(no subject)
Op-ed (by a seminarian turned away from the priesthood for psychological issues) on the recent document by the Church banning homosexuals from the Priesthood.
http://www.catholic.net/us_catholic_news/template_channel.phtml?channel_id=1
I appreciate much of what he is saying. This paragraph in particular really resonantes with me:
Indeed, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (No. 2358) teaches that Catholics who experience unwanted same-sex attraction, like those afflicted with any other cross whatsoever, can offer up their sufferings for the good of the Church and the salvation of others. But this does not mean, as the recent Vatican document makes clear, that people with deep-seated homosexual attractions are capable of exercising the ministerial priesthood.
In other words, being a priest is a vocation that places great stress on an individual, on their spirituality, their self-esteem, their psychological health. Just as with all the ministerial services (health-care workers, nurses, doctors, social workers, foster parents) it requires someone who has not only great personal strength, but also the ability to at times, turn off their emotions so they can minister to someone in trouble without sinking into depression or being overcome by another's problems.
The article also makes this statement: Many scientific studies have shown that homosexuals have a much higher incidence of clinical depression, suicidal tendencies, and drug and alcohol addiction than the general public. Scholarly articles proving this point are simply too numerous to list here. In fact, the scientific literature is completely unequivocal on this point.
I can understand why this would be. Denying a part of yourself is very stressfull and ultimately unfulfilling. I don't know how anyone with unwanted deep-seated homosexual inclinations could possibly find happiness. It's part of why I struggle with the Church's position on homosexuality. From the blog of a former Christian, who is himself fully homosexual: "Why would this god make me gay if he so hated homosexuals? This made no sense at all to me! Even if homosexuality is a choice, being omniscient, god would have
known before he created me that I would end up choosing to be gay, and why create something that you know you will only hate?" www.sebandthecity.com/taoism.html
It honestly, truly, doesn't make sense to me. I understand that God gives us all a cross to bear. With some, like my father, it is incredibly strong emotions. This serves him well in some capacities: he has an emormous ability to love, and he's capable of wanting something so badly that he risks everything to get it. I think this is what makes him a successfull businessman. Yet his life is filled with pain because of these emotions, too. He can't NOT overreact to anything that hurts him, and he is constantly battling his own demons. God made him the way he is for whatever reason, but at least there is a benefit to his cross. At least it contributes in some way to his life.
I can't see how being deeply homosexual could in any way contribute to ones life if, as the Catholic Church teaches, the manifestation of those inclinations are a grave sin, and a homosexual should take care to remove himself entirely from any situation that might tempt him. This denies the homosexual the possibility of love, because how could someone who loves another (naturally a member of the same sex) be near that person or engage in conversation or any type of relationship without falling into "sin" with them? The only benefit I can see from requiring someone to flaggelate themselves every moment of their lives, is that they can provide an empathetic witness to others struggling through the same problem. A loving, omnicient God would NOT do something like this. It's akin to pulling the wings of a bunch of flies so they have something to share with each other. "Oh yes, isn't it so painful! I understand, you see, because I've had my wings pulled off too! How sad that we can't fly and must wander, suffering, on this window sill until death takes us. How glorious it is to suffer for God! How benevolent and wonderful He is to have pulled of our wings just so that we can be in pain! How it brings us closer to Him, who also suffered!"
Yeah. Whatever. Disease, war, cancer...many of these things are of our own making. They were not created by God simply so that there is suffering. Even natural disasters are a by-product of the beautiful, boutinful Earth that we live on. You want an ocean teeming with life and sustaining our atmosphere? Okay, then you have to deal with a tsunami once in a while.
I truly CAN NOT believe that God creates suffering for no purpose. And to me, giving someone the desire for members of their same sex and then commanding that they deny that basic, primal, human urge, is creating suffering for no purpose.
So naturally, a Catholic with the desire to be a good Catholic and serve God, who also has "deep seated homosexual tendencies," is in for a lifetime of struggle, denial, depression and unhappiness. The self-hate alone would provide an enormous obstacle to peace within oneself. So in this sense, I agree that anyone with "deep seated homosexual tendencies" is simply not a good candidate for the priesthood. No one who must endure such psychological stresses could possibly also endure the psychological stress of the priesthood in any beneficial way. It's cruel, almost, to add to their burden.
However, because this assumes that no homosexual with deep seated tendencies could possibly be healthy or well-adjusted, it begs the question: If adherence to Catholic teaching in this matter does not, as a relationship with God SHOULD do, bring peace and comfort to ones soul, then WHY is this part of our faith?
I welcome any insights.
http://www.catholic.net/us_catholic_news/template_channel.phtml?channel_id=1
I appreciate much of what he is saying. This paragraph in particular really resonantes with me:
Indeed, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (No. 2358) teaches that Catholics who experience unwanted same-sex attraction, like those afflicted with any other cross whatsoever, can offer up their sufferings for the good of the Church and the salvation of others. But this does not mean, as the recent Vatican document makes clear, that people with deep-seated homosexual attractions are capable of exercising the ministerial priesthood.
In other words, being a priest is a vocation that places great stress on an individual, on their spirituality, their self-esteem, their psychological health. Just as with all the ministerial services (health-care workers, nurses, doctors, social workers, foster parents) it requires someone who has not only great personal strength, but also the ability to at times, turn off their emotions so they can minister to someone in trouble without sinking into depression or being overcome by another's problems.
The article also makes this statement: Many scientific studies have shown that homosexuals have a much higher incidence of clinical depression, suicidal tendencies, and drug and alcohol addiction than the general public. Scholarly articles proving this point are simply too numerous to list here. In fact, the scientific literature is completely unequivocal on this point.
I can understand why this would be. Denying a part of yourself is very stressfull and ultimately unfulfilling. I don't know how anyone with unwanted deep-seated homosexual inclinations could possibly find happiness. It's part of why I struggle with the Church's position on homosexuality. From the blog of a former Christian, who is himself fully homosexual: "Why would this god make me gay if he so hated homosexuals? This made no sense at all to me! Even if homosexuality is a choice, being omniscient, god would have
known before he created me that I would end up choosing to be gay, and why create something that you know you will only hate?" www.sebandthecity.com/taoism.html
It honestly, truly, doesn't make sense to me. I understand that God gives us all a cross to bear. With some, like my father, it is incredibly strong emotions. This serves him well in some capacities: he has an emormous ability to love, and he's capable of wanting something so badly that he risks everything to get it. I think this is what makes him a successfull businessman. Yet his life is filled with pain because of these emotions, too. He can't NOT overreact to anything that hurts him, and he is constantly battling his own demons. God made him the way he is for whatever reason, but at least there is a benefit to his cross. At least it contributes in some way to his life.
I can't see how being deeply homosexual could in any way contribute to ones life if, as the Catholic Church teaches, the manifestation of those inclinations are a grave sin, and a homosexual should take care to remove himself entirely from any situation that might tempt him. This denies the homosexual the possibility of love, because how could someone who loves another (naturally a member of the same sex) be near that person or engage in conversation or any type of relationship without falling into "sin" with them? The only benefit I can see from requiring someone to flaggelate themselves every moment of their lives, is that they can provide an empathetic witness to others struggling through the same problem. A loving, omnicient God would NOT do something like this. It's akin to pulling the wings of a bunch of flies so they have something to share with each other. "Oh yes, isn't it so painful! I understand, you see, because I've had my wings pulled off too! How sad that we can't fly and must wander, suffering, on this window sill until death takes us. How glorious it is to suffer for God! How benevolent and wonderful He is to have pulled of our wings just so that we can be in pain! How it brings us closer to Him, who also suffered!"
Yeah. Whatever. Disease, war, cancer...many of these things are of our own making. They were not created by God simply so that there is suffering. Even natural disasters are a by-product of the beautiful, boutinful Earth that we live on. You want an ocean teeming with life and sustaining our atmosphere? Okay, then you have to deal with a tsunami once in a while.
I truly CAN NOT believe that God creates suffering for no purpose. And to me, giving someone the desire for members of their same sex and then commanding that they deny that basic, primal, human urge, is creating suffering for no purpose.
So naturally, a Catholic with the desire to be a good Catholic and serve God, who also has "deep seated homosexual tendencies," is in for a lifetime of struggle, denial, depression and unhappiness. The self-hate alone would provide an enormous obstacle to peace within oneself. So in this sense, I agree that anyone with "deep seated homosexual tendencies" is simply not a good candidate for the priesthood. No one who must endure such psychological stresses could possibly also endure the psychological stress of the priesthood in any beneficial way. It's cruel, almost, to add to their burden.
However, because this assumes that no homosexual with deep seated tendencies could possibly be healthy or well-adjusted, it begs the question: If adherence to Catholic teaching in this matter does not, as a relationship with God SHOULD do, bring peace and comfort to ones soul, then WHY is this part of our faith?
I welcome any insights.