Papal fixation with sex upsets priests

[foreigncorrespondent]

Most of Melbourne's (Australia) Catholic priests are more disturbed by the Pope's attitude to sex issues than by unmarried couples or homosexuals living together, according to a leading Melbourne priest.

<snip>

Writing in the independent internet magazine OnlineCatholics, he says that older priests ordained between 1955 and 1975, who form up to 70 per cent of the Melbourne total, "do not like the strong personality cult of the Pope and resent the bishops' sycophantic style of quoting him incessantly".

"Most of them are no longer committed to the old taboos on sexuality. Most do not believe that couples living together are doing something very wrong," he says. "Most are happy to have homosexual couples living lives of commitment. They find the Roman heavy insistence on these issues obsessive and wonder why."

More... http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Papal-fixation-with-sex-upsets-priests/2005/01/31/1107020331882.html

I have been reading a lot lately about how a lot of the older Priests (not just in Australia) but around the world are talking like this. Guys, do you think there is going to be a break in the Catholic Faith, or, od you think the Priests will ban together after the Pope passes away, and try and get change with in the system?

I did find this story of particular interest though, simply because this is the first one that actually mentions anything about homosexuals, and it is actually in a possitive note!

[elehhhhna]

1. Priests fixation with sex upsets Pope. So they're even.

[Massacure]

2. The church can change its mind too.

400 years ago they thought everything revolved around Earth.

[Cuban_Liberal]

3. I've noticed this in our diocese.

We're in a committed relationship and are quite active in our parish. Our rector is quite supportive of us, and others similarly situated.

[Rex]

4. Wouldn't be the first schism for the Church

nt

[atreides1]

5. The One Thing That We All Foget

Is that it is the ROMAN Catholic Church, emphasis on the ROMAN part.

And as the Romans were known for their high regard for authority and discipline, the church is the same, just look at it's history to get an idea of what I'm talking about.

[htuttle]

6. Interesting

Writing in the independent internet magazine OnlineCatholics, he says that older priests ordained between 1955 and 1975, who form up to 70 per cent of the Melbourne total, "do not like the strong personality cult of the Pope and resent the bishops' sycophantic style of quoting him incessantly".

The period between 1955 and 1975 was also just before and after Vatican II was written and Liberation Theology saw some popularity.

[noamnety]

7. I'm confused

Are they allowed to just "not like the strong personality cult of the Pope"?

[Branjor]

9. The pope has supposedly been

at death's doorway for years now. How is it that he is still alive?

[Nothing Without Hope]

8. The next pope will be elected in Rome by the cardinals

and the cardinals were chosen in part for their loyalty to the pope's beliefs and the "traditional" teachings of the Church. This pope has ruled a long time and so many were chosen by him. It's a self-perpetuating system, as much as it is possible to be such a thing in a changing world.

Acceptance of committed homosexual unions is inevitable, in my opinion, in addition to being right. But within the highest reaches of the Church, there will be resistance for some time to come. I have no idea how long that will be, and I am usually not short on opinions!

The obsession with sex IS one of the oddities of the Church leadership, though, given all the horrible issues needing attention in this world. It's what's ultimately behind the resistance to women priests and married priests as well as so many other things. It has a long history, though certainly not back to the beginning of Christianity.