Last Updated:Friday - 09/24/2010

WCR Letters to the Editor

Church responds to society

Concerning the letter "Discrimination queried" by Dr. Tim Heaman (Nov. 24).

Dr. Heaman is factually incorrect in his many condemnations against the Catholic Church and her teachings on homosexuality.

First and foremost it is not the Catholic Church but society at large that is all "caught up with sex, the act of homosexual sex." The Church is merely responding to the secular world's growing fascination with unnatural and immoral sex.

Rather than failing to acknowledge the homosexual as "a human being, desiring of love and respect," the Church is trying to prevent the homosexual from dehumanizing himself through such acts as might become further accepted in society with, for example, the introduction of same-sex marriages.

The Church judges no one to "be" objectively disordered. Rather the Church teaches that homosexuals "have" an inclination that is a more or less strong tendency ordered toward an intrinsic moral evil and that the inclination itself, therefore, must be seen as an objective disorder. On these grounds the Church has every right to condemn the homosexual lifestyle as being harmful to the good of society.

The Church in no way is depriving Dr. Heaman of any "right to make his own moral choices." Nor is the Church denying him of his choice to love "another man." The Church would merely say in this instance that Dr. Heaman has misunderstood the term "love" and will not, therefore, bless such a union.

Hence, the Church is in no way denying Dr. Heaman any of his "basic human rights;" in rejecting homosexual "activity" the Church does not limit but rather defends personal freedom and dignity realistically and authentically understood.

Paul Kokoski
Hamilton, Ont.

This is what a gay Catholic can do

I would like to respond to the letter by Dr. Tim Heaman in the Nov. 24 WCR. The letter contains a number of unsubstantiated and false criticisms of the Catholic church but I would only like to address one thing. If he is sincere in asking, "What is a gay Catholic to do?" then I would like to sincerely answer that question.

It is the duty of a gay, or any, Catholic to pray unceasingly for the grace to overcome the inclinations of his fallen nature and to conform himself as nearly as possible to the mind of Christ.

I might add that there are things that a gay or any Catholic ought not to do. One is to write letters to the WCR complaining that the Church will not formally bless actions that are clearly proscribed in Scripture and against natural law. He should also not attempt to justify such actions and make them worthy of dignity and respect by associating them with "love."

A man may love his neighbour's wife but that does not justify adultery. A man may love his children but that does not justify incest. A cowboy may love his horse but . . .whoa there.

David Laurence
Grande Cache

What's good for the gander is good for the goose

I was intrigued by the way "girl" and "man" are used in your Nov. 24 edition. The front page article describes a wonderfully giving woman and disciple of the Lord. She is 25 (or 24 on page 8) years old, a wife, mother and teacher - and yet she is referred to as a "girl" rather than a woman.

On page 11 however, there is reference to a 25 year-old "man" who is looking into the diaconate. So girls grow up to be girls, and boys grow up to be men? Just wondering.

Adela Torchia
Edmonton

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