Bishop Olmsted of Phoenix Making Enemies in Sodom San Francisco and Massachusetts

Oh, and in Phoenix too, I'm sure.

Here's the letter Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted sent to nine clergy of the diocese telling them to un-sign the "Phoenix Declaration":

.... Recently, I became aware that you and a few other priests of our Diocese have signed a document entitled “No Longer Silent Phoenix Declaration.” I am deeply saddened by this fact. While I can readily understand and agree with your desire to affirm the dignity of homosexual persons and to stand in solidarity with them in circumstances where they are uncharitably or even unjustly treated, I have some serious concerns about the declaration. My concerns are the following: ....

Here is the first part of a series, May 6:

When the Church at Vatican II lifted high the universal call to holiness, it rightly received an enthusiastic response. For it is indeed good news for people of every time and place. How good to know that it is possible for us all to have a close, personal relationship with Jesus Christ and even to become like Him.

God creates each person in love. He redeems each with a love even unto death on the Cross. He calls each of us to share in this amazing love by taking up our cross each day and following in His footsteps. There is only one road to holiness, one way to a profound communion with Christ (Mark 8:34-35): “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the Gospel will save it.”

It seems especially urgent to remind every follower of Christ today, and in particular homosexual persons, that He is calling them to a close personal communion with Himself. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) speaks of this call to holiness of homosexual persons in the following way (#2359): “Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.” ....

And here is the second part in the current issue of the Catholic Sun:

A few weeks ago, I sent a letter to some priests of the Diocese of Phoenix, asking them to withdraw their support from a public statement entitled “No Longer Silent Phoenix Declaration.” The letter was intended to be personal and confidential because I had hoped to engage these brother priests in a person-to-person conversation about the pastoral care of homosexual persons, without the distraction of publicity. To my disappointment, news of the letter was leaked to the press. While not making my fraternal dialogue with these priests impossible, the leak has made it more difficult....

See Homosexualist Clergy Not Dissuaded.

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Wed. 05/19/04 09:13:30 PM
Categorized as Religious.