Homosexuals' Catholic Responsibility

Good evening everyone.  I would like to talk about something that has been on my mind on and off for a long time.

Often when I see forum and blog posts about homosexuality, most of the discussion is about why it is wrong and sinful.  No one ever gives any new answers, so therefore I don't read those discussions too attentively, nor do I really participate in them anymore; what more could possibly be said?  Homosexual relationships are not procreative, sex between two members of the same sex is an abomination to the Lord, it's one of the Sins which Cry Out to Heaven for Vengeance.

What hardly anyone mentions is what homosexuals really should do.  You often hear participants say things such as the following:

• Homosexuals should regularly receive the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion.
• Homosexuals should live chaste lives.
• Homosexuals should have very intense prayer lives.
• Homosexuals have a heavy cross to bear

Do not these things apply to all Catholics?  What are homosexuals specifically called to do?

Here are some of my conclusions:

Because homosexuals can neither receive nor administer the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, we can devote more time to charity work and be strong members of parish life.  We do not have a family for which to provide, nor a spouse whose soul to save, nor children to instruct in the Faith.  How we can form "families" is to develop strong friendships with others that can be opportunities to witness to the Truth of the Catholic religion and try to set examples for them.  

Because homosexuals cannot receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders (this is fact, regardless of how this rule is ignored by most...), we do not have to carry the burden of guarding the souls of entire flocks of believers from evil, a very heavy charge.  We can rather try to be of more assistance to our pastors because we have neither families nor immediate care of souls to attend to.

Also, some qualities that I have noticed about myself and other homosexuals that could be of use to the Church as far as evangelization are the fact that we are generally pretty sensitive to others' feelings and tend to be more empathetic and know what it feels like to be mistreated, marginalized, discriminated against, and ridiculed (even though a lot of gay activists seem to have forgotten this and have become the ones who do those things to others).  We're very sensitive and caring, and that is what many need to see from the Church and from devout Catholics, people who care and people who try to understand them and not be condescending.  I'd say homosexuals have a soft spot for outcasts and those who desire to be included (because most of us experience it whether overtly or covertly) and that meekness, that sensitivity can be helpful in reaching out to others, speaking out against sin, and trying to show Christ's Love so that more of His sheep can be gathered into the Fold.

There are many opportunities for redemptive suffering for homosexuals to take advantage of that can be profitable to our souls as well as others' and yes, it seems like we have to do the "hard" stuff that no one else wants to do, but I mean, it's better than nothing.  

All of these things (which basically kinda describe a state in life) must be aided by the Sacraments just as priests need to be aided by them and spouses need to be aided by them.  Everyone needs the Grace of the Sacraments to sanctify their states in life to please God, avoid sin, and avoid Hell, but the Grace helps nourish Wisdom and Understand (Gifts of the Holy Ghost) to let Catholics know the best way to live their calling in life.

Again, I could be wrong about all of this, but it could be another way of helping homosexuals feel like we can be of some importance to the Church.  Spouses can raise Catholic kids, priests can help Catholic souls, and religious (monks and nuns) can pray for the world's salvation.  Also, devoting that much energy to helping and serving others would keep us busy and not leave us much time to commit sins of impurity when you figure in the prayer and meditation that we should be doing.

This is the kind of life I wish I lead anyways.

Let me know your thoughts.

Appreciate What God Blesses Us With

So you know those lovely Lenten resolutions and plans I came up with?  Haven't followed any of them yet.  I'm so mad at myself.

Today, the cafeteria decided to serve some pretty tantalizing dishes...which is surprising because Foster Dining Hall is no gourmet spot, and of course of all days, it's a Lenten Friday, so could I enjoy any of these delicious dishes?  No.  I had a weird veggie burger thing when I wanted the fried chicken, and tonight, I had some pasta that I had tried to spice up, but ended up ruining it.  They had grilled chicken sandwiches...I LOVE grilled chicken sandwiches and the meat looked so tender, so fresh and white, it was still sizzling when I had passed.  Nope, couldn't have it.

And I thought and prayed for all those in the world who do not have food to eat and asked that the Lord provide for them and take care of them.  I bet had this been any other Friday during the year not in Quadragesima, I would have still found something to complain about in terms of the food at the cafeteria.

Things look and seem so much better when you can no longer have them.  Boy, am I getting a good dose of that realization particularly now as I'm dealing with the fact that my ex really has moved on.  We all need to really stop and think about the things we have in our lives, and appreciate and thank God for them because we aren't guaranteed to have them tomorrow.  We have food and water and shelter and clothing.  There are those who are living in the world without basic necessities, and who hardly complain.  Yet, we criticize the oh-so-expensive and poor quality food in our college/university cafeterias...while others are scraping food off of the ground because they're keeling over from hunger.  Think about that.

A friend invited me to the gym to train with him today and it did a lot of good.  I enjoyed his company and he is knowledgeable about the bodybuilding and powerlifting fields as well as the science of exercising.  He's a heavy lifter (did at least 3x as much weight as I was lifting) and I'm glad I went to the gym.  Also, it was good social time that I think I needed and I'm glad that people are trying to support me during this rough time for me.  I thank them all and am trying to appreciate them.

But what can I do for others?  I feel like I'm very selfish and do not help others out as much.  I wish I would be more encouraging to people and give them my shoulder when they need someone to lean on or cry on, but where am I?  Always lamenting what's going on in my own life like I'm the only one with problems.  I hate that about myself.  I'm so self-centered, it's ridiculous.  As Catholics, we should show love to our neighbor, not see how they can show love to us.

God has us all on a mission and I wish I knew what my specific mission/purpose was (other than do God's will and serve Him) so I could go with it.  There are so many paths I could take. 

I do know, however, that I did pray that God would lead me through the desert with Him, but there's one desert that I just do not want to go into...

SSPX (unofficial) Antipathy, Rad Trads Gone Mad

Read the first couple pages of this forum post in Fisheaters Traditional Catholic Forum:

http://catholicforum.fisheaters.com/index.php/topic,3448658.0.html

This is why I have such a hard time with many of those who attend the Traditional Latin Mass (Extraordinary Form) especially those who go to SSPX chapels.  Had to make the distinction before someone jumps on me and says that I hate all traditionalists and adherents of the Society of St. Pius X(SSPX).

One of the posters there (my favorite poster actually) expressed something that she appreciated about the SSPX which she normally criticizes for their harsh, scathing words especially when they insult the Holy Father (Pope Benedict XVI) or accuse the Novus Ordo (NO..Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite or New Mass) and its Sacraments as being invalid, heretical, fake, etc.  In response to the kind remark she made about the SSPX, another poster immediately shot her comment down by making a derogatory and blasphematory statement about Our Lord present in the Blessed Sacrament.  She even explained that she was also making that statement of apprecition to kinda cool the air and be more charitable to the SSPX adherents.

The conversation spun out into the usual:  a battle between the SSPX and the in-communion-with-Rome trads going back and forth with the typical name-calling (The NO religion is false and not Catholic, you're not with the Church because you insult the Pope, the NO is to blame for your husband's loss of fatih, etc).  This woman is struggling with the fact that her husband, her spouse, is possibly losing the faith because of the cruel remarks of some SSPX adherents and other die-hard traditionalist Catholics because they're making him feel like he's just "worshipping bread and wine and not Christ's true Body and Blood." 

The Sacraments are Sacraments, they always confer Sanctifying Grace (or increase it) in the soul when they're received worthily and through them we receive the mercy and Grace that our Lord gave by His Passion, Death, and Resurrection.  They are not dependent upon the orthodoxy or lack thereof of the priest or bishop administering them, but on the matter (tangible things required), form (proper words used in their administration/reception), and intent (the Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity, and intangible things/dispositions required). 

What is wrong with our Church?  There are all these factions and camps and not enough unity and agreement.  And all the name-calling, are we really in 2nd grade??  (I feel like I just insulted second graders even...).  Radical traditionalists, neo-con bullies, cafeteria Catholics, liberal Catholics, FSSP/ICKSP traditional Catholics, SSPX traditional Catholics, NOers, etc... 

This labeling is getting tired and is making us look bad to non-Catholics, we can't even agree on our own religion, we're looking just as bad as Protestants (although they aren't really pointing fingers at each other...which is funny because they all teach different things, but it's okay for others to have heterodox faith and be saved, but Roman Catholics are damned by virtue of the fact that we identify as such...okay).

I mean, it's not even admonishing a sinner, but just being cruel, impatient, and irritable.  Yes, it is tiring to have to deal with how most people have such a flawed and distorted view of Catholicism that it's like they aren't even practicing the same religion (I'm guilty of this myself; usually I shiver when someone tells me they're Catholic anymore because I am immediately thinking how well do they know our doctrines). 

But it does bother me that SSPX adherents have this "If they want to be saved, they'll come to us" attitude and are not concerned at pushing others away.  In a way, they're right, you don't adjust the Truth just to get a butt in a seat (bishops take heed), but you don't want to insult someone away and give them a bad taste in their mouths either.  Be a good witness, and know that people have feelings too.

On the contrary, people in the Ordinary Form and non-traditional camp need to stop acting like anything goes.  This also sickens me.  Right and wrong do exist.  Truth is important, lies need to be banished.  Educate yourselves and stop doing everything based on what feels right and good and please, PLEASE, stop being passive spectators at Mass like you're watching a concert.  I love how the "Spirit of Vatican II" crowd loooves to harp participatio actuosa *cough* I mean, "active participation" down everyone's throats, but those that assist at the Extraordinary Form seem to be more actively participating where it really counts (the heart) than those at the Ordinary Form, and also most people don't jet out of the church so quickly like they're gasping for fresh air after Mass.

Most of the stupid and ridiculous comments came from trad guys that wanted to argue the NO matter, but most of them didn't say but a couple words about the spiritual distress she and her husband were going through (which she felt was because of them). 

Help those who are in error to try to find and see the Truth, do not just post all these templated phrases and impulsive responses to things (that gets old and you sound like a machine) because we are our brother's keepers (Book of Genesis IV, 9).

This is just really disgusting and I've noticed that I get a lot of criticism too for feeling "left out" or "forgotten" or whatever, but I'm trying lately to just realize that you can't count on ANYONE but God and His Promises because man is feeble, fickle, and are msot likely just as lost as anyone else, but we can also count on the CHURCH because God established it to protect us, the faithful, and guide us always.