WILL NOT be breached. Please be assured of our prayers and thoughts not only for you but for your family also, they are the primary supporters of us in all our needs.

      You are loved, you are precious and carved on the palm of HIS hand. Thank God for all your experiences.

      Coffee in a cafe is only a phone call away with NO strings attached.

      Oratory Society Priest

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    2. I am very touched and saddened by the comment above from the young Belfast priest.

      I am particularly sad that his first excursion to find intimacy and love led to him feeling rejected.

      It is terrible that he feels that he no one to whom he can talk.

      He could trust me. I have travelled the road with a number of gay priests and have never broken their trust.

      I would be happy to give him the names of other priests he could talk to.

      Pat

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    3. this is heresy, and it will be part of the one world government and the false prophets teaching.

      Homophobia is a No word deliberately made up by the GLSB to attack those who do not accept homosexuality.

      Homosexualaity is a sin and God hates all sins, Man who have gay sex are wicked and if they believe this they are deluded as it is false teachings.

      John Sunol

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    4. SO John,

      Are you saying that God made me evil? I was born evil? This seems very unfair to me and I feel very angry at your statement, I do not accept your statement and I will study it when I am older in order to help bigots to stop preaching hate about people like me.

      I am 15, I am a boy and I am Gay - oh yes, God loves me and I love him. I will listen to Bishop Pat & Archbishop Tutu and not you. If you ever have children I pray that you do not preach such hatred and lies to them.

      Ryan

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  2. This is quite a statement from Archbishop Desmond Tutu, one of the most respected men, and most respected Christians, in the world: “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven,” Tutu said, according to Australia’s Herald Sun. ”No, I would say sorry, I mean I would much rather go to the other place… I would not worship a God who is homophobic and that is how deeply I feel about this.”

    Tutu added that he is as passionate about this issue as he was about ending apartheid in Africa.

    Interested Reader

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  3. There are many definitions of homophobia. Many people think of homophobia as just a fear of gay people. There is more to homophobia than a fear of homosexuals and homosexuality. A good working definition is that homophobia is disgust, prejudice, discrimination, hatred or violence against gay and lesbian people that is caused by an irrational fear of homosexuality. Homophobia is not always blatant to a person who is afraid of homosexuality. In fact, homophobia can be a subtle fear. Some people have an unconscious fear of gay people.

    There are many forms of homophobia. Two major avenues where homophobia is seen and encouraged in society are religious and political.

    Be brave and proud to be Christian and Gay

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  4. HOMOPPRESSION IS AS BAD AS HOMOPHOBIA - I highly suspect that our clergy fall into this category!!

    Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

    A confused Catholic

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    1. With all due respect - God will judge each of us when we meet Him.

      He has also told us that He will not judge us on our external actions - but rather on what he finds in our hearts.

      To be impure of heart is a much more serious thing than physical impurity.

      Let us avoid the temptations of the Pharisees - judging

      Pat

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    2. With all due respect - God will judge each of us when we meet Him.

      He has also told us that He will not judge us on our external actions - but rather on what he finds in our hearts.

      To be impure of heart is a much more serious thing than physical impurity.

      Let us avoid the temptations of the Pharisees - judging

      Pat

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    3. Man maketh the morality-Not the penis or the vagina. The key lies in motivation and choice. Where there is respect there is no sin and where there is no sin there is love-Sean

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  5. The evil of homophobia

    The denial of equal rights for gays is inexcusable. There is absolutely no justification for it. Homophobia seems to be entirely based on religion or sexual insecurity or both.

    The ugly face of homophobia is visible in the vicious and disgusting campaign by the hypocrite O'Brien and people like him. One can see within seconds that this guy is a really nasty piece of work. What drives people like this to obsess about other people’s sexuality in a perverted way? This guy is positively creepy.

    Certain segments of the population seem to be much more homophobic than others. The Christian Science Monitor has an article that says that the allegations that Eddie Long, the anti-gay head of a megachurch in Atlanta, used his influence to entice four young men to perform sex acts on him, has brought the silent issue of rampant homophobia in the black community to the surface.

    The number of prominent, religious, obsessively anti-gay people who turn out to be themselves closeted gays is quite impressive.

    We all need to come clean on this issue so that we all can live good healthy sexual and religious lives if we so choose!

    Dr. John

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  6. Time and time again people like O'Brien have turned out to be closet cases. The emotional energy behind their obsession comes from self-hatred and my advice to this young man and priest is, DO NOT HATE YOURSELF!

    In a just world any homophobia comig from state or church would be seriously stood up to and kicked out the door.

    Meanwhile, in just the past few weeks in England there have been four well-publicised suicides of gay teenagers. Our society has a long way to go to purge the deadly poison of homophobia (the principal font of which is religion) - sorry to say that, by it is true. We need to get religion right first I think!!

    Mother

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  7. Homophobia is the ugliest kind of jealousy. We have had the courage to stand up and be honest to the world about who we are and what we are. We meet the bigots everyday and never ever chance who we are. Why? God made us and he loves us - some people just need to accept this fact.

    We are here and we are not leaving either our church or our society. We are our society, serving as medics, clergy, lawyers, police officers, teachers and nurse etc!!

    Gay, Catholic Lawyer - Belfast

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  8. When I was an undergraduate theatre student, I was aware, and not happily so, how pervasive was the reach of the underculture of homosexuality among my friends and acquaintances. After a while I stopped being shocked to discover that someone I had known well, or whose talent I admired, was either moving into or already a part of the not-so-clandestine network of gay relationships. I learned that being homosexual does not destroy a person's talent or deny those aspects of their character that I had already come to love and admire.

    I did learn that for most of them their highest allegiance was to their membership in the community that gave them access to sex. As a not-particularly-pure-minded heterosexual adolescent, I understood the intensity of sexual desire; as a student of human communities, I have since come to understand how character is shaped by -- or surrendered to -- one's allegiances.

    One thing is certain: one cannot serve two masters. And when one's life is given over to one community that demands utter allegiance liktthe RC priesthood, it cannot be given to another?? The church is one such community. The homosexual community seems to be another. And when I read the statements of those who claim to be both RC and homosexual, trying to persuade the former community to cease making their membership contingent upon abandoning the latter, I wonder if they realise that the price of such "tolerance" would be, in the long run, the destruction of the Church.

    Is this the logic of the bigot of the year? Was his nail in the coffin of the church his homosexuality of his dishonesty and or hypocracy!

    George the thinker!

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  9. Dear Bishop,

    I think I'm gay. Nobody knows, just me. I'm really Catholic, too. I believe in God and I love him so much!

    I don't know if being gay is a sin or something like that. I can't find direct answers to my big question. And I don't know what to do or think. I don't think I'm a bad person, I just like men, that's all. Is that bad?

    I really need to know if being gay is really against God. This is stressful because I can't say this to anyone or ask it to anyone. Please help me.

    There's another thing... I really love my best friend, but I don't know if he is gay. What should I do?

    Edward Esq

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    1. I don't believe God would put you on this Earth to be an "abomination." Being gay is not bad; it's who you are—a loving creation of God. I won't lie, there are many people in your faith that will try and convince you otherwise. All I can urge is that you trust yourself, your own feelings and your own relationship with God.

      Don't get caught in the religious hype that preaches of a hateful deity or a list of sins with no practical relevance. Bust the myth and trust in your own proof: Your love for God and his love for you.

      There is an organization called Dignity, comprised of LGBT Catholics. They talk about what it means to be Catholic and gay and how you can live a life of celebration instead of shame.

      Ramon

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    2. I am 14 and have recently discovered I am a lesbian no one really knows besides my closest friends but I am Christian not to the extreme but of course I believe and have faith in god and I am scared of sinning and disobeying god but I am in love with a girl and pray one day I can happily come out and have my Christian family accept me for who I am. I am in love with a girl and cant stop thinking about her but I love god and I don't want to sin but I must follow my heart and that's to trust god will love me no matter what even if I am lesbian

      —Guest april

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    3. I have known I was gay since i was 12.I grew up in a place called Nazereth House I was brought up to the following rule. Thy Shalt NOT Judge.

      Pity it is not directed at me and other homosexuals. I have great sympathy to all you people who are still suffering for approval. I skipped that after they put me in a school to be raped by the one who was leading his flock and later saw him again preaching to the masses how sinfull homosexuality is.

      I believe in God and the last time I checked it was the people who are the church and not a building.The people include us (Gay & Lesbian).

      Delete
    4. April,

      I am glad that you are able to talk to some of your friends.

      If your Mum and Dad are real Christians - you should be able to talk to them? They would be the very best ones to talk to if you can?

      Also see what I wrote to Edward above.

      God loves you and He always will

      Pat

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    5. "Bible texts do not address adult, loving homosexual relations as we understand them today,” says Daniel A. Helminiak, the author of What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality. Yet, many people of faith still hold true to the ideals that loving same-sex people and their relationships are something to be shamed—a sin.

      They are living their lies and projecting it onto young people with tragic consequences.

      Delete
    6. I grew up in a very active and devout Catholic family in New Orleans, Louisiana. I really do love the church. I love being Catholic but the only problem is I’m gay. I cry while I pray asking the Lord what can I do. It feels like every time I go to church there are thousands that don’t want me there. I just feel like I’m not accepted at all in the place where I want to be.

      AJ

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    7. I’m gay and Catholic. I struggled for years with the whole Catholic guilt regarding my sexuality. It was only when I became ill did I attempt to live my life more authentically. In short, this meant to begin living my truth. As I grew closer to the Lord, I realized that by living my truth (accepting how He made me) I was not only honoring myself, but God as well. After all, He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. It is in living our truth that we most reflect Jesus. This will set you free from self-deprecation, self-hate, and consequently bring you to love yourself as He loves us. For me this love drew me to him in the Holy Eucharist. I go to Mass to receive Love and then by God’s grace, I reflect this love to others. After all, we were made for love, by love and because of Love. I try to put my emphasis on forgiveness, acceptance, and love. I am not perfect. Sometimes I’m drawn to the negativity of the past, church politics, criticism, etc., but God accepts our human condition and all of our failures just as He accepts our successes. I think He looks for pure intentions, not perfection. Love Him and you will love yourself more. Seek Him, and you will find yourself…..free…God Bless.

      Joe

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    8. You are a brave young lady who's heart is in the right place. A sinner does not have a decent heart as you appear to have. I would suggest you get advice from someone who knows more about being gay than I could claim to do. I'm thinking of helplines & things like that. If you are talking to a priest or someone like that choose wisely. There is nothing worse than having your conscience broken to pieces by a person of the cloth. Above all stay safe. There devils as well as angels out there. My prayers & good wishes to you as you journey in growing maturity along Life's highway. May God go with you.

      Delete
  10. Edward,

    You do not mention your age? Many young people go through times when they are not sure of their sexuality. So a lot depends on your age.

    Secondly I'm sure you could find someone to talk to if you really thought hard about it - some relative who is openminded? - a teacher or former teacher? a very understanding GP? - think hard.

    No matter who you are or what you are GOD LOVES YOU and He always will.

    You could not do anything to make God stop loving you.

    Talk to God and ask Him to help you.He will answer

    Being gay is not bad. Its the same as having blue eyes or red hair.

    Pat

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  11. Homophobia is wrong full stop. I'm sure any vet would tell you that homosexual/lesbian tendencies are common in the animal kingdom. Thing is that people have the knowledge to know what they are doing and should always treat the other person with respect. I recently met an English lady,mid 60's now resident in Co Roscommon. She said (in her opinion) anti gay attitude is rife in Ireland. If she links her sister's arm they are accused of being lessies. She also relates of 2 fellows who chatted her up & all one bloke wanted to was if her bits still worked in the bedroom. It seems fantasy & superstition still play a large part in Irish sexual awareness & culture. Sean

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    1. Homophobia is not a word, it was deliberately put up by the GLSBT to fool people and have a work that descries someone who tells the truth about homosexuality

      Delete
  12. Dear Nazareth House Friend,

    Congratulations on the profound truth you speak.

    Is that priest who raped you still alive? Either way - maybe you should report your rape to the police - especially if he is alive and still hurting others ?

    Yes YOU are the church

    Pat

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  13. Dear AJ New Orleans,

    Stop crying. Start praising God for making you and making you capable of love.

    In Jesus' day there were thousands who did not want Him in their church either.

    Dry your tears - look up at the Lord and rejoice.

    Pat

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  14. I want to start by saying I really dislike the Catholic Church. I was raised in a very active Catholic family and was very involved in Catholic Christianity up until pretty recently in my life in fact. I stopped attending mass weekly a year ago (I was about 22), but I am trying to start again because I liked going to show God I still had faith in him, even if I didn’t have faith in the institution surrounding me.

    There was a Catholic organization on campus that was at every mass in college. I honestly think this is one thing that contributed to me disliking Catholicism. Not only was everyone there fairly conservative and unaccepting of those who might disagree with the Church (gay people, feminists, etc), but the masses were just unfulfilling. Guitars and ‘worship and praise’ hymns really turned me off to Mass. I could get a more fulfilling experience reading from the Bible at home with some icons and incense. I did miss the Eucharist though.

    I found myself wanting a more traditional experience so I started trying to go to the Eastern Catholic church near campus. I didn’t have a car and it was far to walk so I didn’t make it that often. After spending time away from Latin Catholic churches I realized how eerily unchanged my life was by not attending Mass. After that, I stopped going to Mass regularly.

    A year later and I am thirsting for God and I am thirsting for Christian fellowship. So many of my friends are apathetic about religion, unbelievers, or even hostile opponents of religion. As a young gay person, it’s equally hard to be accepted in that community because I try to hold myself to certain standards of belief and conduct which so many my age and orientation do not identify with.

    On the other hand, it’s so hard for me because I feel like a leper when I go into a church. I feel as if everyone can read through me. I don’t want to risk coming out to them because I don’t want to ruin any chance at Christian fellowship or friendship with them.

    It feels as if I don’t fit in anywhere fully. I guess I just have to remind myself that Jesus Christ and lots of the prophets didn’t either.

    My story doesn’t really come across as hopeful because it’s still a work in progress. Hopefully someone reading it might know they are not alone in their experience.

    Patrick

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  15. I wrote this in another blog. Pls feel free to read. pardon the mistakes as i wrote it on a pad.

    I seem to have stumbled into this website. For all those lost in the fog, remember.. God does not make mistakes. I use to think homosexuality was a sin, a damnation where the road only points to hell and misery. Illumination came to me after asking our blessed Lord in prayer about being gay. I struggled for a decade coming to terms with myself and suffered alone. Our Lord made me realize that in the end.. The most important thing you can do is to Love. Love one another, love God, and love self.

    Far to many individuals are eager to cast the stone. Our Lord does not, and our lives will ultimately be judged on our love. Our Lord already said the greatest commandment but further prayer about loving oneself is to respect dignity of yourself and others. To keep it short.. Gay is not a sin nor an abomination. It is the way our Divine Lord made you. You are special and unique. Praise God!

    One problem with the gay community is our attraction to lust rather than love. As advocates of love, teach our fellow beings to love first and not lust. Respect our bodies, means not to live a life of chastity but to not live a life of wanton sex with many partners. Do you love someone? Or do you lust for many and only to fulfill the desires of your flesh without respect for your body or others? Find a partner to love, ask God to help you. Thankfully for me, God did find me one. Not a day goes by that I am reminded to pray and praise.

    I am no saint. I am a Gay person who still does his best though a times fail to Love. I confirm God’s love for us all and not his wrath as others would lead you to believe. So i ask you to talk to Him as friend, a very good friend and He will come to your aid. Above all remember that He is Holy.

    EB – i love ixoy3!

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    1. EB,

      You did not stumble into this web site. Providence brought you here :-)

      Everything you say is wonderful.

      Forgive me - I do not know what ixoy3 is :-)

      Pat

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  16. My name is Joe. I live in Michigan and am 35 years old. Accepting my sexuality was a very difficult task for me. It was something that I never wanted to be and until I really forced to accept it at the age of 25, I would not even acknowledge that I had an attraction to men. I know you may be thinking that accepting one’s sexuality at 25 seems a little late in life, but I have been told that I was just a late bloomer.

    I have always been a quiet person, even when I was a child. I also was a person that would internalize my emotions and thoughts. I would keep everything bottled up inside, not letting any emotions or feelings out. Because I kept everything so tightly inside of myself, I was unable to cry at my sister’s funeral, experience true joy when I won Most Improved Player on the JV soccer team, or express to others how I really felt for them. My sexuality was something I somehow kept bottled up for a good portion of my life, just never really looking for or wanting a relationship with someone else.

    When I was 24, these feeling of attraction to a man seem to start coming out. I started to talk to other gay guys online and eventually made a guy. Because I was not willing to accept my sexuality or was unable to express or feel my own emotions like I should have been, I made a really poor decision in who I meet. This resulted in many years of problems following the end of our “relationship”.

    Thank God that He was there when everything ended. God let me know that everything in the end would be fine, even though the path that I was going to be embarking on was going to be long and difficult. The journey I was about to begin was one like I never experienced in my life and it was one that I was not really looking forward to taking. I did though believe that God was going to be with me on this journey and I accepted what was about to happen in my life.

    While on this journey, I accepted my sexuality. I was able to start expressing myself better and started to feel more of the joys of life. Accepting the fact that I was a gay Catholic has made life much more worth living. I do not hide the fact that I am both gay and Catholic. The people where I work have know that I am both of these things and have never once questioned if it is possible to someone to be both at the same time.

    I do believe that accepting my sexuality was something God wanted of me. I now attend Courage monthly and enjoy spending time with the priest that runs the group. I enjoy spending time with the few friends that I have and they were much more accepting of my sexuality and religious few points then I thought they would be. I pay more attention to the little things in life; believe that it is in the little things that God shows us He is with us. I still have my struggles and still working on expressing myself better, but over all I do believe that my life has improved since I accepted myself as being gay.

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    Replies
    1. Joe,

      What a wonderful comment.

      Congratulations on the journey you have made - holding God's Hand.

      I had a big journey to make to accept my sexuality - it took me until I was in my 40s.

      I now have THE FREEDOM OF A SON OF GOD

      Pat

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  17. I am a 15 year old boy and I have always been gay. I love beeing Catholic as well and I serve Mass a lot. I do not think that God would hate me for my feelings. I have only kissed one boy who is not gay, but he still kissed me for a while. The only guilt I have is when I masturbate, I can not stop that, I have tried during lent - 5 days I lasted. I go to confession but my priest ignores it and moves on, I think he is afraid to talk to young people about that sort of thing.

    My parents would not be happpy I think, but my nanny who was a nun for years is great, I love her. She was a nun for 20 years, but she is so open, loving and liberal, I know she would support and love me no matter what.

    I will pretend a little while more even though I can't help my mind, eyes, heart and downstairs.

    Great blog today and I will now say a prayer for all of you. I wish I could meet you all. God loves us, yeeooo.

    Ryan

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  18. Ryan,

    Thanks for being so open.

    I wish I was as sensible and as sorted as you when I was 15 :-)

    Do not be gulity about masturbation. Its part of growing up - and even after that its part of many people's lives.

    Priests are afraid to talk about sex to young people now. They could be accused !!!

    Your granny sounds great. I'd like to have a pint with her.

    Please do pray for us.

    Pat

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  19. I was raised Southern Baptist. In 1975 I was lead by the Lord to become Catholic. I was very happy and faithful in my Catholic faith. However, in 1995 I came out.

    I thought I knew how my Church thought about those of us who are gay. So I stopped going to church. My best friend is a good Irish nun and she was the first person that I came out to. Her reaction was, “So what?” Well, that meant the world to me that she accepted me for who I am but I didn’t feel that the rest of the Catholic Church would feel that way. I stayed away from the Church that I loved so much for 16 years.

    Then in 2011 I was offered a job in another state. My partner could not come with me because she had to stay close to her mom to take care of her. So here I was in another state all alone. I decided that I would start going back to church. I really wanted to talk to my priest about me being gay and if there was a place for me in the Church, but I was afraid to talk to him.

    After I came “clean” with him, there was no putting the genie back in the bottle. I was in agony for a few weeks. My best friend, the nun, was praying hard for me. Finally, I was able to catch up with Father to talk.

    We talked about many things that evening and we finally came to the “gay issue”. I asked him if I should stop coming to church because of this. His reply was a big "No!" He encouraged me to not only continue coming to church and singing in the choir but to always receive the Sacraments.

    I told him that I did wish with all of my heart that Becky and I could get married. He replied “Do you feel like you are married?” And, of course, the answer was, “Yes”. And he said, “Then you are married.”

    Perhaps I am just blessed that I found the “right” church and the “right” priest. I don’t know. But what I do know is, even though I am openly gay with the Catholic Church there is no condemnation, just open arms and love. I have never had any negative reactions from any of the choir members either. I am welcomed as just another person who loves and tries to serve the Lord.


    Pam

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  20. To all who are homophobic and claim to be "christian" take this simple test.start with your homophobic stance and move backwards thru your faith,your finishing piont will be a god that is also homophobic.The notion of a homophobic God is an ABOMINATION.I am married with a daughter and in ordained ministry and I would turn my back on such a God,he would not be a God I would chose to worship/serve.Homophobia is a piont of view born from ignorance and fear,sadly it is something we should not even be talking about in 2013 and yet we speak about progress!I have read many wonderful brave and open comments on this blog and I am filled with hope.To those of you who are homophobic I am not sure which God you pray too but it's not the God of the Gospels.Bishop Pat has my details and I am willing to help,talk to and listen too,in any way I can anybody in my area.Mike

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  21. JESUS GAVE THE LAW OF MOSES, HE DIDN'T HAVE TO REPEAT ALL OF THEM. HOMOSEXUALS ARE LOVED BY GOD BUT HOMOSEXALLITY IS SIN BECAUSE IT CLEARLY BREAKS GODS LAW, THIS IS WHY THE NEW TESTAMENT TEACHES THAT HOMOSEXUALS WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD. THERE ARE MANY WARNINGS ABOUT LIVING WRONGLY WITH WRONG THOUGHTS. READ ROMANS CHAPTER ONE.
    ITS NOT THAT GODLY MEN DO NOT LOVE HOMOSEXUALLS IN THE HOLY LOVE OF GOD, WE DO. ITS JUST THAT THE ACT OF HOMOSEXUAL SEX IS SO DISGUSTING TO US. ITS AS THE NJK BIBLE SAYS "PERVERSION". I DO NOT WRITE THIS OUT OF ANYTHING BUT LOVE FOR GOD AND THE TRUTH.
    JESUS CAN SAVE ANYONE WHO REPENTS AND HAS FAITH. JOHN 3 V 1-7 YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN. WHAT I WANT YOU TO CONCIDER IS THIS. IF THERE IS NO REPENTANCE THEN THEIR IS NO SALVATION, AND HOW CAN A HOMOSEXUAL REPENT OF THEIR HOMOSEXUAL ACTIONS, THOUGHTS, DESIRES, IF THEY ARE LISTENING TO FALSE TEACHERS THAT ARE SAYING THAT HOMOSEXALLITY IS OK WITH GOD. CONCIDER WHERE WE GET THE WORD SODOMY FROM AND HOW GOD DEALT WITH THOSE PEOPLE. THE GREATEST NEWS FOR YOU IS THAT HOMOSEXUAL PEOPLE ARE LOVED BY GOD AND IF THEY REPENT OF THEIR HOMOSEXUALLITY THEY CAN BE SAVED AND DELIVERED FROM BEING HOMOSEXUAL BY JESUS.
    JESUS IS THE I AM WHO GAVE THE LAW TO MOSES. THE HOLE BIBLE IS THE INSPIERED WORD OF THE LIVING GOD, NOT THE TEACHINGS OF MANS MORAL OPPINIONS. I HOPE YOU WILL TRULY FACE GOD BELIEVE HIS WORD AND BECOME A FOLLOWER OF JESUS AND PRAY FOR ALL THE OTHER HOMOSEXUALS IN THE WORLD TO WAKE UP AND REPENT BEFORE ITS TO LATE. HELL IS REAL AND GOD DOESN'T WANT ANYONE TO END UP THERE. JESUS PREACHED REPENTANCE.

    I WAS LED BY GOD TO YOUR SITE AND GIVEN THE WORDS BY HIM TO SAY.

    Personally I am not looking for an email debate, it takes me to long to type. So just because I don't answer it doesn't mean that I have not prayed for you all to be saved and delivered in Jesus name. Trust in Jesus the God of miracles, nothing is impossible with God.

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