Guardian Unlimited | World Latest | Expected Vatican Ban Roils American Church

Father Benedict Groeschel often points out that to refer to oneself as "gay" is a further step beyond identifying oneself as a homosexual--to be gay is to be a part of subculture that in and of itself is oriented against what the Catholic Church teaches about sexuality. Herein I think lies the problem with even celibate "gays" being ordained or for that matter celibate "straights"...for someone who is celibate to be identifying themselves by their sexual orientation, is a pretty good indication that they face an uphill battle. A celibates shoulld be toward celibacy not toward having sex with men or women.

I have known genuine celibates who would not be married if they weren't priests or religious, neither would they be cavorting with other men. They are celibate...people who see themselves as sexually oriented are doomed to live a celibate vocation--faithfully anyways.

For what its worth...interesting that from a British paper this is seen as a problem for the Catholic Church in the U.S.

From Guardian Unlimited World Latest Expected Vatican Ban Roils American Church:

A gay American priest, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he feared
reprisals from church leaders, said he and other gay clergy and seminarians felt
``absolute horror'' when they heard about the anticipated ban.

``I've spoken to gay priests who feel demoralized. I've heard straight priests say that they're embarrassed by it. I've heard priests both straight and gay seriously
considering leaving,'' he said. ``They couldn't believe that after centuries of
either explicit or implicit welcoming of celibate gay clergy that the church
would turn its back on them.''

Cardinal Law Got One Vote to be Pope in Last Conclave

Cardinal Bergoglio of Agentina was the closest challenger to Benedict...

From Guardian Unlimited World Latest Diary Reveals Vote Tally for New Pope:

Ratzinger also led the second ballot with 65 votes, while Bergoglio received 35.
In the third round of voting, Ratzinger got 72 votes and Bergoglio 40.

Ratzinger needed 77 votes in the final round to win the necessary
two-thirds majority of the 115 voting cardinals. He got 84, Bergoglio got 26,
and three other cardinals also registered one vote apiece in the last round:
Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, Italian Cardinal Giacomo Biffi and
American Cardinal Bernard Law, according to the diary.

Terrible Storm

Feast of St. Matthew

From the Office of Readings:

"He saw the tax collector and, because he saw him through the eyes of mercy and chose him, he said to him: Follow me. This following meant imitating the pattern of his life --not just walking after him. St. John tells us: Whoever says he abides in Christ ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

And he rose and followed him. There is no reason for surprise that the tax collector abandoned earthly wealth as soon as the Lord commanded him. Nor should one be amazed that neglecting his wealth, he joined a band of men whose leader had, on Matthew's assessment, no riches at all. Our Lord summoned Matthew by speaking to him in words. By an invisible, interior impulse flooding his mind with the light of grace, he instructed him to walk in his footsteps. In this way Matthew could understand that Christ, who was summoning him away from earthly possessions, had incorruptible treasures of heaven in his gift.

As he sat at table in the house, behold many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. This conversion of one tax collector gave many men, those from his own profession and other sinners, an example of repentance and pardon. Notice also the happy and true anticipation of his future status as apostle and teacher of the nations. No sooner was he converted than Matthew drew after him a whole crowd of sinners along the same road to salvation. He took up his appointed duties while still taking his first steps in the faith, and from that hour he fulfilled his obligation and thus grew in merit. To see a deeper understanding of the great celebration Matthew held at his house, we must realise that he not only gave a banquet for the Lord at his earthly residence, but far more pleasing was the banquet set in his own heart which he provided through faith and love. Our Saviour attests to this: Behold I stand at the door; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Let me recommend a great commentary on Matthew's Gospel. It is written by a non-Catholic but is magisterial with a few exceptions and will definitely leave the reader satiated with knowing a lot more than they did before. It is in two volumes:

Volume I:



and Volume II:

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