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Fall of the Wall of Silence: More on Pope Francis and Reports of a 'Gay Lobby' in the Roman Curia

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Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered

'The problem of the gay lobby in the Vatican is important, but marginal," he explains. "The true challenge of the Pontiff is the heresy of homosexuality, what I call the 'homoheresy, that is, the rejection of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church on homosexuality, whose defenders are in favor of priesthood for gays. The Holy Father must combat this heresy that has spread throughout the Church.' (Fr. Dariusz Oko)

P>VATICAN CITY (Catholic Online) - Reverberations continue in the Media flowing from comments made by Pope Francis in a private pastoral meeting he had with the Board of Directors of CLAR (the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Religious Men and Women).

The meeting was meant to be a private, pastoral talk between the Bishop of Rome and a group he sought to give pastoral direction to. This is part of his charge of providing care for all of the faithful throughout the universal Church. The meeting involved a conversational dialogue which touched some controversial subjects. This was not a public meeting. Not out of any desire for secrecy on the part of the Pope, but because it is how such pastoral meetings are properly conducted.

However, the Pope's comments on a number of controversial topics were leaked, apparently by a participant. I have written previously on the alleged comments and indicated my own opinion there was nothing new in the remarks, even if the purported comments were accurate. The reports on these purported comments have since led to multiple reports in both secular and religious news sources. His alleged extemporaneous remarks first showed up on a Spanish website. They were then reported in the United States on the blog Rorate Caeli. and a feeding frenzy began.

Among the alleged remarks offered in what appears to be a stream of consciousness series of  comments, was a reference by the Pope to what is translated as the existence of a "gay lobby" In the Curia. Here is an excerpt of his alleged comment on this one aspect of a much needed curial reform, "there are also holy people, really, there are holy people. But there also is a stream of corruption, there is that as well, it is true. The "gay lobby" is mentioned, and it is true, it is there. We need to see what we can do."

There is no question the Pope is already "seeing what he can do", a colloquial expression which  means, "We are working on it". He is well aware of the serious need for curial reform and is working on it. He received an extensive report from his predecessor, His Holiness Benedict XVI, on this urgent need for a reform of the Curia. He has responded to numerous requests to embark upon this task as a part of his pontificate from Cardinals and Bishops - and he is doing so.

However, he is doing so in a manner consistent with his leadership approach. One of the most reliable European sources for news on all matters related to the Vatican and its workings is Sandro Magister of Chiesa News. On June 13, 2013, his lead article, entitled  Bergoglio, the "Black Pope" Dressed in White offers an analysis of that leadership style which should be read by our readers. It is an excellent analysis on how Pope Francis is approaching the reform of the curia.

The alleged remarks concerning the existence of homosexual clergy, even in the curia, not living the clear moral teaching of the Scriptures and the Magisterium, even working against it, has been one of the most controversial points and has elicited continued articles in the media, secular and religious.That is understandable. If such a group exists, it is a scandal which must be exposed and definitively dealt with.

Along with the Press in the United States, the European Press has also been filled with reports. On June 13, 2013, Rorate Caeli provided an English translation of one article which contains comments made to Il Giornale.it by  Fr. Dariusz Oko, Ph.D., a priest of the Archdiocese of Krakow and apparently an Assistant Professor at the John Paul II Pontifical University in Krakow, Poland

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Years ago I studied at the United States Campus of the John Paul II Institute and know the quality of the professors and their fidelity to the teaching office of the Church. I do not personally know Fr. Dariusz Oko. However,his comments are noteworthy. I offer the translated portion of the report below from Rorate Caeli:

"But the problem of the homosexual lobby in the sacred palaces could be just the tip of the iceberg: there are those who are convinced that the great challenge of the new Pope is to tackle the problem. One of those is Fr. Dariusz Oko, theology professor at the Pontifical University John Paul II, in Krakow, who in December had publicly denounced the gay lobby in the Vatican, and who reaffirms it today:

"The Holy Father has confirmed that which everyone had known for many years," he explains, "I think that the wall of omertŕ (silence) that has existed for a long time is destroyed. But now, how to demolish that other wall of omertŕ (silence) that exists inside the seminaries?  Who is concerned with the revolution of Benedict XVI who forbid the ordination of homosexual priests?"

The Polish priest is convinced that on this matter the Pope has a great battle to wage: "The problem of the gay lobby in the Vatican is important, but marginal," he explains. "The true challenge of the Pontiff is the heresy of homosexuality, what I call the 'homoheresy, that is, the rejection of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church on homosexuality, whose defenders are in favor of priesthood for gays. The Holy Father must combat this heresy that has spread throughout the Church."

And the root of the problem, Fr. Oko confirms, is to be found in the places of formation: "Who, in Italy, is interested in the current situation of the seminaries?" the theologian asks. "And there is where the future of the Church is decided! The only way forward is to continue the revolution of Ratzinger, who wished to 'free' the seminaries from gay educators and homosexual seminarians." 

The teaching of the Catholic Church on this moral issue is clear and unchangeable. This paragraph from the Catechism, offering scriptural passages and magisterial documents in the footnotes, summarizes it: "Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained."

"Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered." They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved."

In 2003 The Congregation for the Doctrine of the faith released "Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual persons".  It is a definitive summary on the matter. It should be studied by and must be embraced by all Catholics. Here is but one sentence from its concluding paragraph, "The Church teaches that respect for homosexual persons cannot lead in any way to approval of homosexual behavior or to legal recognition of homosexual unions."

Pope Francis, before he assumed the Chair of Peter, served faithfully as Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio. His consistent and firm support for this unchangeable moral teaching of the Church is clear. He is one with his predecessor Benedict XVI who, as Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, wrote Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual persons.  

Pope Francis has demonstrated that he is well aware of this serious problem as he embarks upon his pontificate. There is much to be done, and he knows it. More than anything else, He deserves our prayer and support as he exposes the roots which have found their way into the Curia and deals definitively with them, by uprooting them.

Make no mistake, he will do so.

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