Voris covers 'not born that way'.

Isn't this a nice photo of Michael?

The truth needs to be repeated ...

Been there done that - but it does bear repeating, and Voris covers it well.  But he's kind of preaching to the choir.  So much has been written and discussed and there has been several 'developments' over just the past decade - since I began blogging.  That said - read Michael's transcript here.

The only people who will really be paying attention are the CMTV followers and fans.  That is what I mean by preaching to the choir.  That said, there are problems with the one size fits all - or one guy's experience fits all, which may be a better way to phrase that.  I get the feeling Michael will be repeating all the teachings, and that is fine - it's a great way to establish one's fidelity to Catholic doctrine and moral teaching, as well as a means to convey that one is faithful to a chaste, celibate lifestyle.  All that good stuff.  And I mean it - it is good stuff - and you gain credibility for it.

Nevertheless, many, if not most gay people have convinced themselves they were born that way - and some who know such people insist they exhibited 'gay' behaviors as toddlers.  Parents, uncles and aunts, will tell you that.  (And in turn, this early affirmation fixed the kid in that identity - in a loving, co-dependent way maybe?)  And who knows?  The Catechism certainly teaches the Church doesn't fully understand "its psychological genesis" explaining it "remains largely unexplained."  To be sure, the Church consistently affirms the authentic identity of the human person as a child of God - male and female he created them:

The human person, made in the image and likeness of God, can hardly be adequately described by a reductionist reference to his or her sexual orientation.

Today, the Church provides a badly needed context for the care of the human person when she refuses to consider the person as a "heterosexual" or a "homosexual" and insists that every person has a fundamental Identity: the creature of God, and by grace, his child and heir to eternal life. - CDF

So.  In that respect, we are correct in saying a person is not born gay.

Nevertheless, though you want to rant and rave about it, so many people believe they are 'born that way'.  I don't ... but.  Perhaps there is an over-riding tendency, a predisposition, an inclination which develops over time which convinces people they had to be born that way?  Otherwise, why do people believe they are born that way?  Michael tries to answer that - and it bears repeating, over and over, I guess - but it doesn't always agree with every ones experience of self.

The fact is - not everyone is able or willing to go there.  Not everyone feels able to 'change'.  We need to accept the individual where they are at - as Christ does, as the Church does - without binding up burdens too heavy to carry.  The Church calls gay people to conversion, to chastity, to sanctify their lives - to become saints.

Michael expands his case, and steps into the 'no homosexual can or should be ordained' as well as 'gay priests should resign' - these are not direct quotes, but they come close.  I've covered that before as well - fact is, they are ordained, while some may only figure out they have those 'inclinations' after ordination.  Mike has this to say:

An ordained man of God who in the quiet of his own mind, whether he accepts it or not, detects in himself a strain of homosexuality can be injurious to souls. This is why the acceptance or accommodation of this or the lack of willingness to confront it among Church leaders is so dangerous to the faithful. The message is not being sufficiently preached that no one is created by God as a homosexual. - cmtv

Many good priests will disagree on that point.  One priest who commented on the post did so:

Yes, but as a priest I would want to broaden the discussion to include the way God's grace does work in the lives of those "gay" priests who seek to follow the celibate life and are prayerful and loyal to the Church's teachings. I am not one of them, but I know some, and they are exemplary priests. In other words, God works through them because they have chosen to follow His way and not the way of the world. Nor are these men few in number and we should not bracket them with others who will not or cannot remain faithful. You said before, "do not limit God". That applies even here. Whether they should have been ordained or not is another question. What is clear in their lives is that God is working through them and within them to bring them to holiness.  - Fr. Abberton

I agree with Fr. Abberton.  I like how he repeated Michael's 'coming out' exhortation: "Do not limit God."

I would only add, God knows how to deal with each person - me and you and them, as well as our limitations - we need to trust Him on that, and 'not limit God'..

From yesterday's first reading at Mass, there just may be some good advice to squeeze out for all of us who feel called to moralize on these topics:

"James responded ... It is my judgment, therefore, that we ought to stop troubling the Gentiles who turn to God, but tell them to avoid pollution from idols, unlawful marriage ... and so on." -Acts 15: 7-12

I don't think it is all that hard, or too much of a stretch to substitute 'gay Catholics' for Gentiles in that passage, for my purposes here at least.  Especially as it concerns insisting people stop saying gay and imposing all the rules people want others to conform to.  I'm fairly certain Pope Francis would say the same thing - or at least it is probably what he meant when he said: "If a person is gay and truly seeks God - who am I to judge?"  Just yesterday, Pope Francis had this to say:

“The Holy Spirit and we have decided….” This is the way of the Church when faced with novelties, the Pope said. Not the worldly novelties of fashion, but the novelties of the Spirit who always surprises us. How does the Church resolve these problems? Through meetings and discussions, listening and praying, before making a final decision. This is the way of the Church when the Spirit surprises us, Pope Francis said, recalling the resistance that emerged in recent times during the Second Vatican Council. - Pope Francis

I may be wrong, so read your Catechism and the Documents from the CDF and seek counsel from your priests and bishops.  And pray and frequent the sacraments.  There are many good priests to help people who truly seek God.  Likewise there is Courage Apostolate,  The primary goal of Courage is to help and support men and women "live chaste lives in accordance with the Roman Catholic Church’s teaching on homosexuality." [...] "Courage meetings are not group therapy, and no Courage member is required to seek counseling or treatment of any kind."

The focus of Courage ministry is the development of a life of interior chastity in union with Christ. Chastity itself is the fruit of a dynamic relationship with Christ based on love, discipleship, holiness, and charity. Courage believes with the Church that all persons are called to, and are capable of living, a life of holiness and chastity. This is true no matter what our attractions or temptations may be, and even if particular vulnerabilities remain with us for our whole lives. - Courage FAQs

No Catholic is required to join Courage or become a life-long member of any support-self-help group - but Courage is the very best pastoral response to persons with same sex attraction that I know of.  Each group has an ordained spiritual director/moderator - for a reason.  Converted gays sometimes think they have the final say on how gay people need to be evangelized - as I always say - some can be like dry drunks:  Take the booze out of the fruitcake - you still have fruitcake.

God bless and don't let online former homosexuals scare you away from seeking salvation.  Trust in God.