What are the traditional values of the Bible?  As a Catholic we have been reciting the 4 Gospels.  Outside of this there are sermons against Homosexuals,  Abortion, Pornagraphy, same sex marriage, adultery, teenage pregnancies, contraception, condoms, protecting the church from liberals and
feeding the poor from a food pantry that may have food for maybe 8 families.
When I get home I am asked many questions about the sermons from my children.  Why do I have to hear sermons that my children do not understand?
I never hear the words of love, tolerance and forgiveness anymore.  Amen.

i wonder if Leo Johnson will get a call from obama expressing his regret??

@ Bill - Are the sermons against homosexuals or homosexual acts? I find it hard to believe you never hear the words love and forgiveness. I attend Mass in two different different parishes because one never talks about abortion, pornography, sodomy (both heterosexual and homosexual), contraception, etc. Just curious, do your children attend government schools where they teach sex education? That’s great your children are asking questions! Seems like the repeating theme of many sermons that we get is “God loves you where you are” yet rarely challenges the faithful to reject sin. That’s why I attend the other parish!

I, too, am Catholic; and I, too, have heard some dismal homilies from different priests, as well as homilies that praise God’s mercy and love for all, and “hatred for sin” (not hatred for sinners; His “hatred for sin” is a condition of his mercy and love for sinners).

With that in mind, I have two comments:

1)  For Catholics (and for all Christians for that matter), what is essential is to have a real relationship with Jesus Christ, and to be convinced of his Real Presence in Mass, especially in the Eucharist. This way, it will be much easier to discern and “brush off” whatever is contrary to the Gospel, and when we hear dismal or corrupt homilies, we can say, “Lord, I know you’re still here; Jesus, I trust in you”.  Jesus is always present in the Mass, for Catholics, in the Eucharist, and that MUST be known before and beyond the varied messages we may hear from priests during homilies.

2) When we are convicted by a real relationship with Jesus - in prayer, in the Eucharist - then we must know what he teaches in and through His Church; for then we will know that He really does speak to us, in/through/with his body, the Church.  So the questions raised by children regarding marriage and sexuality can be fostered first from a love and relationship that parents have with Jesus Christ, and through that (secondly) we can teach what the Church teaches with confidence.  In fact it is the moral obligation of parents to do so.

Marriage is inherently Catholic; it is one of the Sacraments of the Church.  And this is so, not because of what the Church has “created”, but because of the gift given to her by God, and in a special way by Jesus Himself (in/through the Paschal mystery). 

It is a peculiar thing that people who advocate “gay marriage” have to put the qualifier “gay” before the word marriage, as if to admit that it doesn’t exist, but it has to be “created”.  If “gay marriage” were real, that is, if it was created by God and given to us as His gift, then it would be called marriage.  But it isn’t, it is called “gay marriage”, as it to make a distinction - as if, in the final analysis, it needs to be “created” and given it’s own credence.  This is the temptation of the homosexual agenda: to become like God in creating things that only God is capable of doing; only God can create.

This temptation to “be God” is nothing new.

Marriage can only be what it is created to be by God, and all we can do is receive it.

I, too, have not heard a homily about sins as Bill described from a priest in years.  A couple of months ago, I did hear a homily in Spanish from a priest going thru the 10 commandments and giving examples of sins.  It really impressed me.  In Mexican culture, we don’t mind being told the truth.  I remember how my parents and other relatives used to love missionary priests because they really told you the truth and back in the 60’s they were pretty tough I hear the word “sin” at my parish but never examples as to how they apply to the Gospel which I think is a problem.  I think so many priests today are too timid except for the ones on EWTN and Courageous Priest website.  I’m glad the security guard will be okay.  Radical homosexuals are the most hateful group.  They don’t just want acceptance.  They us to embrace them.

Thanks for replying.  It is not like they hit these subjects right on making the sermon muddy with hate. It is done with faint comments. The deacons speak of homosexuals as an"abomination of the Lord”. I object strongly against this hateful language .
Thank you

looking up the definition of the word gay.  Synonyms: cheerful, gleeful, happy, glad, cheery, lighthearted, joyous, joyful, jovial; sunny, lively, vivacious, sparkling; chipper, playful, jaunty, sprightly, blithe. Antonyms: serious, grave, solemn, joyless; staid, sedate; unhappy, morose, grim; sad, depressed,

Thank you Brian for your thoughtful post. God Bless.

Bill, you deacons is just quoting the Bible, when he says homosexuality is an abomination.  If priests and deacons can’t preach what’s in the Bible, then what good is our religion.  If a touchy feeling religion is wanted, there’s the New Age.  Jesus was very tough and mentioned “hell” a lot of times.  People tend to forget that.  He forgave but also said “go and sin no more”.  He also made it pretty clear about marriage being between a man and a woman and chastised the Jews for allowing divorce.  He said Moses allowed divorce because of their hardened hearts.  The word of God never changes no matter how man wants to change it.

Brian,
Your words makes sense and are true!

bill…isn’t it better to be corrected here than face eternal damnation at the end of life?..the words of Holy Scripture are there and will not change…same-sex depravity is condemned in Scripture, going so far as to call it UN-NATURAL..other sins as adultery, stealing, and others are sinful as well…..one who persists in keep cheating on their spouse, one who keeps stealing, one who persists in doing sinful acts with a member of the same-sex…are facing the Justice of Christ at the end of life, as we all will face the Justice of Christ at the ends of our lives to. The Eternal Punishment of Hell is mentioned throughout Scripture..DO YOU THINK THESE WORDS OF CORRECTION ARE IN VAIN?.....we all have our sinful attractions in life, IF YOU RESIST THOSE SINFUL DESIRES YOU WILL BE FINE, however if one persists in sinful activity, go face THE JUSTICE OF JESUS. The words of Holy Scripture are there to instruct and guide for all..regardless if one is offended by them

Robert, I will never face damnation because I never sin. Prayer is my shield against all temptation of sin. I was born right the first time, never have I had to be born again. Homosexuality is a natural plight among Gods children just as being mentally challenged and trans gender. These are still children of God and U will be judged in the way u treat these people. If u think u can just sin and then be cleansed by asking for forgiveness, think again. I see u as a troubled man that clings to the things that are wrong and fail to see the goodness in all of gods creations. I have served my country, married, raised children, fed the poor, given comfort to the people that are different, never turned my back on anyone and has always faced my challenges, and always provided options. The Bible is only a guide to true enlightenment through love.  God has never said to hate his people that are different but only to love them and guide them through their own wilderness.  Amen

There are 46 books in the old testament, approx. There are 27 books in the new testament, approx.  Abomination is mentioned about 60 times and at times making reference to a man sleeping with another like a women in the old testament. In the new testament abomination is mentioned 2 times and I don’t believe it makes reference to a man sleeping next to another at all.  The catholic church considers the Old testament mere stories and held not to be true. The church only follows the new testament being considered as the word of GOD.  Amen

Did Jesus preach the sermon on the mount or was it the homily on the mount?  I know what homiletics is, but please can’t we return to the word sermon?  Homily is so vat2.

Look, lets try to piece this together logically. The guy’s a compulsive over-eater, already. Yes, he bought the sandwiches, started feeling a little uncomfortable about it and went off in search of a religious environment so as to sanctify the exercise of his gluttony. And who better to give him cover in something like this than the supremely pious Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council? But the guard saw through the ruse right from the outset, took out his bible and, to hear the gunman tell it, “started shoving Jesus down [his] throat”. The rest of the story depends upon who tells it. But there’s a moral: There are better ways than this of doing evangelism.

Bill, where on earth do you get that the Catholic Church only follows the New Testament?? The Catholic Church uses and follows the entire Bible, Old and New Testament are considered the inspired Word of God.

Also, you have the audacity to claim that you never sin?
**If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ** 1 John 1:8

Bill, based on your comments so far, it is clear that if you are Catholic, you have some very strange notions about Catholicism and do not understand what the Church teaches.

    I do not believe in sin. There is no hell or damnation. There is only fear that religions place in our hearts. I thought I read somewhere that it is best for a criminal to pay for his crime on earth than to pay for in death. I believe there is life after death for all of gods children.

Bill, I think I met you at the last “trolls anonymous” meeting. You just keep falling off that wagon, don’t ya.