Archbishop Blase Cupich of Chicago, who is participating in the Synod of the Family at Pope Francis’ personal invitation, said at an impromptu press conference in the Vatican press office:
“In Chicago I visit regularly with people who feel marginalized: the elderly, the divorced and remarried, gay and lesbian individuals and also couples. I think that we really need to get to know what their life is like if we’re going to accompany them,” he said.
When asked to give a concrete example of how he would accompany the divorced and remarried in their desire to receive the sacraments, Cupich replied: “If people come to a decision in good conscience then our job is to help them move forward and to respect that. The conscience is inviolable and we have to respect that when they make decisions, and I’ve always done that.”
When asked by LifeSiteNews if the notion of accompanying people to the sacraments who had a clear indication of conscience to do so also applied to gay couples in the Church who wish to receive Communion, Cupich indicated an affirmative answer.
“I think that gay people are human beings too and they have a conscience. And my role as a pastor is to help them to discern what the will of God is by looking at the objective moral teaching of the Church and yet, at the same time, helping them through a period of discernment to understand what God is calling them to at that point,” he said. “It’s for everybody. I think that we have to make sure that we don’t pigeonhole one group as though they are not part of the human family, as though there’s a different set of rules for them. That would be a big mistake.”
Dear Archbishop Cupich, although you say that you regularly visit with “gay” and “lesbian” individuals, this is not true; there are no “gay” people; those you have met, are like my former self, the duped and the deceived; the still wounded adult survivors of childhood abuse and neglect (see: http://www.josephsciambra.com/2015/09/i-never-met-gay-person.html.) And, yes, while we do need to get to know what their lives are like, however that can rarely happen by just “visiting” with them; for instance, can you truly understand the mind of a drug addict or alcoholic by merely speaking to them - while they are still in the throes of their addiction? No! Because, the picture they will present will be one of forced normality; a false front of happiness that is the only defense against the reality of our suffering. For instance, when I was in the “gay” lifestyle, I was constantly in a state of drama: meeting and breaking up with someone; finding out that he cheated on me; going through the torturous charade of cheating on him to get revenge; coming down with an STD; getting bored with everything and everyone; always wanting to take sex to the next extreme; I was frantic and my body wasted; but, in the midst of this chaos and excess, I would always state that I was happy. Why? Because that was the only world I knew. And, I felt safe there. Therefore, if I had to lie in order to protect it - I would.
Second, the “conscience” of some is usually a pretty bad judge of things; especially for those burdened with same sex attraction; which is frequently accompanied by a strong tendency towards mental illness (see: http://www.josephsciambra.com/2015/08/7-facts-about-gay-lifestyle-they-dont.html.) Growing up in the 1970s Catholic Church, I was constantly force fed a dogma that heralded the ultimate primacy of the conscience; we were told: “You decide what is right and wrong…for you!” So, I did just that. By the time I was nearing my late-teens, I was fairly convinced, mainly by submerging in gay porn, that I was “gay.” I knew some people had an issue with it, but I didn’t. Consequently, I wholly believed: “What is okay for me…is okay for me.” Then, my conscience was actually something of my own making. Did I know what the Church taught about homosexuality and the sacredness of sex? No. Did anyone ever take the time to teach me? No. At this point, did I care? No. For, I had made up my mind and my conscience was at peace with it.
Thirdly, the “gay” outreach strategy that you seem to advocate is languid at best, and collusionary at worst. You stated: And my role as a pastor is to help them to discern what the will of God is by looking at the objective moral teaching of the Church and yet, at the same time, helping them through a period of discernment to understand what God is calling them to at that point…” What is troubling, at least to me, is this period of “discernment.” According to the rates at which “gay” men are being infected, not only with HIV, but also syphilis, and a new and scary strain of antibiotic resistant gonorrhea, there is really very little time for “discernment;” (see: http://www.josephsciambra.com/2015/07/cdc-blows-apart-myth-of-gay-male-health.html.) We are in the middle of a war, and over 300,000 “gay” men in the US have already died. Therefore, in this situation, what would work best? I think the Church needs to form a series of triage units, most crucially in those parishes, such as in San Francisco’s Castro District, that are surrounded or near gay neighborhoods: there, the unfiltered Gospel must be preached by stout and masculine men, and then - the work begins of binding the wounds of all those who are able to crawl back to the makeshift wards. It’s that simple. Only, its incredibly challenging, because the “gay” community will hate you. But, what is the alternative? Leaving someone, as you say: “at that point,” at a certain point, half-way, still in the middle of a battlefield, at any point which is not in full union with Our Lord, is a rather sad goal; when Our Lord Jesus Christ carried me back to the Church, I wanted nothing, absolutely nothing, to stand between Him and me; and, that most assuredly included “gay.” But, for awhile, I stayed attached to “gay;” I locked myself into it; I was no longer having sex, but in my head, I was still “gay.” Should I have staid at “that point?” No, because, Jesus wanted all of me…and that “gay” part was still “disordered.” It was my secret attachment to who I thought I was; to who I thought I was born to be. I thought I had given up much for Christ, but I was not going to give this up. Only, I realized that the “gay” part of me was completely unredeemable; there was no place for it in the Kingdom of God. You state that “gay” men and women should not be treated as if “…there’s a different set of rules for them;” but, Archbishop - this is precisely it, because there is something wholly different in the “gay” orientation that can never become the end point: for instance, men and women, just like their “gay“ counterparts, can just as easily fall into sexual sin; but, they can redeem this failing, through contrition, forgiveness, and marriage; that is an impossibility with the “gay” orientation, because, even though I suffered dearly while trying to overcome my homosexuality, those “gay” feelings always came from a place of “disorder.” Yet, there was a form of redemption possible, but not by staying in the “gay” orientation, but by accepting the healing power of Christ.
Archbishop, if you truly want to “accompany” my “gay” brothers and sisters back to the Faith, be patient and wait, most of the time, discourse and dialogue are unhelpful and superfluous; be like the father of the “prodigal son:” for it has been my experience, and the experience of countless others, that oftentimes, the grip of “gay” is so strong within us, we need to literally sleep with the pigs before we wake up and make the decision to walk (or crawl) home. Because, after many years of outreach in the “gay” community, I have not met one man or woman who was accompanied back to the Church; for the most part, as wounded human beings who turned to “gay” for an answer, we need to reach a severe crisis point before we will even slightly consider coming back; this includes: getting dumped one too many times; a partner dying; or, coming down with a disease, especially HIV. Then, and only then, will we take a hard look at our surroundings. At that point - we have to crawl back. And, here is where the Church comes into play: for, She must be waiting, with the fullness of Her traditions and teachings intact; because, at “this point,” what we want Archbishop is the Truth; and, it’s your job - to make sure it’s preserved.
By the way Archbishop: the “gay” neighborhood of Chicago, called “Boys Town,” has some of the highest rates of HIV infections in the United States (see: http://www.josephsciambra.com/2014/06/obamas-liberal-bastion-of-chicago-sees.html.) In addition, just earlier this year: “The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced that they have been investigating three confirmed cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Chicago area. IMD is a rare communicable bacterial disease that can cause meningitis, a severe disease of the brain and spinal cord, and other potentially fatal conditions.”