Thread: Former Catholic head of Milwaukee archdiocese admits he's gay

Former Catholic head of Milwaukee admits he's gay

Was this guy ever excommunicated?

Weakland and his boy pals were on the fringes of the whole Joseph Cardinal Bernardin scandal. Steven Cook brought a lawsuit against Bernardin in 1993, alleging molestation, and everyone was "shocked, shocked" until some of the allegations were proven true. The whole thing stinks to high heaven.

The RCC excommunicates no one, especially not one of its prelates, for simply being a homosexual, and it "transfers around" those who get caught acting out. As far as I know, this is still happening. I would buy the assertions that anywhere from 50-75%, or higher, of Catholic priests have a homosexual orientation. It was what I observed in various Catholic schools. The Catholic priesthood has always had a "gay culture" undertone to it, with priests giving each other "girlie" names, etc. They'd call each other "Shirley" and "Janie" and "Martha." I remember that from back in the Fifties.

Rembert Weakland was always one of the more flamboyant queens. But no one is going to touch him as to his standing within the church. He's been "a hard worker," you see...

Margaret

Originally Posted by Galatians220

It was what I observed in various Catholic schools. The Catholic priesthood has always had a "gay culture" undertone to it, with priests giving each other "girlie" names, etc. They'd call each other "Shirley" and "Janie" and "Martha." I remember that from back in the Fifties.

Rembert Weakland was always one of the more flamboyant queens. But no one is going to touch him as to his standing within the church. He's been "a hard worker," you see...

Margaret

is an understatement...wow...and

For what I understand the RCC has a history of ordaining homosexuals into priest asking them for a life or celibacy. It is a hard issue to debate both in protestant circles and RCC circles; should those who struggle with homosexality or are "gay" but celibate enter into ministry?

Originally Posted by ReformedChapin

...It is a hard issue to debate both in protestant circles and RCC circles; should those who struggle with homosexality or are "gay" but celibate enter into ministry?

The answer to that would be "No".

I can see no reason why the answer would be anything else. It seems in your example you have people struggling with homosexuality and those that are just openly gay.

I cant see how either should be allowed into ministry

Originally Posted by Quickened

Originally Posted by ReformedChapin

...It is a hard issue to debate both in protestant circles and RCC circles; should those who struggle with homosexality or are "gay" but celibate enter into ministry?

The answer to that would be "No".

I can see no reason why the answer would be anything else. It seems in your example you have people struggling with homosexuality and those that are just openly gay.

I cant see how either should be allowed into ministry

The question would be if anyone struggling with any sexual sin should be allowed into ministry. I would think we would have to be consistant, that would mean that men struggling with lust or even pornography should lose or never be allowed into ministry.

It's only very recently that the RCC is even considering the idea that they should develop strategies for screening out and excluding men from progression to ordination who have homosexual orientations. What a disgrace. But then, we must consider the source. (I was also rather unnerved in the last couple of days by former Hitler Youth member Benedict XVI's sorry *performance* at Yad Vashem. Again, the source...)

Margaret

ReformedChapin;

The question would be if anyone struggling with any sexual sin should be allowed into ministry. I would think we would have to be consistant, that would mean that men struggling with lust or even pornography should lose or never be allowed into ministry.

I was thinking the same thing, but a heterosexual who struggles with such sins is just as unlikely to admit these things to a session or ordination board as a homosexual or even a pedophile would.

Do they even ask about such things when it comes to ordination?

I lived in MKE then, and went to Marquette in the late 70's (yeah Al McGuire and the '77 Warriors!!!); I was neither Catholic nor saved (convenient as a student at the Jesuit Marquette). Weakland, if I may be opinionated, was far more openly liberal on every social cause that came up in Wisconsin than he was openly gay,though I wouldn't argue with the whole "queen" thing. Amazing how much one's "sexual orientation" is expressed in one's faith, ethics, and politics. Despite that, I don't see the RCC as having actively recruited, so to speak, homosexual clerics, but here in the US there was definitely a "queen bee and the hive" mentality (Neuhaus even wrote about it a few years ago) in the RCC leadership. However, as Reformed believers, let's not get too proud--we're all repentant sinners, God willing, and it is far too easy to pick the "that sin's too bad to be in church leadership" sin--it's usually the sin of the next guy in line, not me!! If RCC leadership has failed in the oversight of RCC church bodies, how have we done in adultery, divorce, pornography, tax cheating and embezzlement, and so forth? We men seem particularly (see Kings David and Solomon for example) prone to sexual temptation and sin; the day may come when it is hard to find a seminary or pastoral office candidate who hasn't been divorced! Admitting or not admitting things in public or private (even to a session or presbytery) can not be an excuse for hard-hitting questions and close observation, and even then good leaders may fall. I wonder how often we see how much MORE forgiving God is than we?

Originally Posted by BJClark

ReformedChapin;

The question would be if anyone struggling with any sexual sin should be allowed into ministry. I would think we would have to be consistant, that would mean that men struggling with lust or even pornography should lose or never be allowed into ministry.

I was thinking the same thing, but a heterosexual who struggles with such sins is just as unlikely to admit these things to a session or ordination board as a homosexual or even a pedophile would.

Do they even ask about such things when it comes to ordination?

When someone *identifies* himself as a homosexual...he's made "peace" with that...when Paul addressed believers who had been homosexual, he said they *once were*...not "are".

I don't believe there is a one for one equality between the sin of hetero lust and homo lust...while both are sins, the latter is the product of a hardened heart...I see it as evidence for hardening if a "believer" describes himself as a homosexual.

I see it as evidence for hardening if a "believer" describes himself as a homosexual.

I assume that you're not saying the former "Archbishop" is a "believer".

Originally Posted by Craig

Originally Posted by BJClark

ReformedChapin;

The question would be if anyone struggling with any sexual sin should be allowed into ministry. I would think we would have to be consistant, that would mean that men struggling with lust or even pornography should lose or never be allowed into ministry.

I was thinking the same thing, but a heterosexual who struggles with such sins is just as unlikely to admit these things to a session or ordination board as a homosexual or even a pedophile would.

Do they even ask about such things when it comes to ordination?

When someone *identifies* himself as a homosexual...he's made "peace" with that...when Paul addressed believers who had been homosexual, he said they *once were*...not "are".

I don't believe there is a one for one equality between the sin of hetero lust and homo lust...while both are sins, the latter is the product of a hardened heart...I see it as evidence for hardening if a "believer" describes himself as a homosexual.

I really hope you are not saying that those who struggle against homosexuality have a harden heart.