Christians and Sexuality

“The marital act promotes self-giving by which spouses enrich each other” Gaudium et Spes (Second Vatican Council)

The online edition of the National Catholic Reporter filed the following story ‘US BISHOPS REBUKE CREIGHTON THEOLOGIANS’ by John Allen Jr. September 24th.

“Two theologians at Creighton University, a Jesuit-run school in Omaha, Neb., have been sharply rebuked by the Committee on Doctrine of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for defending the moral legitimacy of homosexuality, contraception, premarital sex, and other hot-button issues in sexual ethics.
The theologians, Michael Lawler and Todd Salzman, had been previously censured in 2007 by Omaha’s then-archbishop, Elden Curtiss, for articles that, according to Curtiss, expressed “serious error ... [that] cannot be considered authentic Catholic teaching.” The Sept. 15 statement from the doctrine committee reaches the same conclusion about a 2008 book by Lawler and Salzman titled The Sexual Person: Toward a Renewed Catholic Anthropology.
“The book proposes ways of living a Christian life that do not accord with the teaching of the church and the Christian tradition,” the statement says.
Salzman is the chair of Creighton’s theology department, while Lawler is now an emeritus professor.
In the Catholic theological guild, their work has often drawn sympathetic reviews. In a 2009 essay for the National Catholic Reporter, Julie Hanlon Rubio of the Jesuits’ St. Louis University said that The Sexual Person is “among the most important works in Catholic sexual ethics to emerge in the last two decades,” and that the authors “stand firmly within the Catholic tradition even as they argue for significant change.”
The Sexual Person also earned first-place honors in the books in theology category from the Catholic Press Association”.

That story immediately prompted several responses supporting the Bishops from several angry readers. Since our celibate bishops see so much evil in human sexuality, the following ‘tongue in cheek’ response might be in order.

And so, on the sixth day God created human beings, making them to be like himself . . . and he looked at everything he had made, and he was very pleased. . . . except for one little thing. God accidentally created a human being with an imperfect soul and body that is capable of being sexually aroused, sexually motivated, sexually attracted to another human being, etc., etc., For heaven’s sake why did God put such a terrible temptation into humankind? Sex must be from the Devil! The Devil, not God, must have put these features in humans so we would be constantly tempted. What a clever devise to distract humans from becoming holy? No sex for me tonight I’m just going to mentally masturbate my soul. Well, maybe. Just one more time back into the body just for pro-creation . . . just ignore any pleasure it brings to you and your loving spouse. If you want to be a real honest to goodness celibate Christian – just like any other bad habits like smoking - give it up! Just learn to do without it! But if it continues to distract you . . . take cold showers, invest in haircloth clothing, or practise some honest to goodness mortification of the flesh, just like those holy people from Opus Dei and apparently even Pope John Paul II. Such diligent efforts are bound to please God and frustrate the Devil. You may not have learned this in Sunday school but God wants us suffer from our sexual temptations. But if you are still secretly enjoying ‘it’ – you’d better confess ASAP. It’s a sin - Augustine said so, and the Church made him a Saint for it.

Fast-tracking two Popes to Sainthood

I have just purchased the book, The Power and the Glory- Inside the Dark Heart of John Paul II's Vatican (2007) by David Yallop. Hopefully this book will reveal an honest and objective portrait of the 'real' Pope John Paul II, unadorned by the usual biased Vatican approved criteria. The author promises to expose some of the myths about the role Wojtyla played during and after WWII in Poland as well as some of the half-truths about this Pope's long reign. At the same time this book will examine the role of the Vatican in the fall of Communism, the mismanagement of Vatican finances, its failure to address the child sexual abuse crisis, the rise of Opus Dei, to the "Holy Alliance" between the White House and the Vatican. The Power and the Glory, according the fly-leaf is a bold and unflinching look at a man being fast-tracked to sainthood and his profound effect on a polarized institution.

As a convert to Catholicism, married to a cradle Catholic, I initially avoided almost everything and anything that spoke against 'the Church'. Today all that has changed due to a greater inner desire for truth and justice. As an active member of our small parish it was my happy duty to accept the role as Catechist for more than twenty years. In order the present fresh material for our yearly inquirers I specifically avoided using the same material and resources as much as possible (admittedly for the purpose of keeping it interesting for myself). The research lead me into many avenues and alleys along the way. However, the objective as I saw it was to bring people closer to an unconditionally loving Creator. As the years went on, I gradually began to question some of the teachings of the Church against the greater Gospel values. This was to become my 'downfall' as I started to speak out about a God, who did not punish, reward or hand-out favours. Additionally questions about Apostolic Succession, Gays, Abortion, and Sexual Abuse lead to my eventual (predictable?) dismissal by a recently appointed completely Orthodox minded priest. Most of the priests, during the previous year's understood and accepted my more expanded views. I seldom failed to include the Church's Traditional position or teachings. 'Critical thinking' is better than 'no thinking' remains my motto in the search for truth.

Nowhere does this seem more appropriate, then on the subject of Pope Pius XII and his role regarding the Jews during WWII. Yallop suggests that Pius XII may have saved as many as 860,000 Jews. The latest findings by German historian, Dr. Michael Hesemann were hailed as Proof is overwhelming Pius XII saved Jewish lives by a local Catholic on-line news media. The online article stated that Pius XII "arranged the flight of 200,000 Jews from Germany as early as 1938."

The number of books that have been written 'pro and con' about Pius XII during WWII would almost fill a medium sized library. Since the Vatican remains secretive and unresponsive, this controversial subject will remain on people's questioning minds for many more years to come. In the meantime, fast-tracking Pius XII to sainthood, similar to Pope John Paul II, may take a little longer.

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What are my legal rights as a Catholic?

Have you ever wondered what your legal rights are as a lay member of the Roman Catholic Church are? The following is intended to provide the reader with a quick summary of their legal rights and liabilities according to Canon Law as well as a relatively unknown legal agreement between the Vatican and other countries known as a 'concordat' that directly affect laity and/or clergy.

CONCORDATS

Concordats are legal agreements (often secret) between state and the Catholic Church that give the Church massive state subsidies and other privileges. They can effectively force liberal Catholics to observe orthodoxy, and can disadvantage non Catholics as well.

Concordat Watch is a website dedicated to ensuring that these agreements are made public and to protect the individual under civil law. A recent article by this group highlited how Canon Law can trump clerics' civil right.

"A Swiss priest was forbidden to research or publish anything about Opus Dei until its founder was safely canonised. A Polish priest was banned from investigating or writing anything about clerical complicity with the Communist Secret Service. And countless others who never make it into the newspapers suffer the same fate. For they are bound by Canon Law, the Church regulations whose jurisdiction is guaranteed by concordats — often in the very first article.

Concordat Watch also reported:

Gay Catholic group Acceptance had planned a forum to be held during the Pope's World Youth Day celebrations in Australia in July 2008. It was to be called "Living a Christian Commitment: Different Sexualities Among Catholic Youth". However, after pressure from the Vatican, the Jesuits withdrew their offer to host the gay young people, who are now forced to look for a non-Church venue.

Other concordat clauses enforce Canon Law on the employees of Church-run institutions, even though these are funded by the state. For example, the concordat with Hitler (1933, Article 24) is used to this day to fire teachers in Catholic schools if they remarry after a civil divorce.

European Union Lawyers have warned that Concordats endanger human freedom.

CANON LAW

Several years ago Catholic New Times ran an article 'Know your basic rights in Canon Law' that should be required reading for all Catholic parishioners. Perhaps it should even be posted before they enter the church or attend any church function. Here's follows the article as it originally appeared in January 2006.

• All Catholics have the right to follow their informed consciences in all matters (Canon 748,1).

• Officers of the church have the right to teach on all matters both of private and public morality only after wide consultation with the faithful prior to the formulation (C.212,C747,C749,C752,C774.1).

• All Catholics have the right to engage in any activity that does not infringe on the rights of others: e.g. they have the right to freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom of association (C.212,C.215,C.223)

• All Catholics have the right of access to all information possessed by Church authorities concerning the former's spiritual and temporal welfare, provided such access does not infringe on the rights of others (C.218,C.221,C.223,C.1287).

• All Catholics have the right in a voice in all decisions that affect hem including the choosing of their leaders. All Catholics have the right to have their leaders accountable to them. (C492,C.1287).
  
  
• All Catholics have the right to form voluntary associations to pursue Catholic aims, including the right to worship together, such associations have the right to decide on their own rules of governance (C.215, C.299,C.300,C.305,C.309).
• All Catholics have the right to express publicly their dissent in regard to decisions made by church authorities (C212,C.218,C.753).
• All Catholics have the right while being mindful of Gospel norms to follow whatever paths will enhance their life in Christ; that is their self-realization as unique human beings created by God. They also have the right to guidance that will foster authentic human living both on a personal level and in relation to their communities and the world (C.213).

• All Catholics regardless of race, age, nationality or sex and sexual orientation, state of life or social position have the right to receive all the sacraments for which they are adequately prepared (C.213, C.843).
• All Catholics have the right to have church office holders foster a sense of community. (C.369).

That same year (2006) Kevin E. McKenna published 'a concise guide to Your Rights in the Catholic Church. In his introduction the author explains the intent behind this book as follows: "In the midst of [sexual abuse] crisis, some lay people, fearing they had no rights or that their rights were woefully ignored, turned to civil authorities to prosecute allegations of sexual misconduct against clerics. At the same time this book is also aimed at protecting innocently accused clerics and their rights within the church.

For the purpose of this blog I have listed a summary of the 'Rights of the Laity' as provided in the same book as follows:

1. Married Christians have the right to imbue the world with their charisms and spirituality (CIC 226, Par. 1:CCEO 400)
   


2. The lay Christian faithful have the right to educate their children (CIC) 226, CCEO 627, Par. 1, CCEO 627, Par. 3)
   


3. The lay Christian faithful have the right to freedom as citizens (CIC 227; CCEO 402)
   


4. The Lay Christian faithful have the right to assume ecclesiastical offices when qualified (CIC 228, Par.1, CCEO 408, Par.2)
   


5. The lay Christian faithful have the right to act as advisors to pastors (CIC 228, Par 2. CCEO 408, Par. 2)
   


6. Lay Christian faithful have the right to acquire knowledge of Christian doctrine (CIC 229, Par 1, CCEO 404, Par. 1). They also possess the right to acquire the fuller knowledge of the sacred sciences taught in ecclesiastical universities and to obtain appropriate degrees (CIC 229, Par. 2; CCEO 404, Par. 2) They also have the right, when properly qualified and with requisite suitability, to receive a mandate from ecclesiastical authority to teach the sacred sciences (CIC 229, Par.3; CCEO 404, Par.3)
   


7. Laypersons have the right to decent remuneration when employed by the Church (CIC 231, Par.2; CCEO 409, Par. 2)
   

If after reading all this you still have doubts about your rights in the Catholic Church, particularly as it affects your conscience, please read again what the Vatican II fathers said about that in an earlier blog http://whenreligionfails.blogspot.com/search/laber/conscience
Abbreviations
CIC Code of Canon Law, Codex Iuris Canoici
CCEO Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, Codex Canonum Ecclesiarum Orientalium

NOTE: Since the Renaissance Justitia (pictured above) is most often depicted with a set of scales typically suspended from her left hand, upon which she measures the strenghts of a case's support and opposition. She is also often seen carrying a double-edged sword in her right hand, symbolizing the power of Reason and Justice, which may be wielded either for or against any party. The blindfold is intended to indicate that justice is (or should be) meted our objectively, without fear or favor, regardless of identiy, money, power, or weakness: blind justice and blind impartiality. Source: Wikipedia