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Fr. John Dolan, a pro LGBT priest, has been appointed by the Vatican to be an auxiliary bishop in the Diocese of San Diego.
In the announcement of Dolan’s appointment, his pastoral work with the LBGT community was repeatedly mentioned. Dolan has been the diocesan vicar for clergy and pastored two churches, including the welcoming St. John the Evangelist parish in the Hillcrest neighborhood where many of San Diego’s LGBT residents live. Bishop Robert McElroy last year acknowledged the parish as a place where LGBT people have said they “feel particularly welcome” and, according to McElroy, “that’s a very good thing.”
Dolan has described his experiences with LGBT communities at St. John the Evangelist as “an eye-opening experience. . .but also a joyful experience.” These experiences led him to suggest LGBT issues were the “elephant in the room” at San Diego’s 2016 diocesan synod. Highlighting problems in how the church approaches younger Catholics, Dolan commented:
” ‘There are two different forms of doing church. . .One is very dialogical, from a dialogical sense, and the other is from a monological sense. And we have dealt with that monological world: Things come from on high, they get shelved in some pastor’s corner, then there’s some thought that comes down, but ultimately it’s all ‘We’re going to tell you what to think.’ . . . "‘Young adults have an acceptance of the LGBT experience. It is simply a part of their world, and they look at us, and say, “What is the problem?” ‘ “
Notably, Bishop McElroy also affirmed the need to address such issues; McElroy is himself a Francis appointee. The pope’s influence on the U.S. episcopate is continuing to grow. Among the “Francis Bishops,” Bishop John Stowe of Lexington, Kentucky offered scriptural reflections at New Ways Ministry’s national Symposium, and Chicago’s Archbishop Blase Cupich has made repeated positive comments about LGBT people. There are presently eight vacant dioceses, and several dozen bishops approaching the age of mandatory retirement.
Sooooo. . . does anyone have any real doubts about the intentions of Pope Francis? It seems that he is moving to change the way the Roman Catholic Church deals with gay Roman Catholics and their families but it is not only a matter of a change in practice. Furthermore, the LBGT community is not about to be contented with images and wants concrete change -- from the regular communion of gay Roman Catholics who are married according to secular rules to the outright approval of same-sex marriages within the Church. Wait and see. . .
The Antichrist is alive and well and doing his thing
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteChinese proverb says, "Dripping water eventually wears away stone."
ReplyDeleteInclusion and diversity – As Christ’s church (on what planet?), we value the richness of God’s creation (maybe even a little more than the Creator) and offer a radical welcome (what does that look like?) to all people (what, no service animals?), appreciating our common humanity and our differences (unlike those other monolithic churches). We are a church that does not view diversity as a barrier to unity (we have other methods for doing that). We recognize and will challenge dynamics of power and privilege (those mean white people) that create barriers (like barring women from ordination) to participation and equity in this church and society (the social gospel) – for women, people of color, minority ethnic groups, people with disabilities, people who are marginalized or living in poverty, and the LGBTQ community. (After all, the powerful and privileged in those mean snobbish churches exult in creating barriers to the means of grace.)
ReplyDeleteCourage and openness to change – Because we trust in God’s promise and understand (I do not think it means what you think it means) faith to be a living, daring confidence in God’s grace (and ignore His Law), we are emboldened to embrace learning (the latest cultural trends) and change in our spiritual and institutional journey as church (church catholicity needs a PR campaign). This means we are open to new ways (and lifestyles) and willing to take risks (i.e. offend orthodoxy) to discover God’s plan for this church (as revealed outside of Scripture from the latest wind of doctrine.)
Actually, Dolan's way of 'doing church' is diabolical.
ReplyDeleteTurn away from sin and embrace the truth of Christ.
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DeleteEven more diabolical, is anti-Pope Bergoglio.
DeleteLord Jesus help us through the present difficulties
ReplyDeleteSince Pope Francis is so keen on promoting ecumenical "unity" with Lutherans, perhaps it would help if some Lutherans publicly denounced him for selling out the Church to the agenda of the United Nations.
ReplyDeleteHe's also a pervert.
ReplyDeleteHere is a quote from one of the greatest saints ever regarding homosexuality. St. Catherine relays words of Our Lord, about the vice agaisnt nature, which contaminaed part of the clergy in her time. Referrng to sacred ministers, He said: “They not only fail from resisting this frailty [ of fallen human nature]…but do even worse as they commit the cursed sin agains nature. Like the blind and stupid having dimmed the light of the understanding, they do not recoginze the disease and misery in which they find themselves. For this not only causes Me nausea, but displeases even the demons themselves, whom these miserable creatures have chosen as their lords. For Me, this sin against nature is so abominable that , for it alone, five cities were submersed, by virtue of the jugdment of My Divine Justice, which could no longer bear them…It is disagreable to the demon, not because evil displeases them and they find pleasure in good, but because their nature is angelic and thus is repulsed upon seeing such an enormous sin being commited. It is true that it is the demons who hits the sinner with the poisoned arrow of lust, but when a man carries out such a sinful act, the demons leaves.
ReplyDeleteSt.Catherine of Siena, El diabolo, in Orbas de Santa Catarina de Siena
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteWould you provide a reference to your excerpt from St. Catherine of Siena? Was it from her Dialogue, Letters, or her book of Prayers? Was this excerpt your own translation from Italian into English, or was the translation taken from someone else you did not credit?
There goes the Diocese of San Diego !
ReplyDeleteSan Diego has been gone since the days of Bishop Brom. ��
ReplyDelete