One report claims the Pope actually responded:
In their letter, a group of gay and lesbian Catholics organized into the group, Kairos of Florence, asked for openness and dialogue, noting that closure to discussion "always feeds homophobia." The members were shocked to receive a personal response to their appeal from Pope Francis. One leader of the group told La Repubblica "no one had ever even given a nod of response" before. The Kairos group said they also received a letter from the Vatican Secretariat of State, which informed them that Pope Francis "really enjoyed" their letter to him and the way it was written, calling it an act of "spontaneous confidence."
The group had written to Pope Francis in a personal appeal to to be recognized as people and not as a "category." A leader of the impromptu committee said as gay Catholics they had in the past written to other members of the church leadership in Italy and had always before been rewarded with silence. - Source
This is what is so amazing - to me at least - in view of what's been going on in my town.
If the story is true, that means that the Holy Father actually acknowledged, recognized the group - he confirmed that they actually exist, in doing so, he recognized their humanity. But first, he listened. He listened. Then - if the report is true - he responded to their concerns. He responded to them.
It doesn't mean Church teaching can or will change. That's not the point.
He responded to them.
"He responded to them."
ReplyDeleteAmen...just as our Lord Jesus Christ would do. To be taken into consideration, and to know one is considered, that is a blessing that can heal wounds.
The America article states that Kairos of Florence decided to keep the Pope's response private.
ReplyDeleteBecause he said "Dude, give it up. You're single and called to celibacy. Deal."
ReplyDeleteI hope COURAGE is given an official status in the Church as Fr Check thought possible before year's end.
ReplyDeleteServus - I hope that happens as well. It's curious, don't you think, how so many churchmen dislike Courage and have tried to keep it down, as it were.
ReplyDeleteI think a very large proportion of Churchmen dislike COURAGE. There are no Courage apostolates in most dioceses in this country.
DeleteLest anyone mistake my intention here - the fact that he responded is significant in so far as it provides an opportunity to make clear Church teaching in a pastoral manner.
ReplyDeleteI have never received a response from Rome from any of my concerns except once a letter telling me I should have sent the letter to some other dicastery.
ReplyDeleteNow I have to wonder. If I wrote about my concerns to Rome would I be likely to get a response? It seems the only ones who do are atheists and public sinners. I'm reminded of the way the Republicans treat pro-lifers. We have no place to go so we aren't worth noticing. I'm starting to feel that way about Pope Francis. The faithful have nowhere to go so we aren't worth noticing.
Am I being petulant? I don't want to be like the older brother and, heaven knows, I want the salvation of all those who are in serious sin. But does anyone care about the faithful who have watched their children leave the faith because of bad governance and the disgraceful irresponsibility of the bishops who let evil sex ed into Catholic schools and gave kids coloring book fluff instead of the faith?
Mary Ann,
DeleteIt is so very sad your story. I will remember to pray for you and yours and will hope that if you ever do decide to write to Pope Francis that he will reply to you. That he will know that the faithful, in far off places, need his tenderness and encouragement as well.
The thought of so many lost sheep wandering around sanctuaries makes me sad...I will try to remember them too in prayer as I know only too well what it is to be lost.
Mary Ann - your point is well taken. In this archdiocese as well as others, not only are the dissidents rebuffed, so are concerned faithful Catholics. There is an organization in the Twin Cities called Catholic Parents Online and they have been frequently ignored or dismissed for their concerns. likewise not a few parents have been brushed off with their concerns about Catholic schools, priests such as those the archdiocese is embroiled in scandal over, and so on.
ReplyDeleteIf the Holy Father thinks these matters ought to be handled by the local diocese, hopefully he will change the type of clericalism which rejects the concerns of Catholic laity in the Church already.
Thanks for posting Mary Ann.
Mary Ann,
ReplyDeleteYou'll never know if you don't give Pope Francis a try. Supposedly he doesn't have "handlers" like the previous two popes did, but I don't know how he sifts through his mail. He simply has to have people helping with that.
Our family was very negatively affected by the whole Legionaries of Christ scandal (we were fairly heavily involved with the outfit). One of the facts that struck me the most during my research into the true history of the Legion was that Maciel's victims had written JPII several times describing in detail the horrors they had experienced at the hands of Maciel. They never received an answer; instead they had to keep witnessing JPII congratulate and raise Maciel up as an "efficacious guide to youth." Some of them lost the faith, but some of them stayed Catholic, and I am simply in awe of that kind of faith. I don't blame the ones who just couldn't hang on any longer, but those who did absolutely amaze me.
The story is that JPII's "handlers" kept all such information from him. Who knows. So the same kind of thing might be happening with PF's mail. But like I said, I still think it is worth a try.