Cardinal Marx: Church should see positive aspects of homosexual relationships
June 24, 2016
Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich has said that the Church should "say sorry" for mistreatment of homosexuals.
Speaking to an audience in Dublin, Cardinal Marx-- who is the president of the German bishops' conference, and a member of the Council of Cardinals advising Pope Francis-- said that homosexuals have been oppressed through history and "we've done a lot to marginalize them." He said that the Catholic Church had contributed to this injustice until "very recently."
Cardinal Marx recalled that during last year's meeting of the Synod of Bishops, he had provoked a strong reaction by saying that a faithful and loving relationship between homosexuals has some of the same positive benefits as a marital relationship. When he made that remark, the cardinal reported, "some were shocked, but I think it's normal. You cannot say that a relationship between a man and a man, and they are faithful, that is nothing, that has no worth."
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Posted by: rfr46 -
Jun. 27, 2016 5:43 AM ET USA
Cardinal Marx is doing enormous harm, but more serious is what Pope Francis is doing and saying on this and other subjects. Fellow churchmen can reproach Cdl Marx and his faction, but who is going to deliver to Francis the reproach that he deserves and frankly that he needs?
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Posted by: Randal Mandock -
Jun. 26, 2016 10:27 PM ET USA
Even intrinsically good acts are not worthy of merit before God if the person doing the good does not subsist in the state of habitual grace. Willful persistence in gravely sinful behavior is known to deprive the person of habitual grace, be the behavior natural or unnatural vice.
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Posted by: claire5327 -
Jun. 26, 2016 1:57 AM ET USA
There is no positive aspect of any kind in any one of the Mortals Sins that are in the Ten Commandments. A Mortal Sin is a Mortal Sin, period! There is no Mercy! Unless one goes to confession with Repentance and reframe from repeating! God have mercy!
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Posted by: k_cusick1963 -
Jun. 25, 2016 8:57 AM ET USA
Warning to God's people: "Your prophets provided you visions of whitewashed illusion; they did not lay bare your guilt, in order to avert your fate; they beheld for you in vision false and misleading portents (Lam. 2:14). Reflect and listen only to the true teachings of Holy Mother Church and the Word of God in Holy Scripture. Do not be deceived by persuasive words, even the words of a bishop!
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Posted by: Bveritas2322 -
Jun. 25, 2016 8:09 AM ET USA
Cardinal Marx is selling out too? No Cardinal, there is nothing "positive" about a commitment to intrinsically evil moral depravity. No one ever said someone who makes a commitment to intrinsically evil moral depravity cannot do a positive good, but such a commitment to intrinsically evil moral depravity is never the basis for doing good.
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Posted by: k_cusick1963 -
Jun. 25, 2016 7:45 AM ET USA
Relativism is Satan's preferred tool today. It now permeates the Church, just as Christ predicted in Scripture. Being homosexual is not a sin, but homosexual acts are. They are a choice of will. Chastity through celibacy is God's will for these people, same as for single, divorced and separated individuals. Sex is chaste only within traditional marriage. Treating everyone with respect and charity, no matter their sin, is God's will for all. But rationalizing/excusing sin is gravely wrong.
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Posted by: Ken -
Jun. 24, 2016 9:46 PM ET USA
Perhaps the Cardinal would like us to see the positive population control aspects of abortion as well.
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Posted by: JimKcda -
Jun. 24, 2016 7:09 PM ET USA
After reading your synopsis I was confused. So I read the complete article. Now my only comment is; "Huh?" Hard to believe that these comments are from a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Catholic Church that I was raised in.
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Posted by: filioque -
Jun. 24, 2016 6:57 PM ET USA
Pope Francis has just told us that people who are cohabiting show fidelity and enjoy the graces of marriage. How much longer before he finds the same positive aspects in same-sex relationships?
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Posted by: Minnesota Mary -
Jun. 24, 2016 6:51 PM ET USA
Will a fellow Cardinal rebuke this apostate Cardinal?
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Posted by: mwean7331 -
Jun. 24, 2016 6:37 PM ET USA
Do these German Bishops ever read the bible (maybe not since they were at Seminary)What a horrendous statement! Yes, man can love another man and a woman can love another woman. Think of father, son, brother, etc. Christ loved his apostles . That is not what homosexual unions are all about, is it? God help us!
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Posted by: Lucius49 -
Jun. 24, 2016 6:27 PM ET USA
Cardinal Marx has succumbed to the ideology. Homosexual attraction is not a metaphysical category which creates a new humanity. There are simply human persons created by God with an order established by God. If someone were mistreated then you apologize to the person. However the ideology claims that to teach the truth on sexuality is mistreatment of people with homosexual tendencies and to reject same-sex marriage is mistreatment. I am afraid the Cardinal has forgotten this. For that no apology
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Posted by: james-w-anderson8230 -
Jun. 24, 2016 5:48 PM ET USA
How can objectively evil acts result in anything good? Evil can not beget grace.
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Posted by: mhains8491 -
Jun. 24, 2016 5:19 PM ET USA
Its not oppression Cardinal to speak the truth of Christ. One clear message is that fornicators, adulterers and homosexuals are committing serious sin and cutting themselves off from the Kingdom of God. We must pray that each group converts and returns to God.
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Posted by: rjbennett1294 -
Jun. 24, 2016 5:05 PM ET USA
I suppose Cardinal Marx would also say that if St. Paul were alive, he should apologize for condemning homosexual behavior. What else can we do but pray that God will somehow preserve His Church from prelates like Marx - and other cleris who agree with him. The Church should say "sorry" for pointing out to people that they are committing one of the four sins that cry to heaven? God help us. I fear for the future of the Church, of our society, and of our whole civilization.
