Catholic Church: court ruling on gay marriage redefines God's law, trumps democratic process

[rug]

The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference Tuesday decried court ruling overturning ban on gay marriage. Conference officials, including Bishop Ronald Gainer, pictured here, will toward an appeal. (Joe Hermitt, PennLive.com)

By Ivey DeJesus | [e-mail]
on May 20, 2014 at 4:39 PM, updated May 20, 2014 at 4:59 PM

HARRISBURG - The legislative arm of the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania on Tuesday decried a federal judge's ruling striking down the state's ban on gay marriage as a redefinition of God's law.

Speaking on behalf of the Harrisburg Diocese's newly appointed Bishop Ronald Gainer, the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference furthermore objected that U.S. Middle District Judge John Jones, in overturning the state's 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, had trumped a law approved by democratically-elected officials.

"Today's decision by one federal judge speaks to the confusion and misunderstanding among many today about the fundamental building block of society: the family. Every child has a basic right to a mother and a father united in marriage as a family. Today's decision does not change that," conference officials issued in a written statement.

Pennsylvania is home to 3 million Catholics. The church has long opposed measures to legalize same-sex marriage.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2014/05/pa_gay_marriage_overturned_cat.html

Well, that's complete bullshit.

Matthew 22
15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said.
16 So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality.
17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?”
18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites?
19 Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius.
20 Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?”
21 They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
22 When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

This is what the Church should be addressing:

Kasper: That’s a real problem. I’ve spoken to the pope himself about this, and he said he believes that 50 percent of marriages are not valid. Marriage is a sacrament. A sacrament presupposes faith. And if the couple only want a bourgeois ceremony in a church because it’s more beautiful, more romantic, than a civil ceremony, you have to ask whether there was faith, and whether they really accepted all the conditions of a valid sacramental marriage—that is, unity, exclusivity, and also indissolubility.

https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/kasper-interview-popefrancis-vatican

[okasha]

1. It's a redefinition of civil law.

NT

[rug]

2. Precisely. Or, acknowledging an area where equal civil rights have been blocked.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

3. The headline should not say "Catholic Church"

But rather "Group of Catholic Clerics". The "Pennsylvania Catholic Conference" is NOT "the Catholic Church".

[rug]

4. I'm in Hershey for the weekend and we walked out of the vigil Mass after the homily.

It's at Joan of Arc in Hershey and the 5:15 Mass was the first opportunity to give a sermon after the ruling. It was almost twice as long as the ones I'm used to.

This priest must subscribe to that branch that favors a smaller, "purer" form of Catholicism.

He said, "We can not rely on the government." The word "anymore", while unspoken, hovered around his head like a miasmic halo. He continued that the Church has spoken the truth, is speaking the truth, and will speak the truth even if it is persecuted. Which he said is a good thing because it will be a faithful Church. And he indeed said the word aberrant in regard to same sex marriage.

He said a few good things though in regard to Christianity and culture. Talking about the Gospel reading, he said Christ did not come to convert Rome but to offer the Word and the Advocate to people. Then why in hell is he complaining that Washington, or Harrisburg, is not doing what Jesus did not expect Rome to do?

I may look up this guy's name and send him an email.

[No Vested Interest]

5. Feedback may be a good thing.

I believe pastors and other clergy do not get enough personal feedback - of the reasoned and reasonable variety.