don't worry; we understand
By Phil Lawler ( bio - articles - email ) | Nov 13, 2009
Father Karl Clemens plans to be married on Saturday. No, he hasn’t left the priesthood for a woman. He’s ‘marrying’ another man, becoming the first Catholic priest to take that particular step away from sanity.
"There will be Catholics who feel, because of their lack of understanding, that this is a very wrong thing and therefore will not be pleased," Clemens said.
Maybe. But other Catholics will be scandalized precisely because they do understand.
Clemens is not the first man to dress up his carnal urges with intellectual pretensions, nor is he the first to mistake his libido for his reason. But what is there to understand here? Because of his particular passion-- which the faith he has long professed recognizes as intrinsically disordered-- he is forsaking his vows.
We understand perfectly, Karl. And no, we are not pleased.
Phil Lawler has been a Catholic journalist for more than 30 years. He has edited several Catholic magazines and written eight books. Founder of Catholic World News, he is the news director and lead analyst at CatholicCulture.org. See full bio.
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Posted by: -
Apr. 20, 2018 12:59 PM ET USA
Would putting the School under interdict be an action worthy of consideration? We need bishops to act, not just speak in these situations. This professor must be removed.
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Posted by: Montserrat -
Apr. 20, 2018 11:10 AM ET USA
If no change of heart or mind is forthcoming from Holy Cross, very soon, Bishop McManus should not hesitate to declare the institution as no longer Catholic.
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Posted by: DrJazz -
Apr. 19, 2018 10:19 AM ET USA
If the Bishop wants HC to issue a public retraction, he needs to find an authentically Catholic college that will take any and all current HC students as transfers, preferably at reduced tuition. Then begin a very vocal homiletic and mailing campaign in all parishes that no Catholics should be sending their children to such a corrupted institution until such time as it begins to teach Catholicism properly and with respect. Ask alumni to stop all donations. Starve the beasts, one at a time.
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Posted by: feedback -
Apr. 19, 2018 8:57 AM ET USA
Only a completely deviant and twisted mind would consider this sort of anti Christian blasphemy to be acceptable expression of "academic freedom." That Jesuit run college deserves a massive withdrawal of enrollments, especially of Christian students.
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Posted by: Randal Mandock -
Apr. 19, 2018 1:01 AM ET USA
I don't remember any Marine chaplains when I was in the Corps. Maybe things have changed 40+ years later, but I don't think so. The video referenced above does make it clear that Fr. Shaughnessy is a Navy chaplain. Regarding the porno-king professor, the bishop must act swiftly and decisively. The institution should be stripped of whatever affiliation it has with the Catholic Church.
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Posted by: JARay -
Nov. 14, 2009 1:26 AM ET USA
Clearly it is again time for any Catholic attempting a "marriage" outside of the Church to incur excommunication ipso facto. The same also used to apply to any Catholic attending any such "marriage".
