Four Points on the Church's Teaching about Homosexuality

By Archbishop John C. Nienstedt

I was pleased that Joe Towalski, editor of The Catholic Spirit, ad­dressed the issue of the church's teaching on homosexuality, derived as it is from an understanding of the natural moral law, and the reason why those who promote homosexual activity or a homosexual lifestyle are not permitted to speak at Catholic institutions.

I thought his presentation was balanced and quite helpful as far as it went. I propose this column as a sequel to his, in the sense of providing four footnotes, if you will, to the points he made...:

Those who actively encourage or promote homosexual acts or such activity within a homosexual lifestyle formally cooperate in a grave evil and, if they do so knowingly and willingly, are guilty of mortal sin. They have broken communion with the church and are prohibited from receiving holy Communion until they have had a conversion of heart, expressed sorrow for their action and received sacramental absolution from a priest.

Archbishop Nienstedt has a clear and unambiguous article here. He also supports Courage and Encourage...Something which many are loathe to support. But because he speaks the truth at a time when many wish truth to be banished, he has, as expected, incurred the wrath of those who deny the laws of God and the natural moral law: Activists Respond to Archbishop Comments on Homosexuality

“This should be a wake-up call for all Minnesotans,” said Catholic Rainbow Parents convenor Mary Lynn Murphy. “Such extreme talk from the most prominent Catholic leader in our State not only offends Catholics, but all LGBT citizens, their families and friends, and gives license to hatred and violence against all of us.”

Faithful Catholics are looking to bishops who will proclaim the truth while unfaithful or dissenting Catholics are looking for those who will confirm them in their sins, especially their sexual sins. They want to receive positive reinforcement that their sins against God are OK...

Those who love the darkness refuse to accept that "Those who actively encourage or promote homosexual acts or such activity within a homosexual lifestyle formally cooperate in a grave evil and, if they do so knowingly and willingly, are guilty of mortal sin."

It's pretty simple, really - Mortal sin separates one from God - and which, if unrepented, will result in eternal damnation - an eternity of hell. Some refuse to accept this, yet they wish to be called Catholic - but this denial of a divinely revealed truth is simply put, heresy.

Sins seem to grow in direct proportion to one's denials or refusals to repent - it's almost like an unstoppable deadly plague of the soul - a fast spreading disease of the soul which soons infects the intellect and will - and those who refuse the grace of our Lord to repent and amend their sinful ways become willing followers of the evil one... to their own perdition.

The homosexual activists wish to impose upon others a belief that their sickening acts of depravity are normal - just as Satan wishes to turn right into wrong and light into darkness.

Archbishop John Nienstedt has done taken a courageous step in speaking the truth and he reminds us that

"St. Augustine recognized..."hating the sin, but loving the sinner." It is a "careful line," but one that calls for conversion - a conversion that leads to eternal life.

And Eternal Life is our end - unless one chooses eternal damnation as the alternatve.