It’s amazing how often people hear only what they want to hear – especially when the speaker is someone like Pope Francis.
In the past week, we read about pop star Sir Elton John, at a fundraiser for AIDS research, praising Pope Francis.
“Make this man a saint already!” the pop star declared and referred to him as “my hero,” because he is “pushing the boundaries” of the Catholic Church. Elton John further said: “Ten years ago one of the biggest obstacles in the fight against AIDS was the Catholic Church. Today we have a pope that speaks out about it.”
Obviously, Sir Elton does not know or care that the Church has been involved in the fight against AIDS and the caring of AIDS patients for decades and that previous popes have spoken openly about AIDS and the care given to patients. Reporting on this event, the UK’s Daily Mail states:
“Efforts to codify the new compassionate approach to homosexuality stumbled at the Vatican synod this month, after bishops rejected a draft document suggesting that gays should be welcomed.”
When did the Church not teach a compassionate approach to homosexuality and deliberately tell homosexuals that they are unwelcome? We invite Sir Elton to read 1986’s Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith’s “Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons,” to actually read the clear teaching of the Church on this topic as articulated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church 2358:
“The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.”
We invite Sir Elton to examine the fine outreach being done for persons with same-sex attraction in the group, Courage, and the many fine ministries that are being done in our diocese in places like Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Williamsburg and Downtown Brooklyn.
Would Sir Elton still be calling Pope Francis his “hero” when Francis clearly and unequivocally declared marriage to be only that of a man and woman on more than one occasion (April 2, 2014) and that “We must reaffirm the right of children to grow up with a mother and a father” (April 11, 2014).
Perhaps the biggest blunder came this week with headlines reading: “Pope backs evolution, the Big Bang theory and science!” As if this is something new!
What about Humani Generis (1950) from Venerable Pope Pius XII?
What about Pope St. John Paul II’s consistent teaching, especially in 1996?
What about Pope-emeritus Benedict XVI’s 2006 conference on creation and evolution and his 2007 statement that the debate between evolution and creation is “absurd?”
It is wonderful that people are praising the pope and that they are listening to him! However, remember Luke 6:26 – “Beware when all speak well of you…”
Are we going to be a generation that approves only when we like what the pope says? Really read what the pope is saying. If you want to follow online, download the PopeApp!
We can’t just cherry-pick what we like and say that it’s the mind of the pope when we know that the pope clearly, consistently stands by the Church’s teachings, and so should we.