St. Peter Damian, known for his Book of Gomorrah — an attempt to address widespread sexual perversion among the Catholics of his day — wrote a letter to Pope Nicholas II on the topic in 1059. Damian was unquestionably a man who loved souls and desired their conversion and repentance, but he made no bones about the obligation of those in positions of spiritual leadership as regards such sins. In direct contrast to the question, “Who am I to judge?” — which Francis has now publicly asked twice — St. Peter writes: St. Peter Damian: "Clearly, just as those who punish faults are worthy of blessing, so those who coddle sinners are subject to a curse, as the prophet says: “Cursed be he that withholdeth his sword from blood.” Indeed, he who withholds his sword from blood is he who restrains himself from imposing the punishment of a proper sentence against evildoers. “Those who fail to correct are themselves guilty of the act.” If, therefore, Eli, only because of two sons whom he did not correct with a proper punishment, perished together with them and with such a great multitude of men, of what sentence do we think them to be worthy who preside in the palaces of the Church and in the seats of judgement, and who are silent in the face of the known offenses of depraved men?" This is how a saint talks.
Today at the end of a ceremony for the celebration of the 65th anniversary of the Pope Emeritus’ ordination, the Pope Emeritus said these words: “Holy Father, dear fellow brothers, 65 years ago, a fellow brother who was ordained alongside me that day, added just one word to the commemorative holy picture, besides the name and date: “Eucaristomen”, thank you! I thank everyone here and especially you, for the kindness you have shown me since the day of your election, it moves me. Your kindness, more than the beauty of the Vatican gardens, is my home and the place where I feel safe. I hope you will continue along this path of divine mercy.” http://www.lastampa.it/2016/06/28/v...ls-francis-94O3Qm0lVVZyYQHjPDoOBO/pagina.html
My question David is simply this: go to confession for what? Quoting Brian Kopp's article: "Therefore – Dear Pope Francis: apologize for bad catechesis, for bad pastoral programs, for bad priests, and for the apathetic Bishops who do nothing to correct them. As for the long dead who passed from this life, far too young, because no one ever bothered to tell them the Truth – no amount of apologizing will ever bring them back."
"I hope you will continue along this path of divine mercy" I pray that those twisted in knots over Pope Francis' mission in this Year of Mercy listen to Pope Emeritus' words and begin to understand that whether we agree or not, Pope Francis is doing God's will.
To confess those times we think and speak about homosexuals in an uncharitable way. To confess those time we judge them. If we judge those with homosexual tendencies to be sinners we are sinning. The Catechism tells us "they must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity". At the end of the article I posted, Pope Francis said the following: "Let us always remember the words of Saint John of the Cross: 'In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone.'
You have precisely made my point. I was speaking about the pope's one-sided answer. He never tells the interviewer why he recommends confession to the "homosexual."
My point was very simple. in the interview that you posted and I quote, "I prefer that homosexuals come to confession, that they stay close to the Lord, and that we pray all together," says Francis. "You can advise them to pray, show goodwill, show them the way, and accompany them along it." Why does he "prefer" they come to confession and what do they have to confess?
The most amazing thing about this interview was that this was the pope's response to "who am I to judge" after leaving that comment hang out there for over a year without clarification.
"I will say this: mercy is real; it is the first attribute of God." This sounds fine, wonderful and so wise. But then I kind of wondered to myself as I usually do when I hear something I take to be wise and wonderful I related it to Scripture. You know there are of course myriads of references in scripture to God's Mercy but I don't know of any that list Mercy as the , 'Main Attribute'. So I turn to the Catholic Cathechism to see if it lists Mercy as God's , 'Main Attribute'. It seems to be omnipotence. , then Mercy is mentioned. Only the attribute of omnipotence is mentione din the Creed. http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p1s2c1p3.htm Paragraph 3. The Almighty 268 Of all the divine attributes, only God's omnipotence is named in the Creed: to confess this power has great bearing on our lives. We believe that his might is universal, for God who created everything also rules everything and can do everything. God's power is loving, for he is our Father, and mysterious, for only faith can discern it when it "is made perfect in weakness".103 "He does whatever he pleases"104 269 The Holy Scriptures repeatedly confess the universal power of God. He is called the "Mighty One of Jacob", the "LORD of hosts", the "strong and mighty" one. If God is almighty "in heaven and on earth", it is because he made them.105 Nothing is impossible with God, who disposes his works according to his will.106 He is the Lord of the universe, whose order he established and which remains wholly subject to him and at his disposal. He is master of history, governing hearts and events in keeping with his will: "It is always in your power to show great strength, and who can withstand the strength of your arm?107 "You are merciful to all, for you can do all things"108 270 God is the Father Almighty, whose fatherhood and power shed light on one another: God reveals his fatherly omnipotence by the way he takes care of our needs; by the filial adoption that he gives us ("I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty"):109 finally by his infinite mercy, for he displays his power at its height by freely forgiving sins. 271 God's almighty power is in no way arbitrary: "In God, power, essence, will, intellect, wisdom, and justice are all identical. Nothing therefore can be in God's power which could not be in his just will or his wise intellect."110 The Catholic Encyclopedia does not even list Mercy as important enough to list up in its tops: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06612a.htm#IID I would have thought love was the main attribute? God is love" (1 John 4:8) Anyhow I am curious as to what people think? This jarred me a little and struck me as making hings up on the hoof?
I think mercy is the greatest attribute of love. It defines love. If not for mercy no one enters heaven. No one
Oh, this is true. The claim is so demonstrably false it hardly needs to be debunked. God's greatest attributes are charity and omnipotence, not mercy. To claim otherwise is an error at best. It is clearly propaganda in the service of a political agenda. Likewise his claim that the greatest, first commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. That is indeed a great commandment. But the first, greatest commandment is to love God with your whole heart and with all your strength and all your mind. This error, and it is a serious error, did not begin with Pope Francis but is found in the documents of VII. It shows just how much Masonic thought has infiltrated the Church, and for how long, because the elevation of mankind over God is a Masonic ideal that has been embraced by the Church. http://www.onepeterfive.com/the-greatest-commandment-did-a-council-and-two-popes-teach-error/
Psalm 85:10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. I would say both are the children, the offshoot of love.I would say Mercy and Justice walk hand in hand , that they are like Siamese twins...and that both are the sons of their Mother who is Love and Light.. I would say you cannot enter heaven unless you pass through these twin doors of Mercy and of Justice.Mercy is an attribute of God, but it's twin is Justice, their Mother, love. As Frank Sinatra says in the song, 'Love and Marriage', you can't have one without the other. Luke 12:59 Reconcile with an Adversary …58Make every effort to reconcile with your adversary while you are on your way to the magistrate. Otherwise, he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and the officer may throw you into prison. 59I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the very last penny.”
The Catechism explains very well -- The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfil God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition. The actual tendency towards same sex attraction is objectively disordered. Secular sinful society wants us to believe that the attraction is normal. It is not. Objectively disordered is a phrase that the radicals would like to erase from the catechism. In the current climate of 'inclusiveness' in the Church it is a phrase we will hardly ever hear from a pulpit for from anyone in the hierarchy.
Ok, I get what you are asking. You are, I think, complaining that Francis is not condemning those who are 'practicing' homosexuals. Instead, the Pope 'prefers' they change their lives and come to confession. Is the Pope to be condemned for that gentle approach? Gentle in the hope that the approach of love will attract the sinner to repentance and not frighten him away to ultimate death. Francis is following the way of Jesus, not John the Baptist. It is a time of Mercy. You would feel 'happy' to hear the Holy Father loudly condemn the public sinner but that is not the way of Jesus.
Good quote, here's the crook though: the way you show love may differ from the way I show love. You may be a "go sit in time-out" kinda parent whereas I may be a "spank their butt" parent. But BOTH situations have this in common: the child KNOWS he did something wrong and is then disciplined. Not telling the child he did something wrong would not be "merciful" or "loving" at all, and may result in harm to himself or others. Not disciplining the child would result in a brat who is likely to commit the same wrongful act.
Ok, fair enough, but the 'practicing' homosexual knows the truth because his conscience will give him no peace regardless of what he tells himself or others. For those who have already killed their conscience, they are certainly not going to listen to words of condemnation from the Pope.
'...but the 'practicing' homosexual knows the truth because his conscience will give him no peace regardless of what he tells himself or others' But will he? Will he know his sins unless the Holy Spirit convicts him/her of their sins? This is why we practise the examination of conscience before entering confession, to awaken our conscience from its sleep. One of the effects of sin is to deaden conscience. People end up in a situation were they believe that evil is actually good and good, evil. King David is a good example of this deadening of conscience. When he was young his conscience was birth eyed and bushy tailed but when he became King it became dead as a dodo. http://www.joniandfriends.org/radio/5-minute/davids-conscience/ This is how so may folks end up in hell they have, effectively murdered their poor conscience. This is what is known as having a bad conscience. We no longer hear it. So we wind up in hell. Oh sorry! We're not supposed to mention hell anymore or the fact that these poor perverts are winding up there in their millions. As our Lady at Fatima said it is sins of impurity that is dragging most souls into the Eternal Flames. Perversion being the very worst type of impurity. 1 Timothy 4:1- Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,
