A sermon in favor of same-sex marriage given by a Baltimore priest is being decried by Archbishop William Lori.
Fr. Richard T. Lawrence, a priest at St. Vincent de Paul church, gave the sermon with his own personal views this past week after reading a letter to the congregation from Lori on the same issue, according to the National Catholic Reporter.
The letter from Lori that Lawrence read asked Catholics "show up on election day and do our part by voting against Question 6," the Civil Marriage Protection Act," according to the report.
"It seems to me, therefore," Lawrence said, according to the National Catholic Reporter, "that even if we do not believe that gay marriage ever could or should be allowed in the church, we could live with a provision that allows civil marriage of gay and lesbian couples. Personally, however, I would go farther than that."
The online report said that Lawrence received a standing ovation from parishioners.
But Lori, in a statement published on the Archdiocese website, wrote that expressing such views was contrary to the role of priests.
"Preaching the word of God requires subordination of personal views to the word of God as taught by the Catholic Church. This was my promise when I became a priest, as it is the promise of every priest at his ordination," writes Lori.
"No bishop, priest or deacon has the right to use the pulpit to advance his personal opinions," Lori continues. "The pulpit is the place where the living word of God, as it comes to us through the teachings of the Church, is to be proclaimed and taught."
Lori does not mention Lawrence or reference the sermons directly.
Somewhere near Zero percent are the Catholics that didn't practice birth control or have sex before marriage. You are not fooling anyone.
Marriage is an English term, and the Church doesn't own it. Quit being butthurt about government using the name of your sacrament. Really, anyone intellectually competent and untethered by irrational religious behavior understands and appreciates the fact that allowing gays to marry doesn't actually affect Churches at all. No one is mandating you marry gays, or accepting their marriage in your Church.
They should be more concerned with all of their 'devout' priests diddling little altar boys, honestly.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Please show me where YOUR interpretation is.
Like Share Print Exemption Requirements - Section 501(c)(3) Organizations To be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, an organization may not be an action organization, i.e., it may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates. Telling folks how they should or shouldn't vote for Legislation passed in April violates their status obligations under 501.
The Catholic Church is a fraud and the butler knows.
Not one thing has changed about our behavior since the day Christ died on the crosss. I do respect it and the people that believe in it because it serves a purpose and provides comfort to those that do. I believe in myself family, (whats left) and friends. They don't turn their back on me.