Cleansing Fire

Defending Truth and Tradition in the Roman Catholic Church

Posts Tagged ‘Bishop Cunningham’

Fr. Edward F. Salmon, SJ Allows Gay Couple to Attend McQuaid Prom

March 28th, 2013, Promulgated by Dr. K

It’s all over the local news. Here is McQuaid Jesuit president Fr. Edward F. Salmon’s letter announcing that the Rochester Catholic high school will allow gay couples to attend the junior prom.

March 27, 2013
McQuaid President, Fr. Edward Salmon, SJ

McQuaid President, Fr. Edward Salmon, SJ

Dear Sisters and Brothers of our McQuaid Jesuit Community: Our new Holy Father, Pope Francis [He’s hiding behind Pope Francis, a man who has spoken publicly against gay marriage and adoption as evil], in the homily for his Inaugural Mass, had encouraging and inviting words: “Today amid so much darkness we need to see the light of hope and to be men and women who bring hope to others. To protect creation and to protect every man and every woman, to look upon them with tenderness and love, is to open up a horizon of hope, it is to let a ray of light [watch how many times he uses this phrase] break through heavy clouds.

”Darkness and heavy clouds have gathered here at McQuaid recently because of misinformation, fear, misunderstanding, and even anger. That misinformation, fear, misunderstanding, and even anger came about after two of our brothers asked whether they could attend the Junior Ball together. Into the darkness of misinformation, fear, misunderstanding and anger, together with Pope Francis [Again], I invite and encourage each and every one of us in the McQuaid family to be men and women who bring hope to one another. I invite and encourage each and every one of us in the McQuaid family to be men and women who look upon one another with tenderness and love. I invite and encourage each and every one of us in the McQuaid family to open up a horizon of hope, to let a ray of light break through heavy clouds.
I myself would like to let a ray of light break through by correcting some misinformation. It is simply not true, as was reported and as many seem to have assumed, that a decision had been made by McQuaid authorities not to allow the young men in question to attend the Junior Ball. No decision had been made.
I would like to let a ray of light enter into the darkness of fear. I, together with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, who in their Pastoral Message, “Always Our Children,” “. . . call on all Christians and citizens of good will to confront their own fears about homosexuality [So it’s not the two men choosing to be a homosexual couple against God’s design that’s in the wrong, it’s us?] and to curb the humor and discrimination that offend homosexual persons. We understand that having a homosexual orientation brings with it enough anxiety, pain and issues related to self-acceptance without society bringing additional prejudicial treatment.”
I would like to let a ray of light enter into possible misunderstanding of the Church’s teaching. In that same message, Always Our Children, the Bishops are clear –“Nothing in the Bible or in Catholic teaching can be used to justify prejudicial or discriminatory attitudes and behaviors.” The Bishops continue: “It is also important to recognize that neither a homosexual orientation, nor a heterosexual one, leads inevitably to sexual activity. One’s total personhood is not reducible to sexual orientation or behavior.” In that same message, the Bishops refer to a 1986 Letter from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith which emphasizes that “Respect for the God-given dignity of all persons means the recognition of human rights and responsibilities. The teachings of the Church make it clear that the fundamental human rights of homosexual persons must be defended and that all of us must strive to eliminate any forms of injustice, oppression, or violence against them [How far do we go? Could you then argue that we should promote gay marriage because it might not necessarily result in homosexual acts?].”
The Bishops continue, “It is not sufficient only to avoid unjust discrimination. Homosexual persons ‘must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity’ (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2358). They, as is true of every human being, need to be nourished at many different levels simultaneously. This includes friendship, [brotherhood] which is a way of loving and is essential to healthy human development. It is one of the richest possible human experiences. Friendship can and does thrive outside of sexual involvement.”
Lastly, I would like to let a ray of light into the darkness that anger can bring. Based on the misinformation circulating and a certain misunderstanding of Church teaching, some people began posting prejudicial and humiliating comments in the social media. Speaking or writing or acting out of anger is not usually helpful. Others, however, deeply concerned for the dignity and respect of all persons, wrote thoughtful and encouraging e-mail messages to McQuaid officials [Translation: “Those opposed to a gay couple attending the prom are angry and prejudiced. Those who support it are thoughtful and encouraging. If you hold to the Church’s teachings on homosexuality, you’re a bad person”].
In conclusion and in the hope that I and all of us at McQuaid Jesuit will let a ray of light break through the darkness and the heavy clouds that have surrounded us, I have made the decision that, if our two brothers who have asked to attend the Junior Ball together wish to do so, they will be welcomed.
With this decision I am not contradicting the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church with regard to human sexuality [Yes, you absolutely are contradicting the teachings of the Church! You’re putting unnatural homosexual relationships on an equal plane with heterosexual relationships.]; I am not encouraging nor am I condoning homosexual activity just as I do not encourage or condone heterosexual activity at a dance. I am not contradicting the Church’s opposition to the redefinition of marriage. With this decision I invite and encourage us all, as Pope Francis does [Unless he has official word from the Holy Father that he supports this, don’t hide behind the pope], to exercise care, protection, goodness which calls for a certain tenderness “which is not a virtue of the weak but rather a sign of strength of spirit and a capacity for concern, for compassion, for genuine openness to others, for love. We must not be afraid [Typical ploy of the homosexual lobby: imply that opposition to gay marriage is out of fear (they use the term “homophobia”)] of goodness, of tenderness.”
Sincerely in the Lord,
Edward F. Salmon, S.J.
President”

 

It would seem that McQuaid Jesuit High School has abandoned its Catholic identity. Please consider informing our Apostolic Administrator through one of the following methods below:

Bishop Robert Cunningham
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse
240 East Onondaga St.
Syracuse, NY 13202

Phone: (315)422-7203
Fax: (315)478-4619

Or, contact these high ranking officials in Syracuse to relay a message to our administrator:

Rev. Msgr. J. Robert Yeazel (Vicar General): ryeazel@syrdio.org

Rev. Timothy Elmer (Chancellor): telmer@syrdio.org

If Fr. Salmon’s decision stands, it might be time to pull your son out of McQuaid.

Update:

There is reason to believe this whole thing was a premeditated stunt intended to stir the pot. Check out the following links:

1. An online petition was created: http://www.change.org/petitions/let-the-two-openly-gay-mcquaid-students-go-to-the-prom-as-a-couple

2. The student called a sleazy local radio host to garner public support:

“Earlier this month, a McQuaid student called into “The Wease Show” on 95.1. The Brew, saying he had asked permission to attend the Junior Ball with another young man.”

http://www.13wham.com/news/local/story/McQuaid-gay-couple-prom/oADh9zG0A0a7EZq8ZDT5aQ.cspx

Update 3/29/13: In response to the many requests for appropriate contacts in this matter via comments and e-mail, here are a few contributed by our readers.

Very Reverend David S. Ciancimino, S.J.
Provincial, NY Province of the Society of Jesus
39 East 83rd Street, N.Y., N.Y. 10028

Office Telephone Number: 212.774.5500
FAX: 212.794.1036
E-mail: nykprov@nysj.org

– and/or –

Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller.
Prefect for The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei”
[Secretary: Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, S.J.]
Piazza del S. Uffizio ll
00l93 Rome Italy
Europe
phone: 011.3906.69.88.33.57
phone: 011.3906.69.88.34.13
fax: 011.3906.69.88.34.09

– and/or –

Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia
Pontifical Council for the Family
Palazzo San Calisto
Piazza San Calisto 16
00120 Vatican City
Italy

– and/or –

Archbishop Angelo Vincenzo Zani, Prefect
Congregation for Catholic Education
Office of Schools
Palazzo della Congregazioni
Piazza Pio XII, 3
00193 Roma, Italy

Two women giving the homily at St. Ambrose in Rochester, NY

January 6th, 2013, Promulgated by b a

From a friend on facebook:

Two women giving the homily at St. Ambrose in Rochester, NY (don’t know if they’re nuns or lay. Don’t know who they are). Ben Anderson, might be of interest to you, bro.


Told her to say “Cheese”

Why am I not OK with non-ordained homilists? Because I’m not a protestant.

I’d like to add another resolution for Bishop Cunningham to Diane’s list.

  • Your excellency, please stay tuned to this channel specifically designed for you. (dovetailing off of DrK’s third bullet here.)