The Vatican and homosexuality.THE STATEMENT BY the Vatican on homosexual seminarians and priests confirms the hierarchy's underlying absolute certitude cer·ti·tude n. 1. The state of being certain; complete assurance; confidence. 2. Sureness of occurrence or result; inevitability. 3. that just about all sex is sinful and the sex drive, leading inevitably to sin, has only one barely tolerable function, that of procreation PROCREATION. The generation of children; it is an act authorized by the law of nature: one of the principal ends of marriage is the procreation of children. Inst. tit. 2, in pr. . To have anything to do with sex disqualifies one from a holy life and certainly from the ranks of the clergy. The asexuality a·sex·u·al adj. 1. Having no evident sex or sex organs; sexless. 2. Relating to, produced by, or involving reproduction that occurs without the union of male and female gametes, as in binary fission or budding. 3. of monasticism monasticism (mənăs`tĭsĭzəm, mō–), form of religious life, usually conducted in a community under a common rule. is the one true form of spiritual living. The document on homosexuality in the priesthood only reinforced what is already required of all who aspire to consecrated con·se·crate tr.v. con·se·crat·ed, con·se·crat·ing, con·se·crates 1. To declare or set apart as sacred: consecrate a church. 2. Christianity a. ranks in the church. No matter what sexual orientation sexual orientation n. The direction of one's sexual interest toward members of the same, opposite, or both sexes, especially a direction seen to be dictated by physiologic rather than sociologic forces. one has been given, the requirements are: 1. No sexual activity for a specified period before ordination. 2. No deeply rooted sexual tendencies (as Paul advised, if you burn, get married). 3. No familiarity with any sexual culture (bars, movies, porn, machismo machismo Exaggerated pride in masculinity, perceived as power, often coupled with a minimal sense of responsibility and disregard of consequences. In machismo there is supreme valuation of characteristics culturally associated with the masculine and a denigration of ). In short--live asexually a·sex·u·al adj. 1. Having no evident sex or sex organs; sexless. 2. Relating to, produced by, or involving reproduction that occurs without the union of male and female gametes, as in binary fission or budding. 3. . We should not be led astray by the hierarchical attempt to target homosexuality as THE bad sex drive, when in reality it is ALL sex that is targeted. The use of our sexuality is a powerful God-given gift to express our love for one another and collaborate in God's creation and not a talent to be buried (as priests are supposed to do). The people of God know this and live it every day. We need a different theology of sex, one that defines and supports a healthy, normal and holy use of this gift, one that is developed and formulated by those who have experienced it, lived with it, sinned with it, loved with it, co-created life with it and not by those who have dedicated themselves to avoiding it at all costs. Homosexuality is not the real issue here. SEX is. Don't be fooled. One wonders how many apostles Jesus would have gotten using these new guidelines. Eleven at most and probably a lot fewer. No wonder there is a priest shortage! ROBERT SCHUTZIUS Secretary, Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church www.arccsites.org AS MARY HUNT NOTED, THE kyriarchal antagonism to homosexuality is connected to the bishops' view of sexuality as virtuous only if it is open to procreation. The control of sexuality and the concomitant gender inequality is the primary concern--not homosexuality per se. The kyriarchy's vehement opposition to contraception and homosexuality is rooted in Augustine's view that sexual pleasure is sinful in itself and can only be justified if the sexual act is open to procreation. Paul VI (1968) and John Paul II John Paul II, 1920–2005, pope (1978–2005), a Pole (b. Wadowice) named Karol Józef Wojtyła; successor of John Paul I. He was the first non-Italian pope elected since the Dutch Adrian VI (1522–23) and the first Polish and Slavic pope. (1981) used Augustinian theology in condemning "artificial" contraception. Augustine separates love and sexuality. He connected sexual intercourse sexual intercourse or coitus or copulation Act in which the male reproductive organ enters the female reproductive tract (see reproductive system). and sexual pleasure to the transmission of original sin. In Augustine's view, sexual pleasure darkens the mind and weakens the will, lowering humans to the animal level. The only valid use of sexuality is if procreation is possible. If the kyriarchy accepts the evidence presented by Hunt, it would be unable to argue against contraception for heterosexual couples since homosexual intimacy is not open to procreation. The kyriarchy would need to accept the value of the expression of sexual love as inherent to human life apart from procreation, and base sexual ethics on nurturing relationships rather than procreation. The unbending, absolutist campaign against contraception is connected to the assault on homosexuality. Catholics, who have long depended upon their own consciences in regard to birth control, need to understand that the reasoning behind the kyriarchy's condemnation of homosexuality is the same for contraception. DORIS ISOLINI NELSON Los Angeles |
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