Well, I should start by re-affirming that I work in a Catholic church on the weekends, and that I do not believe god exists. -- So hopefully people won't post wholly babble verses or church doctrine quotes in responses, thinking that those sources will convince me of anything.
I think that it is a very, very, very rare asexual person who can joyfully be celibate, and has no real desire for a fulfilling relationship with another human being. I also think that the "rules" that have been told to me by a priest "God made you homosexual, but you cannot act on your impulses, because homosexual acts are a sin" -- is moronic and vile. Even worse was the assertion that followed: "You must have been made for a greater purpose. You will have more time and money because you don't have children, so you must use those advantages to serve God".
I recently was asked to play a church wedding for a very lovely young couple. They were a joy to work with. The Bride had been raised by two men. (One was her biological father, not that it matters.) The Bishop learned of this, and very magnanimously allowed the wedding to take place - with certain conditions. The Bride's fathers were not to be allowed in the sanctuary. This is a straight couple getting married. They were devout Catholics and wanted a proper church wedding. The Bishop refused to even let the Bride's biological father walk her down the aisle. There were some sympathetic priests who set up Mass in a nearby rose garden, and allowed the service to proceed. I do not know if they suffered any repercussions for their act of kindness.
Finding a homosexual Catholic who is asexual enough, and devout enough, to find the celibate life joyous? It's like finding a unicorn. And the next question, of course, is why this person didn't enter the priesthood. ? I know 5 gay priests just in my diocese. There is also the question about what kind of problems such devout sexual repression creates - - but I think that might belong in another thread.
I think that it is a very, very, very rare asexual person who can joyfully be celibate, and has no real desire for a fulfilling relationship with another human being. I also think that the "rules" that have been told to me by a priest "God made you homosexual, but you cannot act on your impulses, because homosexual acts are a sin" -- is moronic and vile. Even worse was the assertion that followed: "You must have been made for a greater purpose. You will have more time and money because you don't have children, so you must use those advantages to serve God".
I recently was asked to play a church wedding for a very lovely young couple. They were a joy to work with. The Bride had been raised by two men. (One was her biological father, not that it matters.) The Bishop learned of this, and very magnanimously allowed the wedding to take place - with certain conditions. The Bride's fathers were not to be allowed in the sanctuary. This is a straight couple getting married. They were devout Catholics and wanted a proper church wedding. The Bishop refused to even let the Bride's biological father walk her down the aisle. There were some sympathetic priests who set up Mass in a nearby rose garden, and allowed the service to proceed. I do not know if they suffered any repercussions for their act of kindness.
Finding a homosexual Catholic who is asexual enough, and devout enough, to find the celibate life joyous? It's like finding a unicorn. And the next question, of course, is why this person didn't enter the priesthood. ? I know 5 gay priests just in my diocese. There is also the question about what kind of problems such devout sexual repression creates - - but I think that might belong in another thread.
"The family that prays together...is brainwashing their children."- Albert Einstein
