Father Nathan Reesman is scheduled to speak on this topic at the February 17th 2019 meeting of Milwaukee's chapter of Catholics United for the Faith, to be held at 2:00 pm at St. John the Evangelist Church, 8500 West Cold Spring Road, Greenfield, Wisconsin (following 1:45 pm Rosary).
More in the CUF-Milwaukee January 2019 Newsletter
For a few years now I have had the privilege to walk with men and women who experience same sex attraction, and who desire to live an integrated life of wholeness and joy, in fidelity to the demands of chastity.continue at Exsulare
They do not like the terms “gay” or “lesbian” because they understand that whole, healthy persons do not reduce themselves to their mere parts, or to labels that can put them in boxes for years to come.
These same men and women also understand the pitfalls of sharing their own sexual struggles and attractions with wide audiences. Occasionally some of them may prayerfully discern the need for a carefully delivered witness talk about their story in support of the Church’s teachings, but such situations should be the exception rather than the norm. In our modern culture where the prevailing approach to sexuality is to speak without restraint, the people that I walk with attempt to take a very different approach that treats such topics with the delicacy, modesty, and sacred veiling that they deserve. We are not meant to live as though we are turned inside out, and doing so is not necessary for healthy integration.
The mass media ignore the pro-life position or they mock it and undermine people like me as angry fundamentalists clinging to religion and guns. The mass media are lined up with the powers of the state to promote the agenda of the Culture of Death in a way that will over ride all democratic processes to impose the Culture of Death on all citizens. With increased surveillance and increased domestic police powers, and fueled with this rage, I’m scared. It will not take much at all to tip over into a secular totalitarian state with an aggressive Culture of Death agenda.
August 10 -11, 2012 – Catechetical Conference on Two Difficult Moral Issues: Same-Sex Attraction and Contraception, Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin
Obtain the help that is needed to present key Church teaching on same-sex attraction and contraception in a pastoral manner. Fr. Check, the International Director of Courage, which ministers to persons with same-sex attraction and their loved ones, will guide us in how to teach with pastoral charity and doctrinal clarity regarding homosexuality. Alice Heinzen, NFP Coordinator for the Diocese of La Crosse, will present the Catholic position on love and how it impacts human dignity, with a focus on contraception. Register by calling 608-791-2658 by July 20th. Fee $45. Email questions to Susan at SSkemp@dioceseoflacrosse.com
If you’re married to a woman, how can you really be gay?
This is a really good question and I can see how people can be confused about it. Some might assume that because I’m married to a woman, I must be bisexual. This would be true if sexual orientation was defined by sexual experience. Heck, if sexual orientation were defined by sexual experience, I would be as straight as the day is long even though I’ve never been turned on by a Victoria’s Secret commercial in my entire life. Sexual orientation is defined by attraction, not by experience. In my case, I am attracted sexually to men. Period. Yet my marriage is wonderful, and Lolly and I have an extremely healthy and robust sex life. How can this be?
The truth is, what people are really asking with the above question is “how can you be gay if your primary sex partner is a girl?” I didn’t fully understand the answer to this question until I was doing research on sexuality in grad school even though I had been happily married for almost five years at that point. I knew that I was gay, and I also knew that sex with my wife was enjoyable. But I didn’t understand how that was happening. Here is the basic reality that I actually think many people could use a lesson in: sex is about more than just visual attraction and lust and it is about more than just passion and infatuation. I won’t get into the boring details of the research here, but basically when sex is done right, at its deepest level it is about intimacy. It is about one human being connecting with another human being they love. It is a beautiful physical manifestation of two people being connected in a truly vulnerable, intimate manner because they love each other profoundly. It is bodies connecting and souls connecting. It is beautiful and rich and fulfilling and spiritual and amazing. Many people never get to this point in their sex lives because it requires incredible communication, trust, vulnerability, and connection. And Lolly and I have had that from day one, mostly because we weren’t distracted by the powerful chemicals of infatuation and obsession that usually bring a couple together (which dwindle dramatically after the first few years of marriage anyway). So, in a weird way, the circumstances of our marriage allowed us to build a sexual relationship that is based on everything partners should want in their sex-life: intimacy, communication, genuine love and affection. This has resulted in us having a better sex life than most people I personally know. Most of whom are straight. Go fig.
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| Marquette InterVarsity |
Apparently, an officer of the Marquette Intervarsity Christian Fellowship came “out of the closet” as gay. He made it quite clear that he disagreed with the organization’s interpretation of Christian teaching about homosexuality (which happens to be essentially identical to Catholic teaching about homosexuality).But low and behold someone in the Marquette administration upheld the rights of a Christian group by overruling two lower admins:
He admitted to having a homosexual affair with another male, and made it clear that he did not intend to break it off. He was dismissed as an officer.
He complained to Student Affairs at Marquette, apparently claiming he was discriminated against because of his sexual orientation.
Belling reported that the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship has been suspended at Marquette on the basis of this complaint.
The decision was appealed to Dean of Students Stephanie Quade who just this morning reversed the ruling and lifted the suspension.LifeSiteNews picked up the story as well and quoted Marquette Warrior
The group will be on probation for a year for violating a narrow clause of their constitution specifying the procedures for dismissing an officer. The organization will also have to submit to a review of their constitution. It is unclear, at the moment, what changes (if any) might be required in that document.
It appears, however, that Marquette has conceded the right of a campus Christian organization to hold officers to Christian standards of sexual conduct.
McAdams credits conservative Milwaukee radio personality Mark Belling for breaking the story last Tuesday.
“It’s good that Marquette backed away from punishing a group for insisting that its officers adhere to Christian standards of sexual conduct,” McAdams told LSN. “But there is such a thing as a ‘chilling effect.’ Other student groups are likely to back away from anything that is disapproved by the gay lobby because they simply don’t want the hassle. Only a minority of students enjoy doing battle.”
Since the suspension was overturned, McAdams suggested that the consequences of the university’s decision for Catholic higher education are “perhaps not much.” “But,” he said, “had it been upheld, other ‘Catholic’ universities would have been emboldened to do the same.”
Also a few promising notes on the COURAGE apostolate.I am pleased to send you the brochure for this year’s annual conference, returning to Mundelein on August 4-7. We will dedicate our time together to the memory of Fr. John Harvey, OSFS, in gratitude for his spiritual fatherhood. I have asked several of our speakers to share their reflections on Fr. Harvey’s influence in their lives and his role in leading Courage and EnCourage for almost three decades.
As you will see, we are blessed with a wonderful lineup of speakers and participants. His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke, Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, will offer the opening Mass, and he will give the opening talk that evening. The Cardinal was a close friend of Father Harvey, going back to the days prior to his being made Bishop of La Crosse, WI. His Eminence is one of Courage’s most faithful and strongest promoters among the Church’s shepherds.
Four other prelates will also join us. Bishop Thomas Olmstead of Phoenix will offer Mass on Friday and give a talk that morning. Longtime former Courage chaplain Bishop John LeVoir of New Ulm, MN will offer Mass on Saturday, and Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, IL will offer the closing Mass on Sunday. Longtime former Courage chaplain Bishop Mark Seitz, auxiliary bishop of Dallas, will also join us on Thursday and Friday. Fr. Benedict Groeschel and Dr. Richard Fitzgibbons will also be with us.
We have worked hard to keep the cost of the conference as low as possible: $350. If you need a scholarship, please apply for consideration by writing a letter to the main office. If you would like to provide a scholarship, please let me know or simply send your gift to the office. May God reward your generosity.
I also want to thank Michelle Willis for her great work with our new website. We have many plans to continue to expand its content. And though he did not make the move to the new office in CT, Angelo continues to be an invaluable help as a part-time contractor. I cannot imagine not relying on his experience and expertise. Also, he and Jerry work closely together on many tasks.HT Father Z
Please think back for a moment to the day before you heard about Courage or EnCourage. You were very likely searching for answers, understanding, compassion, guidance and help…in short, the pastoral charity of the Church. Sadly, we know that many people are not aware of Courage and EnCourage, for a variety of reasons. To address that challenge, we are undertaking two projects.
- First, EWTN has invited Courage to produce a 5 part series (30 minute segments) covering material very similar to what we present at a clergy study day, and to include EnCourage.
- The second project, which I believe holds considerable promise for reaching many people, is a documentary film. We are still considering the form and scope of this work, and in time I will be grateful for suggestions and assistance, as I desire that the finished product reflect a lived-experience of Courage and EnCourage members that will offer hope for many other people. We want as wide an audience as possible.
