The Independent News Source
NCR on Kindle - NCR classifieds - YouTube - Twitter - Facebook - Email Alerts - RSS
Printer-friendly version
PDF versionMinn. pastor challenges Nienstedt's DVD campaign
Oct. 05, 2010
Supporters of gay marriage rally outside the federal courthouse in San Francisco Jan. 11. (CNS/Reuters)
A Minnesota pastor, in a letter to the editor of a major newspaper, has sharply criticized the campaign against same-sex marriage spearheaded by his archbishop, John C. Nienstedt, of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
Fr. Michael Tegeder, 62, pastor of St. Edward Parish, Bloomington, took issue with the content of a 18-minute DVD sent by Minnesota bishops to more than 400,000 Catholics throughout the state. "The premise of the DVD," wrote Tegeder, in a letter published Oct. 2 by the Star-Tribune, "is that same-sex couples and their committed relationships are a grave threat to marriage."
The real threat to marriage, the pastor argued, is poverty, citing an earlier report on the effects of the economic downturn on marriage.
"In every serious study, poverty is the top reason for marital breakdowns," wrote Tegeder. "It is very hard to make the case that a small percentage of the population who bond with members of their own sex and seek to live in a committed relationship with members of their own sex could have anything but a positive effect on the general population's appreciation of stable, faithful, life-giving unions."
The DVD promotes a state constitutional amendment that would limit marriage to one man and one woman. Tegeder said the amendment "does not allow even for civil unions, and it would limit current rights for gay and lesbian citizens. We as Catholics can have our own beliefs about marriage. But we must recognize that people of other faiths and of no faith have conscientious beliefs as well."
The DVDs were mailed out in late September and contain a six minute address by Nienstedt and a 12-minute presentation produced by the Knights of Columbus. According to a report in the Start Tribune, Dennis McGrath, spokesman for the archdiocese, said the bishops "felt the situation had gotten to the poiont that they had to do something. They couldn't stand by and let this thing go any further. The same-sex marriage train was chugging along." McGrath also said the mailing was paid for with a private donation. Nienstedt has described the DVD as a "teaching tool" for voters in advance of the November gubernatorial election. Two candidates running support same-sex marriage and one doesn't.
Tegeder's letter is the latest example of push back against the DVD effort by Catholics. Lucinda Naylor, artist in residence at the Basilica of St. Mary for the past 15 years, was recently suspended from that position when she went public with her opposition to the church campaign. She has asked other Catholics opposed to the effort to send the DVDs to her for an art project. She told the Minnesota Independent that she was thinking of doing something related to water or flames, "since both are important Catholics symbols of the Holy Spirit."
Preview NCR's Family Life Issue
Watch this video from NCR Editor Dennis Coday for highlights from our annual Family Life special section.
You won't find these articles on our website. Subscribe now to receive all the content from each biweekly issue.
She'll receive help from another group, ReturnTheDVD.org, formed recently by a group of Catholics opposed to the initiative.
In his letter, Tegeder said it was "most scandalous" that Nienstedt "comprised his office with the use of anonymous money." He said the campaign leaves the impression "that political funding is at work here."
He also cited comments last spring, reported in the German press and in the British Catholic publication The Tablet, by Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna, who told an interviewer that the church "should give more consideration to the quality of homosexual relationships. A stable relationship is certainly better than if someone chooses to be promiscuous." The Tablet also reported that the cardinal said lasting gay relationships deserve respect.
Schönborn, as Tegeder noted, is a close friend of Pope Benedict XVI and a principal author of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
In an interview Oct. 4 with NCR, Tegeder said he had received overwhelmingly positive response to his letter, but had not yet received any reaction from Nienstedt.
Asked if he feared reprisal, he to Paul's instruction to Timothy to be "strong, loving and wise." While being strong "in our convictions, including our conviction about marriage," said Tegeder, "we also have to be wise and loving." It is those last two qualities, he said, that he finds "so missing in this DVD campaign."
He recalled the theme of a recent sermon he'd given on the rich man and Lazarus. The names of the rich and famous are easily known today, he said, "but Jesus turns that around in this story. It's the rich man who doesn't have a name." In the story, Tegeder said, Jesus also wants to expand the idea of brother. What struck him in the DVD campaign, he said, "is that there were no names in it. It's all ideology, all a theoretical viewpoint."
He couldn't help thinking, he said, of the two gay men in a long, committed relationship, who have adopted two boys "out of a hell hole of a Russian orphanage" and recently spent thousands to help one of their sons overcome a learning disability." One's view of the issue, he said, changes profoundly when you get to know people's names and their circumstances.
"In this very difficult world where there are many divisive issues, we've got to begin getting to know each others' names. We're all up in arms about something that is about love, about people trying to find some happiness in this very difficult world. I've been to the mountain. I laughed when he sent that letter threatening excommunication and interdict," Tegeder said.
"If he throws me out I can walk away from this with my head up … I love ministry. I wake up at 5 every day and stay busy until midnight. I love it. I'm energized by the opportunities." But some things just need to be said, he remarked.
"This man is leading us in the wrong direction," on this issue, he said of Nienstedt. "We have to call it for what it is – it's bullying behavior. It's not the work of Jesus Christ. It's not the work of Jesus Christ."
On the matter of obedience, he quoted from a book that he's reading by Msgr. Dennis Murphy, A View from the Trenches: Ups and Downs of Today's Parish Priest: "One dimension of this obedience that has become clearer in recent years is that there is more to this promise than a pledge or a commitment made only to a bishop. It encompasses obedience commitment to the church, and especially to the church understood as the people of the diocese within which the priest serves."
"That says it all," said Tegeder.
[Tom Roberts is NCR editor at large. His e-mail address is troberts@ncronline.org.]
What good news (good means
What good news (good means constructive)
As opposed to bad news or evil (which means destructive).
Now there is man who really follows Jesus.
Thanks be to God.
Go Father Tegeder, Go! We
Go Father Tegeder, Go! We need more brave priests willing to act like adults and not cowering children. My 22 year marriage is in no way threatened by a loving gay couple's marriage. As Father Tegeder says, poverty is the biggest threat to marriage. I believe that promiscuity, and media portrayals of dishonesty in relationships as the norm, do far more damage to the institution and tradition of marriage than do same sex relationships. We need some brave priests like him here in my area of suburban Boston!
Dear Archbishop
Dear Archbishop Nienstadt,
Having just watched the unsolicited DVD that you sent to me this week I cannot express my outrage clearly enough.
You represent a church that has harbored countless numbers of pedophiles, accused victims of pandering to the press among other things and you have the temerity to lecture us about the morality of what constitutes marriage.
Holy Hypocrisy Batman!!
Not having been a parent, you are hardly qualified to offer advice regarding the ‘interchangeable roles’ that we parents play. Let me set you ‘straight’ on this – parents are interchangeable. As a father I have changed diapers, put bandaids on scuffed knees and done all of the things associated with ‘mom’. Conversely, my wife, at times, has played catch with my son and disciplined our three children – roles commonly associate with dad.
What you fail to grasp is that children need two good parents and it doesn’t matter if they are the same sex or different sexes – just that they love their children and understand the role of being a parent.
You state, “intuitively we bring men and women together to conceive” How disappointing then it must have been to you when my mother and stepfather, both in their 70’s when they married, produced no children.
You refer to ‘an untested social experiment.” The same phrasing that was used to describe mixed race marriages in the past. I think you would agree on the folly of that position.
Aside from the factual errors that you make, injecting this video right before a political election – where only one of the candidates supports your position on this issue, is tantamount to endorsement. Although I’m sure you’ll deny that – right – just a coincidence.
Your feckless leadership of our church since you arrived has reached its nadir. I’m glad that others will see how you have ‘inspired’ the homophobes to come out under the guise of ‘traditional Catholic teachings.’ You give a paternalistic pat on the head to "gays and lesbians are God's children' but not quite ready for the same rights as the rest of us.
Have you lost all understanding of the meaning of inclusion? What do you think would be Jesus’ reaction to this wasteful drivel?
We just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary and do not feel the least bit threatened by same sex marriage. Where is the threat?
Perhaps your missive was intended to drive the liberal segment of the church running for the doors. Congratulations you have succeeded. As your cadre of ‘true believers’ continues to shrink you no doubt will find another segment of God’s children to go after – what’s next, mixed race marriages?
We will always consider ourselves Catholics. You do not have the power to change that, but what you will do is keep us from funding any more of your Archbishops Appeals.
May God forgive you for what you have done.
his was my letter to the bishop with my DVD returned.
Good, and I'm sure he read
Good, and I'm sure he read your letter, too. We need to give feedback and to push back. Otherwise the bishops will only hear the voices of the rightwing ranters, who tend to ply their pens very busily.
Bravo! Excellent response.
Bravo! Excellent response.
Anonymous, I just wanted to
Anonymous, I just wanted to say that I TOTALLY agree with your comments. Although not in your diocese, but in one that is similarly un-Christian, I quit donating to the Catholic Church and transferred my financial support to non-Catholic charities about 8 yrs. ago. There is no way that I, as a Christian, could contribute to the mis-direction of Bishop Lennon in the Cleveland Catholic diocese. As Sister Joan Chittister is fond of saying, "Don't confuse loyalty to Jesus with loyalty to the Catholic Church"! My loyalty and my donations are with Jesus, NOT with the Catholic church! Thank you for your comments.
It would have been more
It would have been more pastorally effective shepherding if the archbishop had spent the money for 400,000 DVDs in setting up soup kitchens, clinics, and adoption services throughout the archdiocese. There's a far greater need for these services than turning the archdiocesan chancery into the headquarters for the radical right-wing and their propaganda campaign directed to those who have already pretty well made up their minds. Or, if they haven't by now, they surely can do so on under their own steam.
The news article says the DVD
The news article says the DVD campaign was funded by private sources.
I doubt such right-wing funders would want their money spent on "soup kitchens, clinics, and adoption services." I mean, God forbid :)
By their actions we have come to know these orthotoxic hierarchs.
"And Jesus wept."
Orthodoxy, words — or
Orthodoxy, words — or Orthopraxis, works? Religions at their polemic extremes foment conflicts and self-destruction, but in their common relational aspects can change the social dynamic, mitigate conflict and provide compassionate, sustainable alternatives.
The crass implication of religion in gratuitous violence is so ingrained in culture as to be taken for granted. The complicity of religion in gratuitous violence has a name, and its name is “patriarchal orthodoxy.” Whether Christian, Islamic or Judaic, the children of Abraham are complicit in aggravating conflicts over their brands of patriarchal orthodoxy. The root sins of gratuitous patriarchy are hyper-narcissism, oppression of women and the prostitution of nature.
The “Evolution Trilogies” (The DIVINICON) outline a rational study of interfaith relations in local/global contexts that lead to means for civilizations to come to common-ground understandings and embrace openness of natural diversification. In the intelligent purposes of truth-seeking, humankind is drawn to the “divinity consciousness” of compassionate accommodation and symbiotic wellbeing — what is Eucharistic Altruism.
In the pursuit of inclusive religious pluralism, the Evolution Trilogies open and broaden cultural awareness. The Trilogies seek specifically to identify cultural causes of violence and to effect alternative means of conflict resolution and common wellbeing.
Open yourself to religious conversion and join with others in the liberating, salvific experience of Intentional Symbiosis. Begin study of the Evolution Trilogies and start a community dialog of interfaith study/accommodation. Your own wellbeing, the wellbeing of global humanity and global ecology depend on it. Try it. You’ll like it. www.divinicom.com Sylvester L. Steffen
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978585655
Thank you so much for your
Thank you so much for your thoughts -- and commitment to Christ and the Church. I am a priest and am honored to be a Catholic with people like you.
Bravo Zulu to Fr. Mike
Bravo Zulu to Fr. Mike Tegeder and to yourself. I too, am a priest. I am a Vietnam Veteran and a retired Navy Chief Hospital Corpsman. I was the first North American vocation for the Armenian Rite, Roman Catholic Church and went to the Pontifical Leonine Armenian Rite College, Rome, Italy, in September 1962. I was a Philolosphy Student at the Pontifical Gregorian University while in Rome. I left the Armenian College after having enudred two years of constant, unprovoked sexual advances from the Rector of the College. I spent a total of five years in Religious Life and encountered more of the same until I left in 1967 and became a Hospital Corpsman in the Navy. I served two tours of duty in South Vietnam. I minister cheifly to Brother and Sister Combat Vets who are dealing with PTSD (the VA has rated me at 100% Disabled with PTSD, aside from medical and skeletal service incurred injuries). Fortunately for me, I found an Archbishop who had the courage to "think outside of the box" and ordained me for this special niche ministry. It takes a Combat Vet to understand a Combat Vet. They certainly need to have their Moral-Spiritual Injuries of War tended to. Combat Vets know what is important in life and what is not. They will not be reached by a priest who spouts pious platitudes and does not live the example of Christ's love and inclusiveness of all God's children. Combat Vets do not deal with hypocrisy and are very judicial of whom they choose to trust. This simply goes with the territory and realities of war and PTSD. Once in a combat situation, one rapidly looses their "innocence of life." This has a profound affect on all that they do from that point on and for most military Combat Vets, it shakes their core beliefs in humans and in their religious beliefs.
The Roman Church need to be open and honest. It needs to address the fact that a good 75% of the clergy are homosexual. Stop the lies and the denial. Stop blaming pedophilia on homosexuals. Not once did Christ say a word about homosexuality. St. Paul certainly has a lot to say to us about sex and even has negative things to say about traditional marriage. St. Paul often speaks of the "thorn in my side." I am certainly no theologian however, I suspect that there are a large number of theologians who would strongly agree that the "thorn" that Paul refers to is his own homosexuality.
They call evil good and good
They call evil good and good evil. Archbishop Nienstedt, you are a holy warrior, the mouthpiece of God! The gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church, no matter how hard they try.
AB Nienstedt "the mouthpiece
AB Nienstedt "the mouthpiece of God"???????
You're being sarcastic, right?
You're wrong and the Church
You're wrong and the Church is right. I am a young Catholic who loves Gay people and is friendly with them etc. etc. But I believe that Marriage is only valid when it involves 1 man and 1 women. Not 2 men and 1 women or 3 men or 2 women. I also believe that children, ideally, require 1 mother and 1 father. These are basic and simple concepts and have nothing to do with injustice or tolerance etc. etc. You are in fact the shrinking minority. I suggest you join another Church. We are free and that is wonderful.
The Archbishop will not read
The Archbishop will not read this good letter. Someone will trash it first.
Dear Anonymous, His DVD is
Dear Anonymous,
His DVD is not unsolicited. He is your Archbishop and according to Catholic doctrine, his task is to ensure that the Church's teachings are followed. Your problem is with Church teaching apparently.
Sex is "quantum-electric",
Sex is "quantum-electric", universal.
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978590211
Atoms (and molecules), the “sexual” bases of life, are quantum-electrically charged, that is: the ground-state of the atomic nucleus (family) is positive (female), and electrons are negative (male.) Thus is the cosmic structuring of energy/matter, of Earth-life.
Why does it matter? It “matters” because ignorance of matter is ignorance of reality, is ignorance of self-understanding. The correlations of Cosmology, Philosophy and Theology are inoperative except for the quantum-electric (sexual) grounding of Cosmic Matter.
The matter of the alienation of women from grounding in Church-structure is as if electrons (males) are telling nuclei (females) “you are non-essential, we are essential.” The irrationality of such ignorance is astounding and insane.
At the ground-state level, Abrahamic Religions, patriarchal hubris, are “insane”, for they wittingly and unwittingly scramble consciousness and self-reflection. Until humankind (Roman Catholicism) re-orients its fundamental understanding of sex, of nature, of life, it fails to get religion right, to get politics right, to get nature right. The Religious Right is wrong in the arrogance of its ignorance.
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976943890
[Reference: “GREEN RELIGION, Inside the Cultural Spectrum” www.AuthorHouse.com Sylvester L. Steffen]
Excellent. My bishop, Bishop
Excellent. My bishop, Bishop Thomas Olmsted gave $50,000 to the Diocese of Maine to fight against equality for all, he calls it defense of marriage. I have been married to the same man for 40 years, 41 Dec 26th. Gay marriage would not threaten my marriage. At a time when 50% of marriages end in divorce, this is the tack the USCCB chooses to take??? Children need 2 loving parents. It doesn't matter what sex they are. Quoting Rethinking: As Sister Joan Chittister is fond of saying, "Don't confuse loyalty to Jesus with loyalty to the Catholic Church"! My loyalty and my donations are with Jesus, NOT with the Catholic church!
I still give to Charity, just not to a Catholic charity where the money could be used to fight against equality for all. It's time.
And may God love you, despite
And may God love you, despite your hate!!!
Fr. Mike is our pastor and we
Fr. Mike is our pastor and we are PROUD of him- truly a voice for his parish!!
We need more priests like
We need more priests like Father Mike. He is walking in the shoes of Jesus. He was comforting when he helped us through the funerals of both my parents....and their ashes are buried in the cremation garden at St Ed's. Thank you Father Mike for everything.
It is time for the archbishop
It is time for the archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis step down. You are not doing God's work, only harming lives of good, loving people.
Bravo to Father Tegeder! God
Bravo to Father Tegeder!
God is love......loving committed relationships are not only healthy but holy.
John Greenleaf
Committed same sex
Committed same sex relationships: religious orders for centuries. Have those relationships not been an inspiration to millions.
This is uncalled for. Think
This is uncalled for. Think what you want about cloistered lifestyle, but don't bring it into the Minnesota DVD discussion.
How is same sex marriage a
How is same sex marriage a threat to heterosexual marriage? Does anyone think that if same-sex marriage is legalized people will run out of their marriages to marry their best friend? This can only be projection on Nienstedt's behalf.
The western world has limited
The western world has limited marriage to one man and one woman since time of Roman Republic even before Christ. While it wrong to judge and anyone can repent, but at the same it wrong to approve of sin and say in is ok. What is next allowing one Man to have several wives as in the Middle East, or one woman to have several husbands as some parts of Asia? The current arguments to being used to support gay marriage could also be used to support polygamy or group marriages. Please Read 1 Corinthians 6 9 thru 17 where the bible comments on gay sex.
"The western world has
"The western world has limited marriage to one man and one woman since time of Roman Republic even before Christ."
Yes, and it took Vatican II for the Church of Rome to finally condemn slavery. (It's called doctrinal development.)
"Please [r]ead 1 Corinthians...where the bible comments on gay sex."
Please read the four canonical gospels where Jesus tells us to love our neighbor but says nothing about gay marriage. (Perhaps he was challenging our ancestors to figure out the meaning of love for themselves?)
It does not mean sexual
It does not mean sexual love!! It was written in Greek and used the Greek word for brotherly love or friendship in English it translates to just love.
I think we can take a clue
I think we can take a clue from how the Latin very often translates the Greek αγαπη (agape). Very often, it gets translated verbally as "dillego", which has connotations of respect and esteem. Therefore I think the term has more to do with deep abiding respect and esteem than anything else.
If you wish to think of
If you wish to think of homosexuality as a sin that is your right, but the marriage that we are talking about is CIVIL marriage, not church marriage, and your religious views should not come into play regarding this issue. You cannot deny rights to certain citizens that are granted to other citizens. I am in a Committed 10year relationship with my partner and we go to church regularly as a matter of fact my partner is on church council. So we can love God and go to church believe it or not. Your bible argumet is full of holes as well because the bible also says we can have slaves and we should Smite our enemies and we should sacrifice animals, Unless you are doing any or all of those things, then your bible argument is full of crap. You dont want me to be married in your church fine I can deal with that because as far as I am concerned I am married in my heart. but if I cant be married in a civil marriage then I shouldnt have to pay taxes. What ever happened to LOVE THY NEIGHBOR, JUDGE NOT OTHERS LEST YOU BE JUDGED, TURN THE OTHER CHEEK, these are the rules I try to live my life by not, Hate those not like me! god bless
You should hate the sin, but
You should hate the sin, but not judge the sinner if you read the original comment “While it wrong to judge and anyone can repent, but at the same it wrong to approve of sin and say in is ok” You appear to be saying we should encourage this sin.
Anonymous, your comments
Anonymous, your comments sounds like it is out of the 19th century or before! Most knowledgeable, informed individuals recognize that homosexual love is as "normal" as heterosexual love, albeit not in as great a percentage of the population. There is no 'sin' attached to homosexual orientation, unless you are a fundamentalist Catholic. Do you really want to be associated and identified with a Middle Ages understanding of the human condition? I'm sure that you do not. Think about it, and please try to break out of what you were taught as a child.
I believe the just resolution
I believe the just resolution to the issue is that civil gov no longer recognize marriage (hetero or homosexual) it is a religious institution.
What the gov presently recognizes is not what we as catholics regard as marriage. If that name were changed the implications would change. The word marriage has sexual and religious implications. Civil unions as mere legal contracts would be much less likely to confuse or offend.
The Bible was not written in
The Bible was not written in English and was not written yesterday. Those words of Paul are rendered variously in many different ways in the multitude of English translations out there. Most likely, Paul was speaking of ritual prostitution, which was a form of worship common among the more hedonistic Greek cults of Paul's time. (If calling an ancient Greek cult hedonistic isn't somehow redundant, that is.)
Before you throw stones at
Before you throw stones at others for polygamous relationships perhaps you should read the Old Testament--especially David, and while you are keeping track of all his wives be sure to check out David's relationship with Jonathon.
Christ standards in the NEW
Christ standards in the NEW Testament are different in some cases than the Old Testament. That is one of the reasons the Chief Priests hated Christ.
at least you didn't use the
at least you didn't use the bestiality or pedophilia comparisons -- For your information, wedding services were first held for same-sex marriages in the early few hundred years of the church, so says John Bosworth In his epic research on Holy Unions thru the Centuries -- Please do your research before you make these wrong comments -- Tom
I not aware of anywhere on
I not aware of anywhere on earth where a person can marry an Animal so bestiality does not apply so the "western world" poster above is correct in not including it. The "western world" poster should of included pedophilia because to this day in the Middle East a man can add a 9 year girl to his wives. Your research is wrong gay marriage were never allowed in the church.
Thomas Aquinas tells us that
Thomas Aquinas tells us that polygamy is not in discord with natural law, and missiologists have argued for the acceptance of African traditions of polygamy. Jacob had four wives, and they mothered between them the twelve tribes of Israel.
So Mr O'Leary you support
So Mr O'Leary you support polygamy in Civil marriages?
Can we say narrow-minded?
Can we say narrow-minded? Have you ever been friends or even interacted with homosexuals? Their love is no different than heterosexuals. Love is love. They are TWO people who are in love who wish to be joined legally. This is not about polygamy or group marriages. Anything can be turned around to support something worse. Nice try at the straw-man fallacy my friend, but as the fallacy name implies, your logic is flawed.
Love is love,sex is sex...and
Love is love,sex is sex...and whether or not two persons should ever engage in sexual activity with each other is determined before all else by the requirement that they be of opposite sexes.Love never suffices.(Polygamy and group marriages are fine with me IF all sexual activity is between consenting adults of OPPOSITE sexes...absolutely NO criterion is more important).Nobody's saying anything's innately bad about homosexuals other than their UNCONSCIONABLY bad taste in sex partners.A flaw is a flaw,call it what it is...I don't pretend that my nearsightedness is "equal" to the superior vision that is the ONLY kind anyone SHOULD have,
Please read the biblical
Please read the biblical commentaries on 1Cor. 6:9-17. This passage lists the vices of the pagans during this time. It involves sexual activity divorced from commitment and love. You are right is comment on "gay sex" used at that time by many heteroexuals. It involved neither commitment or love. Sorry, your self-righteousness does not convince me.
1 Corinthians 6 9 thru 17
1 Corinthians 6 9 thru 17 speaks for it self it ranks many types of sins as equal: Chapter 6 9Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 12"Everything is permissible for me"?but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"?but I will not be mastered by anything. 13"Food for the stomach and the stomach for food"?but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh." 17But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
Umm.....where is the Lord's
Umm.....where is the Lord's gospel message in your comments???
Just for example: In Matthew 10 and Luke 10, Jesus associates Sodom and Gomorrah with refusal to extend hospitality to the traveler, not with homosexuality.
One thing about right-wing, fundamentalist commenters: Always quoting the Letters --- but never Jesus!
"And Jesus wept."
The Bible also says, A
The Bible also says,
A Marriage shall be considered valid ONLY if the wife is a virgin. If the wife is not a virgin, she shall be executed. [Deuteronomy 22:13-21]
We should not shave [Leviticus 19-27]
Curse [epesians 5-4]
Eat shell fish [Leviticus 11-10]
Eat pork [Leviticus 11-7]
Use any part of the pig [exodus 20-8] so that’s football out
Mix blends of thread or yarns [Leviticus 19-19] so there is most of your wardrobe out
If u r a real and true Christian you will know its not our place to hold ourselves higher than another human and sit in judgement and that in cludes the Catholic church.
Humans are not the only animal to have homosexual activities there are something like another 108 species,, sadly we are the only one that is prejudice-which is not Christian. I would urge all to look within, everyone should have the same rights and until all humans are equal there are no humans with equality.
Who provided the dough for
Who provided the dough for these DVS? The Koch brothers?
It seems the money spent on 400,000 DVD's containing Nienstedt's drivel could have been put to much better use, i.e. soup kitchens, clinics for the poor in St. Paul, orphanages for those children from which so many gay couples are trying to adopt children, perhaps? Oh well, at least this pompous ass didn't spend it on a cappa magna , or one of those silly jeweled pointey hats.
Archbishop Nienstedt is a textbook example of how irrelevant the hierarchy has become.
If A=X and X=0 then A=0. A
If A=X and X=0 then A=0.
A homosexual relationship has a perpetually defined worth of 0 because it is homosexual.
If a heterosexual relationship is not legally of greater worth,then there is no reason for anyone to marry.If same-sex marriage is not stopped,then I (a non-religious person who takes the necessary and largely unknowable Infinitely First Cause too seriously to pretend it writes books or has an official fan club) can never marry anywhere in good conscience.No marriage can have any worth to me unless it is not religious and not allowed to same-sex couples.Uniting males to females is the sole useful purpose of marriage and the state has no comparable,let alone equal,interest in same-sex relationships.No criterion other than the requirement that the parties be of opposite sexes is remotely as important.
Marriage will be gutted of
Marriage will be gutted of its meaning if any man and man, woman and woman, dog and cat, three women and five men, etc. etc. can get married. God gave mankind marriage as a union between a man and a woman with the purpose of creating stable environments for children to be raised. This is one of the final stages in the destruction of the family as God intended it. But satan wil not win in the end.
"Marriage will be gutted of
"Marriage will be gutted of its meaning if..."
O, baloney!!!
Thank you so much for this
Thank you so much for this article. I could not have said it better. It is about love for all.
This whole thing has stopped so many people from financially contributing to the Archdiocese that Bishop Nienstedt might begin to see the mistakes of the battles he is going after.
Calling it bullying fits so perfectly in the way that I feel regarding the DVD. As a Christian Catholic household we do not accept this rightous hatred in any format.
When over a million dollars can be spent on such matters they do not need my contribution.
Thank you,
Kathy
I appreciate your courage. I
I appreciate your courage. I absolutely agree with what you are saying. I think you have a large following of people who agree with you. I think it is important that people think for themselves, aided by their experience and education and that of the community they serve. I am grateful to you.
Yes, this priest is
Yes, this priest is courageous. My prayer is that all priests who share his lovingkindness will stand up too and tell the bishops they are wrong. Too long have I heard how long it will take, how many (maybe most) priests and laity agree and just pay the heirarchy no mind. But that is not the courageous way to resist.
Yes, this priest is courageous. So must we all be courageous.
Having ministered to one of
Having ministered to one of the first AIDS research units at a University hospital, I can assure you that I came to know many committed relationships until death parted them. Why can't we support and enccourage this fidelity?
I couldn't agree with Fr. Tegeder more.
John E.Keegan, M.M.
Bless you for the work you've
Bless you for the work you've done to serve those that so many would have crossed the street to avoid.
Fidelity to continued
Fidelity to continued wrongdoing is not fidelity worth praise.Being same-sex makes same-sex sex wrong,always,for everyone,and forever.Emotional attachment can only excuse sexual activity if the persons are of opposite sexes.
"Emotional attachment can
"Emotional attachment can only excuse sexual activity if the persons are of opposite sexes."
Well, it's apparent you are mistaken.
On the contrary,the fact that
On the contrary,the fact that our species has two sexes means I can not possibly be mistaken.
Having ministered to one of
Having ministered to one of the first AIDS research units at a University hospital, I can assure you that I came to know many committed relationships until death parted them. Why can't we support and enccourage this fidelity?
I couldn't agree with Fr. Tegeder more.
John E.Keegan, M.M.
And how much money did the
And how much money did the diocese pay and how much money did the K of C pay...money that isn't their's to spend on political propaganda...I live in another diocese, but have life insurance with the K of C, so my $$ help underwrite their charitable giving...this DVD certainly isn't charitable in any meaning of the term.
Mr. Anderson, stop spending my money on propaganda to stir up hate and use it for real charity to people in need.
The real charity is the truth
The real charity is the truth as we find it in the Scriptures (without spinning).
Why is it the churches place
Why is it the churches place to impose their truth on those who do not wish it. All the while being supported by tax payers.
Feed the hungry, heal the
Feed the hungry, heal the sick, clothe the naked.
Are those not truths found in Scripture? Yet these DVDs accomplish none of those things.
Yes, I suppose you mean "love
Yes, I suppose you mean "love is the fulfilment of the law" "love covers a multitude of sins" and "the letter kills, the spirit gives life".
I could not have said ot
I could not have said ot better myself.
I am very proud of Pastor
I am very proud of Pastor Tegeder for standing up to the bullying of Bishop Nienstedt in relation to the issue of marriage equality. How dare this Bishop attempt to speak for his flock without consulting them. If he did, he would find a great deal more support for Pastor Tegeder's position than he thinks John.
So the way "we" determine
So the way "we" determine issues of faith and morals is by polling or public opinion? If so, you have lost your case. Need I remind you about the actual vote outcomes of every state that has put it to the ballot?
I would stake my life on this statement: The vast majority of Roman Catholics support the Churches teaching on marriage.
What's wrong with polling
What's wrong with polling public opinion on an issue? It's certainly one way for a hierarch to gauge the sense of the faithful.
Sorry but morality is not a
Sorry but morality is not a relativistic issue that requires polling to gauge the sense of the faithful. The Church has every right and indeed obligation to protect it.
Post new comment