21 November 2013

What did Paprocki actually say?

In its article purporting to provide an account of the Prayers of Supplication and Exorcism in Reparation for the Sin of Same-Sex Marriage, the State Journal-Register makes a rather bold - and false - claim:

Paprocki was also quick to condemn champions of same-sex marriage, including lawmakers and gay and lesbian couples.

Did he really condemn anyone?  What did Bishop Paprocki actually say?

He made a distinction stated by Saint Augustine of Hippo, though without using his exact words: "Your neighbor is the person; the vice is your neighbor's enemy.  You show that you love your friend if you hate what harms your friend...  Do not love the vices of your friends if you love your friends" (Sermon 49:5-6). 

This constant teaching of the Church was restated by Saint Bonaventure in these words: "Men and women are to be loved, but in such a way that their errors are not loved" (Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, 6.67).

This is, frankly, a distinction that the paper – and many others - seems unable to make.  Here are Bishop Paprocki's own words:

I'm not saying that anyone involved in the redefinition of marriage is possessed by the devil, which, if that were the case, would require the remedy of a "Major Exorcism," but all of us are certainly subject to the devil's evil influences and in need of protection and deliverance from evil.

​Our prayer service today and my words are not meant to demonize anyone, but are intended to call attention to the diabolical influences of the devil that have penetrated our culture, both in the state and in the Church.

Where is the condemnation?  These are not words of condemnation because, as Paprocki reaffirmed early in his homily, “It is not hateful to say that an immoral action is sinful. On the contrary, the most compassionate thing we can do is help people to turn away from sin.”

Rather than taking the Bishop’s words as they are and simply accepting him to be sincere in what he says, many hear and read only what they instead wish the Bishop had said.

With Pope Francis, whom they are happy to claim for their “side” again without really paying attention to he actually said, Bishop Paprocki issued an appeal to receive mercy:

This is a key point which the secularists are missing: they think that stressing God's mercy means that sins are no longer sins. On the contrary, God's mercy is a great gift of grace precisely because sins are sins and they call for repentance and forgiveness.
not saying that anyone involved in the redefinition of marriage is possessed by the devil, which, if that were the case, would require the remedy of a "Major Exorcism," but all of us are certainly subject to the devil's evil influences and in need of protection and deliverance from evil.
​Our prayer service today and my words are not meant to demonize anyone, but are intended to call attention to the diabolical influences of the devil that have penetrated our culture, both in the state and in the Church.
- See more at: http://dio.org/blog/item/350-bishop-paprocki-s-homily-for-prayers-of-supplication-and-exorcism-in-reparation-for-the-sin-of-same-sex-marriage.html#sthash.dc59m70e.dpuf
I'm not saying that anyone involved in the redefinition of marriage is possessed by the devil, which, if that were the case, would require the remedy of a "Major Exorcism," but all of us are certainly subject to the devil's evil influences and in need of protection and deliverance from evil.
​Our prayer service today and my words are not meant to demonize anyone, but are intended to call attention to the diabolical influences of the devil that have penetrated our culture, both in the state and in the Church.
- See more at: http://dio.org/blog/item/350-bishop-paprocki-s-homily-for-prayers-of-supplication-and-exorcism-in-reparation-for-the-sin-of-same-sex-marriage.html#sthash.dc59m70
I'm not saying that anyone involved in the redefinition of marriage is possessed by the devil, which, if that were the case, would require the remedy of a "Major Exorcism," but all of us are certainly subject to the devil's evil influences and in need of protection and deliverance from evil.
​Our prayer service today and my words are not meant to demonize anyone, but are intended to call attention to the diabolical influences of the devil that have penetrated our culture, both in the state and in the Church.
- See more at: http://dio.org/blog/item/350-bishop-paprocki-s-homily-for-prayers-of-supplication-and-exorcism-in-reparation-for-the-sin-of-same-sex-marriage.html#sthash.dc59m70e.dpuf
I'm not saying that anyone involved in the redefinition of marriage is possessed by the devil, which, if that were the case, would require the remedy of a "Major Exorcism," but all of us are certainly subject to the devil's evil influences and in need of protection and deliverance from evil.
​Our prayer service today and my words are not meant to demonize anyone, but are intended to call attention to the diabolical influences of the devil that have penetrated our culture, both in the state and in the Church.
- See more at: http://dio.org/blog/item/350-bishop-paprocki-s-homily-for-prayers-of-supplication-and-exorcism-in-reparation-for-the-sin-of-same-sex-marriage.html#sthash.dc59m70e.dpuf
I'm not saying that anyone involved in the redefinition of marriage is possessed by the devil, which, if that were the case, would require the remedy of a "Major Exorcism," but all of us are certainly subject to the devil's evil influences and in need of protection and deliverance from evil.
​Our prayer service today and my words are not meant to demonize anyone, but are intended to call attention to the diabolical influences of the devil that have penetrated our culture, both in the state and in the Church.
- See more at: http://dio.org/blog/item/350-bishop-paprocki-s-homily-for-prayers-of-supplication-and-exorcism-in-reparation-for-the-sin-of-same-sex-marriage.html#sthash.dc59m70e.dpuf
I'm not saying that anyone involved in the redefinition of marriage is possessed by the devil, which, if that were the case, would require the remedy of a "Major Exorcism," but all of us are certainly subject to the devil's evil influences and in need of protection and deliverance from evil.
​Our prayer service today and my words are not meant to demonize anyone, but are intended to call attention to the diabolical influences of the devil that have penetrated our culture, both in the state and in the Church.
- See more at: http://dio.org/blog/item/350-bishop-paprocki-s-homily-for-prayers-of-supplication-and-exorcism-in-reparation-for-the-sin-of-same-sex-marriage.html#sthash.dc59m70e.dpuf

5 comments:

  1. Father, arguing with gay activists online I find the same problem. You can say love the sinner, but hate the sin 100 times, and they identify so completely with the sin of homosexuality that to condemn it is to condemn them. They accuse me of judging, but I have told them it is them who is judging. They judge themselves when they identify themselves as "homosexual."They are saying I am the sin. Imagine I had a problem with Gossip. I decided this was a banner of courage, and I wanted you to call me a "Gossip," and so every time you referred to me, you would have to say, "The Gossip activist Susan Fox" And if you condemned the sin of gossip, my feelings would be hurt. Hateful, I would say, that is utterly hateful. That's how upside down our world is, but I run into people on a daily basis who think like that. Here is a post I did this week, where I could not convince a Protestant that it was biblical to see and serve the person of Christ in everyone we meet. He said we can't see Christ in the face of the other unless they have accepted Jesus as their Lord and savior. I bounce back and forth between Judge Not Lest Ye be Judged, and Know the Tree by its Fruits. http://christsfaithfulwitness.blogspot.com/2013/11/to-see-and-serve-person-of-our-lord.html

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  2. As part of the formation for priesthood: would it help to have seminarians going to confession to a woman, prior to going to confession to a man-priest? Just to experience the feelings of confession to the opposite gender….

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    Replies
    1. No, it would not help at all, because the sins could not be absolved.

      Certainly seminarians grew up with relationships with women, talked with women throughout their formative years, and even speak with women when they are in the seminary. And, what is more, many women speak freely with seminarians and seek counsel in spiritual matters, even their sins. I know this from personal experience.

      When speaking of priests, you can simply say "priest"; "man" is rather obvious.

      If you don't mind my asking, what does this question have to do with this post?

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    2. I too would like to know jero's motivation behind the question.

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    3. This is related to the off topic question. Just an aside. I home schooled my son so when it came time to learn how to go to confession, my son and I switched roles back and forth as priest and penitent. It, of course, was a pretend game. We didn't confess or absolve real sins, just made up ones. We had a great time as the "game" progressed each playing the priest and being shocked at what the penitent said. He was six or seven years old. But it worked! He's 25 and he still goes to weekly confession. In fact, his father and I might once or twice a year miss a week, but he never does. I was saddened to see his best friend cry and balk when she got to the confessional at the age of 10. She didn't know what to do. No one prepared her. She probably made her first confession and that was it. God bless you. Susan Fox I do have a post on confession called Twilight's Confession. Don't gag. I'm trying to speak to the culture, and so I used scenes from the Twilight movie to help "the world" understand confession. It's at: http://christsfaithfulwitness.blogspot.com/2008/11/twilights-confession.html

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