Catholics...

Catholic. most people are having a heart attack when I tell them that I am one. Yes GAY and CATHOLIC, and a DEMOCRAT and PRO CHOICE...I am all of the above. But that's not what this is about, although its important to note that I didn't "grow up" Catholic, I chose to join the Church. I made that decision myself.

So recently the Pope Benedict XVI decided that the Church would no longer allow homosexual men into the seminary, and that the priest-hood would be investigated for signs of homosexuality. Signs of homosexuality? What's this mean? I'm not sure. I think immediately of graphic things, like, God forbid.......Yes! THAT, exactly what popped into your mind popped into mine as well. Moisturizer!!! Ok...Ok...Ok... Maybe there are other signs of homosexuality.... Hmm... Maybe, just maybe, a particular dorm room at the local seminary has a Barbara Streisand CD! That's it. "People....People getting to know..."

This is ridiculous. I simply want to state that for anyone who hadn't figured it out. Now what I want to know is, if there was a shortage of Priests beforehand, what does the Vatican think will happen now? Is there a HUGE line of heterosexual men waiting to sign up to become priests that I don't know of? There is only one priest I can think of in my history of the church that I've met and thought ' now he's straight.'

I just think this is a bad move. And why is this important enough to talk about?
Well think of this..

First of all one must understand why I'm Catholic. Yes the religion appealed to me, with its rituals, and saints, and iconography etc... But it was something more.

The apostle Paul states clearly that "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us" (Titus 3:5). Soon after, Paul shows us the other side of the coin. He states: "This is a faithful saying ... That those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works" (Titus 3:8).

So my feeling is this, a Priest then is like a teacher for good Samaritans. Catholics are supposed to work to make things better, as much as pray to make their own lives better. Basic Catholic Theology. St Francis told us to not only pray for the poor, but to work for them as well. And so if we are supposed to do good works as Catholics, then our priests are there to help us achieve that.
Priests are in a sense, the teachers of good Samaritan-ism as I said.

So why would we turn away the people (gay or not) who are offering to help more people be more motivated to help others who are poor, or suffering?

Why would we turn down help for people in need for any reason? This is a big question I have.

The reason... Well that will lead to my next topic.

Blood...


See ya soon! And to the folks reading so far, Thanks!!!!