HERE'S WHAT YOU SAID

Yesterday there was a gathering of priests at St. Francis de Sales in Akron.  There are far fewer of these type of events than there was in "the day."  But they are essential.  It is why I regularly try to have guys (priests and seminarians) over to St. Sebastian.  Like you, we are not going from parish to parish hearing what the other guys are saying or how they are handling situations.  Besides doing such things as reading blogs, going on the diocesan website, or gleaning what you will from the USCCB, we too are on little islands wondering if we are in step.

So yesterday there was a lot of "shop talk."  "What did you say?  Where did you get that?  How was it received?  Are you still talking about it?  It was very interesting.  It's not that we don't know Church teaching, that much is clear, but how does it relate?  How is it received?  What is the best language to put across the message?"

It is all so new and so very complicated.  Too often people simplify the issues not realizing how "ball of twine" they are.  One must be careful about moving one sting for in doing so you disturb many others.

For example: hall rental.  Some parish, some where, is going to turn down a hall rental because someone wants to have a same sex wedding in the building.  They are going to be sued.  "What do we care what happens in our halls?" someone might legitimately ask.  "Let them do their thing and you are better for having the rental fee."

Then on the other side of town a teacher is fired because they had a very public same sex wedding, tantamount to promoting it in the Catholic school.  This person sues.  Then it comes up, "So, you will rent your hall, allow marriages on your property, but you are going to fire my client?"

Eh.  These are the things that I think about.

Anyway, 62% of you (out of 67) said that you received some guidance at your parish through the homily and another 10% say it was inferred.  Hurray for your priests who at least made an attempt to make the readings and Mass relevant to today!  But 22% said they heard nothing.

I remember being at a parish (as a lay person, I'm not THAT old) when Princess Diana died and walking out of Mass that weekend hearing a few people say, "I just knew he wouldn't mention her!"  No matter your personal opinion on the worthiness of the event, it was big news on people's minds.  How can you not at least make reference to it?

"And how many opportunities are lost because you didn't see the lesson in life that God had for you in life's ordinary events?"  (I put that in quotes but it is a slaughtering of a quote that I am too lazy to go look up.)

40% of you said that what you received was helpful while 22% said it was somewhat helpful.  36% said it was anywhere from none existent to harmful.  Hmmmmmm.  Let me know if anyone out there might be able to offer suggestions as to what might be offered to help information to be more useful.

BECAUSE 57% of you said you would like this to be discussed more (even though 19% said, "Okay, enough!")  

Granted, this was not an exhaustive or comprehensive survey but it was still very helpful feedback.  Sending out a prayer today for all of you and all concerned (either way) on this issue.

P T A IN PEACE

“So do you really think that the government is going to force you to do gay marriages?” he asked out of the blue.  The guy is always provocative, (Did you know that the disciples were Communists?) and the conversation, to say the least, interesting.

 

“It really doesn’t matter because we won’t.”

 

“But do you really think they’ll try?”

 

“I don’t know.  We’ll have to wait and see.”  My bigger concern at the moment is other fall out.  I envision a line of lawsuits more aimed at human resource issues or other pressure concerning what is preached at Catholic and likeminded Churches and institutions.

 

“I believe in marriage equality.”

 

“But that only works if you change the very definition and purpose of marriage as it has been understood for thousands of years.”

 

“Gay people have always been accepted in most cultures.”  The exact nature of this statement is debatable.  The most prominent of examples were almost always connected to marriage between a man and woman such as in Roman times.  But that is not the point.  It is easy to get sidetracked.  The discussion was not about any person and whether that person is worthy of dignity and respect, but a debate about the definition of marriage.

 

“That may be, but we are talking about same sex marriage which was not.”

 

“You do know that marriage is just a man made construct?”  Another curve ball and debatable if one is willing to engage.

 

“If we throw out the Bible and natural law you might be able to make that statement.”

 

“I don’t get my definitions from a book.”

 

“Ah.”

 

“Sorry, I just don’t”

 

“Okay.”  If you cannot bring in Western culture, natural law, or the Bible, then he is absolutely correct: Law is whatever those with power say it is and there is nothing left to be said.

 

There is a break in the conversation.  Then he adds, “I’m going to (some place) next week.  My daughter is getting married to another woman.”

 

That last comment is important.  It has absolutely nothing to do with above debate about the definition of marriage.  But it lets you know how intimate a topic this is for the person.  This is why it is essential that the conversation never become too heated, too personal.  The conversation would not have lasted longer than a sentence and you would have been marked as an angry bitter person and written off. 

 

Pray, think, act in peace.