Bishop Tutu's Inspiring Quote...

[OneTampa]

Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/26/desmond-tutu-hell-homophobia_n_3661120.html

[Ann]

I hope the pope got the memo!

[Matts]

Pope Francis reaches out to gays
 Pope Francis has used a remarkably candid interview to declare that gay people should not be “marginalised” and that it was not for him to judge a person who was homosexual.
In a significant shift of stance, the Pope struck a much more conciliatory tone than traditional Vatican doctrine, which has called homosexuality “a deviation” and “an irregularity” that should preclude gay men from becoming priests.

“If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” the Pope said during an interview with reporters on Monday. “We shouldn’t marginalise people for this. They must be integrated into society.”

The Pope spoke to Vatican correspondents aboard the papal plane as he returned from Rio to Rome, a day after celebrating Mass in front of an estimated three million Catholics on Copacabana beach.

The comments did not fundamentally change the policy of the Catholic Church, which holds that while homosexual orientation is not sinful, homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered”.

But they signalled that Francis accepts that some priests are gay, and that it is acceptable as long as they adhere to their vow of celibacy, marking a more compassionate, inclusive stance on the issue.

He also implicitly struck down the Catholic Church’s past teaching that homosexuality can lead to “tragedies” such as clergy sexually abusing children, a position which gay rights groups have condemned as deeply misled and homophobic.

“At a stroke, Pope Francis has done an astounding thing, separating the issue of homosexuality from paedophilia,” said Nichi Vendola, one of Italy’s very few openly gay politicians.

The Pope gave one of the most free-ranging interviews of any pontiff in modern times, accepting all questions during an 80-minute press conference on board the special Alitalia plane, in sharp contrast to his predecessor Benedict XVI, who would only answer carefully vetted questions submitted in advance.

Asked about long-standing claims that there is a powerful “gay lobby” within the Vatican, the Pope said that any lobby was a problem for the Curia, the secretive governing body of the Holy See, whatever its character.

“I have not seen anyone at the Vatican who is registered as gay on his identity card. We acknowledge that there are (gays),” he said.


More:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/the-pope/10208802/Pope-Francis-reaches-out-to-gays.html

[buginme2]

I hope the pope got the memo!

Ann, have you not been watching the news? 


Its about time a Jesuit was Pope. 

[Ann]

Ann, have you not been watching the news? 

Not really, no. I have my hands full herding cats around here and keeping abreast of local news and politics, so international news often falls off my radar. I mean, I didn't even hear about the birth of Prince George until I read it here in the forums the next day (as far as I'm concerned, news from the UK falls under the "international" heading).


It's good to hear about Pope Francis's interview, so thanks to Matts for posting about it.

But now I've got Popa, Popacabana... playing in my head.

The nun was Lola, she was a novice
A snow-white wimple on her hair and a habit down to there
She would kneel and say the rosary
And while she tried to be so pure, Father Tony was a lure
Across a crowded floor, they prayed from 8 till 4
They were young and they had found Jebus
Who could ask for more?

At the Popa (PO!), Popacabana (Popacabana)
The hottest spot north of Vat City (here)
At the Popa (PO!), Popacabana
Mass and The Passion were always the fashion
At the Popa....they fell in love.... ooops!

I really should get out more.

[ds4146]

Ann did you write that little ditty yourself....never heard it before and with the time that you have on your hands I imagine it is an original

On another note, you may very well burn on the other side, I will gladly wait with a steak and drink in hand....and I guess I just need to get out more too!

[Ann]

Ann did you write that little ditty yourself....never heard it before and with the time that you have on your hands I imagine it is an original

On another note, you may very well burn on the other side, I will gladly wait with a steak and drink in hand....and I guess I just need to get out more too!

It's a re-work of Barry Manilow's Copacabana.

If you believe in all that sort of thing, I probably got myself a free pass into one of the more inner circles of the hot place. See you there!

Oh, and btw, not knowing what song I was referencing just may get you a certain ID card revoked!

[OneTampa]

It's a re-work of Barry Manilow's Copacabana.

Oh, and btw, not knowing what song I was referencing just may get you a certain ID card revoked!

Said person checking about said card being revoked:


"Computer says no."