"The decision [by Charamsa] to make such a pointed statement on the eve of the opening of the synod appears very serious and irresponsible, since it aims to subject the synod assembly to undue media pressure."For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:
-- Rev. Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman
Pope Warns of Gay Agenda Threat to Institution of Marriage
Pope Refutes Homosexualists: Kids Need Mom & Dad
Vatican Says Gay Agenda is 'a Defeat for Humanity'
Pope Said the Gay Agenda is the Work of the Devil
Also read a case study in how the media distort their "pet pope:" Pope Francis vs. Obama's Abortion & Gay Agenda
-- From "Pope opens synod; calls for welcoming Church but no gay marriage" by Philip Pullella, Reuters 10/4/15
Francis presided at a solemn Mass in St. Peter's Basilica to open the meeting, known as a synod, on the theme of the family in the modern world.
"This is God’s dream for his beloved creation: to see it fulfilled in the loving union between a man and a woman, rejoicing in their shared journey, fruitful in their mutual gift of self," he said.
He also spoke of the "true meaning of the couple and of human sexuality in God's plan," a clear reference to heterosexual marriage.
One key topic at the synod will be how to reach out to Catholics who have divorced and remarried in civil ceremonies.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Vatican fires gay priest on eve of synod" by the Associated Press 10/3/15
The Vatican took action after Krzysztof Charamsa, a mid-level official in its doctrine office, came out in newspaper interviews in Italy and Poland saying he was happy and proud to be a gay priest, and that he was in love with a man whom he identified as his boyfriend.
Charamsa, 43, initially planned a press conference in front of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith's office, but moved it to central Rome after the Vatican action. He was joined by his companion, identified only as Eduard.
Charamsa told reporters that the timing of his disclosure was not related to the bishops meeting on the family, but said he hoped it might add "a Christian voice" to the synod that is expected to address how the Church can better minister to the homosexual faithful.
"I have to say who I am. I am a gay priest. I am a happy and proud gay priest," he told Gazeta Wyborcza.
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From "Pope Asserts Marriage Is Forever at Start of Family Meeting" by Nicole Winfield, Associated Press 10/4/15
A first meeting of bishops ended last October with no consensus on how to better welcome gays and divorced and civilly remarried Catholics in the church. Conservatives insisted that Catholic doctrine is clear and unchanging. Progressives acknowledged the doctrine but sought wiggle room in pastoral practice.
Cardinal George Pell, the Vatican's finance manager who is firmly in the conservative camp, predicted little more than a reaffirmation of the status quo would emerge in Round 2, albeit with perhaps better explanation as to why the status quo exists.
"It's quite impossible for there to be any change in the church's teaching on Communion for the divorced and remarried," Pell said on the sidelines of a conference last week about helping gays overcome their homosexual tendencies.
The conference was one of many initiatives launched by conservatives in the run-up to the synod aimed at reasserting traditional Catholic teaching on homosexuality, which holds that gays are to be respected but that homosexual acts are "intrinsically disordered."
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From "Pope defends marriage, hetero couples after gay priest bombshell" by Jean-Louis De La Vaissiere, AFP (posted at Yahoo News) 10/3/15
During a mass to mark the three-week meeting of Roman Catholic bishops, the pope delivered a homily on "solitude, love between man and woman, and the family".
He referred to Genesis, the first book of the Bible, as a bedrock for understanding human relationships.
"God," the pope said, "joins the hearts of two people who love one another... (and) joins them together in unity and indissolubility."
Homosexuality is just one of a wide range of topics to be discussed at the synod, and some prelates have called for it not be included in the programme, according to Church sources.
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Also read Pope Francis Says Wayward Politicians Can't Take Communion
