"To recoil before an enemy, or to keep silence when from all sides such clamors are raised against truth, is the part of a man either devoid of character or who entertains doubt as to the truth of what he professes to believe. In both cases such mode of behaving is base and is insulting to God, and both are incompatible with the salvation of mankind." (Leo XIII, Sapientiae Christianae, AAS 22 (1889-90) 390, PE, 111.14).
In the Church, everyone has a duty to be salt and light and to work for the renewal of society. Deacons are no exception. The Constitution on the Church [Lumen Gentium] of the Second Vatican Council had this to say: "At a lower level of the hierarchy are deacons, upon whom hands are imposed 'not unto the priesthood, but unto a ministry of service.' For strengthened in sacramental grace, in communion with the bishop and his group of priests they serve in the diaconate of the liturgy, of the Word, and of charity to the People of God...Dedicated to duties of charity and administration, let deacons be mindful of the admonition of Blessed Polycarp: 'Be merciful, diligent, walking according to the truth of the Lord, who became the servant of all.'" (Lumen Gentium, No. 29). Later in the same document we read, "Ministers of lesser rank are also sharers in the mission and grace of the supreme priest" and that Deacons are "dispensers of Christ's mysteries and servants of the Church" who should in holiness "stand before men as personifications of goodness and friends of God." (Lumen Gentium, No. 41).
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches clearly that homosexuality is contrary to nature and that homosexual acts are among the "sins gravely contrary to chastity" (CCC, 2396). Homosexual acts are "intrinsically disordered," "contrary to the natural law" and "under no circumstances can they be approved." (CCC, 2357). But at the website for your campus ministry at Fitchburg State College this teaching is nowhere to be found. Instead we find a link for NACDLGM, a group which purports to be "Catholic" while undermining Church teaching on homosexuality and mocking Pope Benedict XVI.
As Matt Abbot has noted, a veteran reporter covered a 2005 NACDLGM conference which was held at the San Jose Hilton in California. This reporter writes, "For the most part, participants were unashamedly 'out and proud,' with some priests freely admitting their homosexuality and attendees railing against upcoming seminary visits and the impending approval by Pope Benedict XVI of a document banning homosexuals from the priesthood. One participant was overheard by this reporter calling the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, 'a big queen'...Copies of OutNow, a Bay Area homosexual news magazine containing advertisements for bathhouses and XXX 'gay' videos were free for the taking at the registration table..."
Deacon Nogueira, area Catholics have a right to know where you stand with regard to Catholic teaching on homosexuality. Do you accept the Church's teaching as outlined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church? And while we're on the subject, what are your thoughts regarding the annual drag show held at Fitchburg State College? The Gay Straight Alliance at Fitchburg State?
Deacon Nogueira, do you stand with Christ or chaos? Christ or a secularized culture?
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