New Ways Ministry is part of the Equally Blessed Coalition, itself an outspoken critic of Catholic theology and sexual ethics. The coalition\u2019s funders include billionaire heir Jon Stryker\u2019s Arcus Foundation, which is following a broad strategy to counter Christian opposition to LGBT activism and to foster global social change on LGBT issues, particularly within Christianity and other religions.<\/p>\n
At the same time, Fr. Martin\u2019s book has its critics. They say the book avoids Church teaching on marriage, celibacy and chastity and shows an apparent reluctance to recognize Catholics who experience same-sex attraction and seek to follow Catholic teaching.<\/p>\n
In his op-ed, Cardinal Sarah said the priest repeated \u201cthe common criticism that Catholics have been harshly critical of homosexuality while neglecting the importance of sexual integrity among all of its followers.\u201d<\/p>\n
The cardinal said Fr. Martin is correct to reject any double standard on the virtue of chastity \u201cwhich, challenging as it may be, is part of the good news of Jesus Christ for all Christians.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the unmarried \u2013 no matter their attractions \u2013 faithful chastity requires abstention from sex,\u201d the cardinal said. While this may appear to be a high standard, Jesus\u2019 wisdom and goodness would not require something that cannot be achieved.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith God\u2019s grace and our perseverance, chastity is not only possible, but it will also become the source for true freedom,\u201d the cardinal continued. \u201cJesus calls us to this virtue because he has made our hearts for purity, just as he has made our minds for truth.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTo love someone as Christ loves us means to love that person in the truth,\u201d he said. \u201cThose who speak on behalf of the Church must be faithful to the unchanging teachings of Christ because only by living in harmony with God\u2019s creative design do we find deep and lasting fulfillment.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Cardinal Sarah summarized Catholic teaching on same-sex attraction: the person is good because he or she is a child of God. Homosexual attractions are not sinful if not willed or acted upon, even though they are not in harmony with human nature. However, homosexual actions are \u201cgravely sinful and tremendously harmful to the well-being of those who partake in them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople who identify as members of the LGBT community are owed this truth in charity, especially from clergy who speak on behalf of the Church about this complex and difficult topic,\u201d the cardinal continued.<\/p>\n
The cardinal recommended the book by American author Daniel Mattson titled \u201cWhy I Don\u2019t Call Myself Gay,\u201d for which he wrote the foreword.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is my prayer that the world will finally heed the voices of Christians who experience same-sex attractions and who have discovered peace and joy by living the truth of the Gospel,\u201d Cardinal Sarah said. \u201cI have been blessed by my encounters with them, and their witness moves me deeply.\u201d<\/p>\n
Such Christians testify to \u201cthe power of grace\u201d and the truth of Church teaching, he said. Some have been reconciled to Jesus Christ and the Church after living apart from the faith.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir lives are not easy or without sacrifice\u2026but they have discovered the beauty of chastity and of chaste friendships,\u201d he said, adding that these Christians deserve respect and attention for their ability to teach about \u201chow to better welcome and accompany our brothers and sisters in authentic pastoral charity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking generally, the cardinal further stressed the necessity for Catholic fidelity in public life. Rejecting God\u2019s plan for human intimacy and love has sad consequences, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sexual liberation the world promotes does not deliver its promise. Rather, promiscuity is the cause of so much needless suffering, of broken hearts, of loneliness, and of treatment of others as means for sexual gratification,\u201d the cardinal warned. \u201cAs a mother, the Church seeks to protect her children from the harm of sin, as an expression of her pastoral charity.\u201d<\/p>\n
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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] In rare WSJ op-ed, Cardinal Sarah says Fr. Martin’s LGBT outreach falls short source: https:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/in-rare-wsj-op-ed-cardinal-sarah-says-fr-martins-lgbt-outreach-falls-short-68709 Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship [\u2026]<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumniforacatholicusd.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2444"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumniforacatholicusd.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumniforacatholicusd.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumniforacatholicusd.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumniforacatholicusd.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2444"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/alumniforacatholicusd.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2444\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2445,"href":"https:\/\/alumniforacatholicusd.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2444\/revisions\/2445"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumniforacatholicusd.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2444"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumniforacatholicusd.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2444"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumniforacatholicusd.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2444"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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