A seminarian/priest/franciscan/law enforcement chaplain's views on Life, Theology, Ministry and G-d.
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Are you Catholic? Have you become lapsed in your faith because of "policies" with which you don't agree? Have you been excommunicated or disenfranchised by your Catholic church? Are you not allowed to take communion because your marriage is a mixed faith? We welcome all to Christ's table to receive the Holy Eucharist.
What if I told you that there were more Catholic churches other than Roman? What if there are Catholic churches which embrace Vatican II and use the 2nd edition Missal as promulgated by Blessed Pope Paul VI and revised and promulgated by St Pope John Paul II?
What if there were a Catholic church which did not believe in artificial barriers like sexual orientation, gender identity, mixed faith marriages to separate people from the Sacraments, or embraced all who feel the call to priesthood whether married, straight, gay, or a woman? Are you a same-sex couple and looking for a Catholic church home which welcomes you and your partner? Are you a same-sex couple looking for a Catholic wedding?
St John XXIII Catholic Church is an independent Catholic parish, a parish under the jurisdiction of the United American Catholic Church (see http://www.uacatholicchurch.org) and is right here in Indianapolis. How you ask? Remember there are more Catholic Churches other than Roman. And are we really Catholic? Absolutely. The litmus test for any church claiming to be Catholic is to have Apostolic Succession and a Valid Eucharist. Our jurisdiction, the United American Catholic Church has eleven lines of Apostolic Succession and all our clergy offer a valid Eucharist. Deacons offer pre-consecrated hosts for Communion.
If any of these things seem to apply to you? If you still want to practice your faith without any
manmade artificial barriers to the Sacraments. If you embraced Vatican II as it was originally intended, then why not consider coming to St John XXIII Catholic Church and find out just what we are all about?
Right now we are looking for a space in which to celebrate holy communion (sometimes incorrectly referred as a "Deacon's Mass"). We will be announcing soon regular Sunday services.
In the meantime, if you want to learn more about St John XXIII Catholic Church, the history of Independent Catholicism in the US and its relation to the "Old Catholic Church" traditions, then visit our FAQ page on our parish website at http://www.stjohnxxiiicatholicchurch.org/who-we-are-2/church-faq/
[first posted under "My Notes" on Facebook for profile "brojefferywolfe" on May 30, 2011]
It has been a while since I have posted an article. But with bans on Same-Sex marriages being thrown out as unconstitutional in states all across the country (Indiana being the latest that legalizes Same-Sex Marriage - pending release of a Stay Order), I thought it appropriate to revisit a note I received from a good friend of mine in high school with whom I graduatated.
Here was her note to me and my response (both currently posted on my Profile Page on Facebook (brojefferywolfe)
Recently I received a
question from a friend that had noticed my posts on Facebook and
deduced that I was gay. The question was essentially "How can a gay man
be a priest?".
This person asked a very valid question
of me that required me to carefully think through answering the
question with dignity and respect. I share this person's question with
you here along with my response. It is a question that often comes up
whenever the topic of "gay" and "christian" meet. I do not intend to
know all the ways to answer this question. I can only say that my
response came from years of myself wrestling with the same question.
If you have read my blog up to this point, then you already know this
is not a new question, even for me:
Question:
Jeff,
I
ask this w/ utmost respect for you and without malice.........I
consider us friends.....But doesn't it say in the Bible that
homosexuality is an Abomination and detestable sin?
In First Corinthians 6:9 it states it is "unrighteous and will not
inherit God's Kingdom. Now I am not a real religious
person, grew up Southern Baptist....and don't pretend to know the
Bible from cover to cover and would not know enough about it to argue
w/ anyone... I just don't understand how an openly gay person can
become a priest in the church. Can you please explain that to
me. As I said I do not mean any harm in this
email...I just have a heavy burden on my heart about this and just
want some clarification. [Anonymous to protect
privacy]
Response: That
is a great question. For centuries individuals have wrestled with
this question. If you look at the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, what was
the sin? Today's preacher's would have you believe it is
homosexuality. However, if you read the text carefully, one discovers
that the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was not homosexuality, but
in-hospitality [and forced sex - i.e. male rape]...
Much can also be said if you look at the Bible from a Sociological
point of view (purely academic). Much of the old world in Christ's time
and even up through the middle ages was primarily a patriarchal
society. Man was dominate and women submissive. However, I doubt today
that many of you would agree today that women are subservient to men.
As a society we have grown up, so to speak. Christ
himself never spoke about homosexuality directly. In fact, there are
two simple rules I try to follow every day. The first is the Golden
Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". The second
is the Great Commandment: "Love your neighbor as
yourself" [see Luke 10:27]. If God does not make mistakes, and
everything that God creates is sacred, then I am not a mistake and I
am sacred. It has once been said "God don't make no junk". As a
follower of Christ it is not for me to judge whose lifestyle is more
holy - Straight or Gay. My responsibility as a follower of Christ is
to follow the Golden Rule and the Great
Commandment. Judgment is reserved for God - my
responsibility is to treat all with dignity and
respect [ironically, I had written thislong before Pope Francis was elected and shared a similar statement on a long plane ride back to theVatican after one of his trips - good for Pope Francis]. I know this may not provide an appropriate
response to the question for some, but if we truly are followers of
Christ, it makes no difference whether a person is gay or straight. It
only matters if they love God with all their heart, soul, mind and
body.
Often Christ uses the lowly and seemingly
unjust to be a beacon and light to the world. Christ teaches that
those who are rejected by society often become the great defenders of
the faith. Mary Magdalene has often been described
as a prostitute and whore. Yet, it was not Peter or Paul, nor James
nor John who announced to the other disciples that Christ had Risen.
It was Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph and a third Mary. [Mary Magdalene was therefore the first evangelist.]
When the Pharisees first brought Mary Magdalene to Christ, they asked
Christ what should be done with her because according to the Jewish
Law, since she slept with a man who was not her husband, she should be
stoned to death. They asked Christ what he says about this situation.
Christ paused, and then wisely said, "Let he who is without sin cast
the first stone" (John 8:7).
[A
tactic which Jesus used frequently when asked questions - he would ask a
question back, usually to the Pharisees as it was usually they who were
asking Jesus questions to try and trip him up.]You see,
just because a person is straight, it does not mean they are more holy
or without sin. In fact, let me ask with whom would God be more
pleased? A straight man who sleeps with many women who are not his
wife, but goes to confession every Sunday? Or a gay man who is celibate
or in a monogamous relationship and dedicates his life to serving
others as Christ served others? Who does God see as more Christ like?
You see, it is easy to create "second class" citizens, because it makes
those of us who are not in the "second class" by society's standards
"better". But you and I both know the dangers of creating a class of
people that are considered lower or beneath others. Hitler did that and
look at the holocaust that followed.
I applaud my friend for asking the question. It is not an easy
question ask nor is it an easy question to answer. In fact, I today,
still wrestle with the same question - but I have faith that there are
no coincidences in life and that I'm here to serve a
purpose. If you haven't read my blog on my calling (http://followingmycalling.blogspot.com/),
take a moment and read it in total [starting from the earliest entry
which is at the bottom - the default setting on Blogger]. Then you will maybe see how God can call a
gay man to be a priest. Keep wrestling with these
questions. Usually I find that in the quiet of the night, God will
speak to me and give me peace about these questions. "Why do you look
at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice thetlog
that is in your own eye?" (see Matt 7:3).
Sometimes
all we can do is pray. Keep wrestling with God and these questions.
Don't just accept what a church or preacher teaches. Dig into Scripture
and learn for yourself.
May God bring you Peace in your search..
Peace, bro jeff
I
applaud my friend for having the courage to ask this question.
Sometimes we want simple answers to simple questions. However, my
experience has been, and my faith has taught me, and my journey has led
me to believe, that there are no simple answers and there are certainly
no simple questions. I find that if I start worrying about others and
the validity of their faith, I usually am not spending enough time
exploring my own faith. Keep asking questions
and keep looking for answers. I leave you all with verse from the Bible
(Matt 7:7) and some comparative readings from different versions of
the Bible, but verse itself is my prayer for each us...
It seemed appropriate to revisit this question and my meager attempt at a response. I say this because a few years back a freshman undergraduate at Harvard University took two years off from school after completing his freshman year to research the very same topic.He too had heard fellow students state that the Bible says homosexuality is a sin. So the young man decided to do something about this. He would research the topic himself in the Hebrew and Christian Scriputres. After almost two years of research, Matthew Vines held a lecture in his hometown of Witchita, Kansas at a church and gave a lecture. The lecture was titled "The Gay Debate: The Bible and Homosexuality". It was about a one hour lecture in length. The material cxam from his almost two years of exegetical work on this topic diving into the heart of every verse from the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bibile which referenced homosexuality. Matthew had a friend video his lecture so that he could post it on YouTube.com. After the lecture, he posted the recording on YouTube.
The response to his video lecture on YouTube was phenomenal. It went viral almost immediately. Today it has been viewed by close to 750,000 internet users. From this response on YouTube, Matthew felt called to continue this work but wanted to make it more widely available and at the same help educate others so they can help train and educate their churches. Gathering a core group of friends, acquantances and leaders in contemporary Christian theology and pastors, he founded a Not for Profit organization called "The Reformation Project". The mission of the Reformation Project in an nutshell is to eradicate homophobia from Christian (Protestant and Catholic) churches. Quite a daunting task by any standard.
From his exegetical work to develop the lecture, to forming and founding the Not for Profit, Matthew felt this information should be written so that could read about his research rather than watching the lecture on Youube (especially reaching those either did not have a computer or were not computer savvy. So with the help of his core group of friends and acquaintances, Matthew wrote a book based on his lecture and expounded upon the topic of his one hour lecture.
He also had the idea that if he could train people from across the country on his research, they could then in turn train their local churches on the topic, allowing the message Matthew brought in his lecture to more people than he could do on his own. In early 2013, The Reformation Project NFP solicted funds so that he could train 50 individuals (ideally one from every state in the US). He wanted to be able to cover all expenses for the trainees (hotel, airfare, meals, etc.). The Reformation Project successfully raised almost double the funds they calculcated they would need to do just that. Then came sending out an annoucnement for applications to be submitted. He literally was buried in applications (almost 10 times more than the 50 spos he would have for his inaugural training. This year the training will be held near Washington D.C. The next training is scheduled for this November (6th - 8th). The Reformation Project has also posted future training sessions for 2015 (one in March in Kansas City and another in June in Atlanta, Ga). This is how much people want to attend. Matthew I am sure is literally overwhelmed at the requests for more training.
With his first book now published, it is called "God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Marriage". Matthew's book was just published on April 22, 2014 and released on May 2, 2014. It is already a #1 Best Seller in Amazon's "Gender and Sexualtiy in Religious Studies". He is already been receiving requests for guest appearances and speaking engagements across the country. You can find out about upcoming Conferences and Speaking Engagements at http://reformationproject.org.
Years ago I was a Youth Pastor serving at Lawrence United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana (1986-87) and then at Custer Road United Methodist Church in Plano, Texas .At the time I served at Custer Road UMC (1987-88), it was one of the fastest growing United Methodist Churches in the country. During this time I had the privilege of meeting in person Dr. Tony Campolo, PhD. , a Sociologist and Progressive Evangelical who has the unique ability of using his Sociological training as a "lens" through which he can view and read the Bible. By doing this, Tony Campolo has been able to bring to light topics and insights in the Bible which had yet been discovered. A brilliant Sociologist and extremely successful Christian youth leader and speaker, I have an affinity for Dr. Campolo since I too am a Sociologist (with my undergraduate degree from Indiana University in Sociology with a minor in Medical Sociology).
Dr. Campolo says of Matthew's book:
Dr. Tony Campolo, Ph.D.
"For anyone who wants to know why some Evangelicals find that the Bible
does not condemn same-gender marriage, Matthew Vines’ book answers the
question. Christians who oppose gay marriage should consider what he has
to say."
Dr Tony Campolo, Ph.D.
Dr. Campolo is an Alumnus and Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Eastern Univeristy in St. David's, Pennsylvania.
Matthew's book is insightful, bringing a breath of fresh air on the topic of gender and the Christian Bible. Growing up in the United Methodist Church, I had a youth leader to whom I looked up and admired. Her name was Rev. Maggie McNaught. During a discussion one night after Sunday night youth group meeting, the topic of Gay Christians came up. One thing that has always stuck with me which Maggie said to me that night when I ask her about being a Christian and being Gay - she said, "Jeff, God don't make no junk". That message has stuck with me all these years and I use it even today.
I was in high school back in the late 70's when she shared that phrase with me. If you were to "google" that phrase today, it could could be attributed to many sources. But for me, at the time, it didn't matter if Maggie came up with the phrase on her own, or if she borrowed it from one of a dozen sources, the message was clear to me - if God doesn't make junk, and God made me, and I am gay, then I am not junk. And if I am gay and a Christian and I am not junk, then God created me to be exactly, no more and no less, the person I am today. God loves me just as I am because he created me to be just as I am. A topic which goes right along with gender and the Bible is the misconception that being Gay is a choice. It is not. It is no more a choice for me than being straight is for my parents. It is just who they are. But, I digress.
Matthew's book brings that little phrase "God don't make no junk" to the millenial generation with a fresh and firey approach, tackling some of the most quoted "homosexual condemning" verses in the Bible. And it could not come at a better time.
According to Forty to None, a Not for Profit working with homeless youth, states that there are over 500,000 homeless youth each year. Up to 40% of those 500,000 homeless youth are LGBT. These LGBT youth are kicked out of their homes by their parents because they either "came out" to their parents and/or told their parents they were "HIV+", or the leave voluntarily because the emotional abuse is too much to bare being told that being gay is a sin, day after day. Today many have turned HIV into a moral issue (i.e. if you have HIV, you must be an immoral person doing immoral things). This is nothing more than Bible thumping church propaganda. HIV is nothing more than a disease. We must treat those who have HIV the same as we treat those with cancer.
Jesus never once said it was wrong for two people of the same-sex to fall in love, get married and have family. Matthew hopes that through his book, his organization "The Reformation Project" and the millenial generation and younger, will help eradicate homophobia from Christians (Protestants and Catholics) one day.
To my friend and the many, many Christians who also have been taught that homosexuality is a sin, I hope that through watching Matthew's video, reading about and even getting involved in The Reformation Project and finally reading Matthew's book, "God and the Gay Christian: A Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Marriage" that my friend and many like her will begin to open their hearts and realize that Jesus was all about relationships. He didn't found a religion. He taught us how to live and love life and how to treat and love the people with whom we interact and with whom we come in contact . There are no commandments from Jesus against homosexuality.
So what do we need to do in order to get to heaven. Isn't that what being a Christian is all about? Finding
Jesus explaining how
to get to heaven
our path to heaven and Jesus teach us to be kind and loving along the way. When Jesus was asked, "Good Teacher. What must I do to get to heaven? Jesus replied with two simple acts. Really the only commandments in all the New Testament which Jesus insisted upon. He told the man who asked the question:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and soul, and mind, and body (The Great Commandment) and to "Love our Neighbor as ourselves" (The Golden Rule).
Luke 10:27
Jesus said there are only two things are required for one to get to heaven: Follow the Great Commandment and the Golden Rule (Luke 10:27). That is at the heart of the message of Jesus. Be aware of everyone around you - rich, poor, black, white, straight, gay - and build relationships with these people you meet as you walk through life. Be good to those relationships (even same-sex relationships) and you will find your way to heaven.
So to my high school classmate with whom I graduated high school and to the thousands of other who have been taught incorrectly that being Gay is a sin, please keep an open mind. Take time (with your mind open) to watch Matthew's video. Visit The Reformation Project website. Get Matthew's book and read it. When it comes down to it, regardless of our sex (gender), we are just people trying to find our way thorugh life and learn along the way what life it about. So, to answer the questions, "Can a gay man (or woman, gay or straight, married or celiebate) be a Priest?" Both Matthew and I would say "YES" (emphatically)
_________________________________
Bro Jeffery Wolfe,OSFC/n, is the Executive Director and a member of the
Board of Directors for The
Kristen Center, a faith-based not-for-profit community based
organization
dedicated to providing programs and services to those with HIV and those
who
care for them. Currently The Kristen Center offers targeted, customized
HIV
Support Groups for: Newly Diagnosed; Long Term Survivors; Family &
Caregivers of those with HIV; and, Women with HIV. HIV Prevention
programs are an essential core element of the services offered by The
Kristen Center. You can
learn more about The Kristen Center by going to http://www.thekristencenter.com/ or by checking out its Facebook Page
at http://www.fb.com/TheKristenCenter or visit their Twitter page at
http://www.twitter.com/kristencenter.
In addition, Bro Jeffery Wolfe,OSFC/n is the Director and Administrator of St John xxiii Pastoral & Outreach Center - UACC in Indianapolis, IN. It was founded
April 4, 2011 in Indianapolis on the East-side in Irvington. Bro Jeff attends
seminary as a third year student at Holy Spirit
enrolled in the Master of Divinity Program. As the Director of the St. John
xxiii Pastoral & Outreach Center - UACC in Indianapolis, Bro Jeff serves
Indianapolis by offering a Progressive, Vatican II Independent Catholic parish which
offers communion, hospital visitation, shut-in visitation, prayer groups, RCIA,
weddings and funerals, and other traditional liturgies associated with
Catholicism. St John XXIII Pastoral & Outreach Center - UACC is a parish under the jurisdiction of the United American Catholic Church.
St. John xxiii Parish denies NO ONE for ANY reason from receiving the Holy
Eucharist. ALL are welcome at our Mass regardless of status (divorced, single,
married, gay, straight, bi-sexual, trans-gendered). As a UACC parish, we
believe as Pope John XXIII did that Christ died for all, FOR ALL.
Each year, between 500,000 and 1.6 million youth in the U.S. are homeless or runaways [1].
The statistics for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender homeless
youth are even more shocking, as this group represents 20-40% of all homeless
young people [2]. Considering that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender youth represent an estimated 3-5% of the total youth
population, these numbers are disproportionately high. And while even a
single homeless youth on the streets is one too many, the disparity of
gay and transgender youth that are homeless is unfathomable.
- See more at: http://fortytonone.org/get-informed/learn-about-the-issue/overview/#sthash.oItgAo4A.dpuf
Each
year, between 500,000 and 1.6 million youth in the U.S. are homeless or
runaways - See more at:
http://fortytonone.org/get-informed/learn-about-the-issue/overview/#sthash.lqhCIyMr.dpuf
Originally I had written this article as a draft almost a year ago on 11/22/2013 ( ironically on my birthday) in response to an article entitled "The Real Lives of Gay Men" published by "Crises Magazine", a Roman Catholic publication by laity for a conservative, traditionalist Roman Catholic audience. I was so incensed by the article, I wrote the following response for my blog. I let it set for almost a year (until this week), and after reading it again, felt the need to go ahead and publish this on my blog. Originally I called the article response "The Great Commandment, The Golden Rule, and You". However, after some thought when I decided to finally post this article, I changed the title to "Did we forget about "The Great Commandment" and "The Golden Rule" as Catholic Christians? So here is my response to an article published in "Crises Magazine". You can and should read that article first before reading my response. My response will make more sense if you do. The original article in "Crises Magazine" can be found at http://www.crisismagazine.com/2013/the-real-lives-of-gay-men
Rev Bro Jeffery Wolfe, OSFC Pastor / Deacon St John XXIII Catholic Church a parish of the United American Catholic Church
Here is the original article which I wrote as a draft on Nov 22, 2013, but never published until today (11/01/14):
I cannot remain silent after
reading an article in this month's issue of "Crises Magazine", a Roman Catholic publication by laity for a Roman Catholic audience of a conservative, traditionalist viewpoint. The article, written by Austin Ruse, president of C-FAM (Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute), a New York and Washington DC-based research institute focusing on international legal and social policy.
The article starts out with call for Catholic Christians to have the same compassion for "gay" persons as they have for men who are raped in prisons.
Mr. Ruse then focuses the remainder of his article on a man known as "Lee" the subject of a 2006 essay by another Crises Magazine contributor, Robert Reilly, who in the essay on the man name "Lee" claims that Lee describes himself as "a refugee from the homosexual insane asylum." Before you continue with my Op-Ed, I would encourage the reader to first read Mr. Ruse article on Crises Magazine website. The article can be found at http://www.crisismagazine.com/2013/the-real-lives-of-gay-men.
I will assume the reader has taken the time to read Mr. Ruse' article noted above. If you have, then the following will make sense. If you have not, don't read my op-ed any further until you read Mr. Ruse article at http://www.crisismagazine.com/2013/the-real-lives-of-gay-men.
As I mentioned at the beginning of my op-ed, I cannot remain silent after reading Mr. Ruse' article. As a
sociologist (undergraduate work in Sociology from Indiana University), I
look at the references and the whole of what the author is
communicating. It is nothing more than a "moral pronouncement" on what
the author describes as "the gay lifestyle".
Let's separate fact from fiction. Being gay is not a "lifestyle".
It is not something that someone "chooses" to be. Why in hell would
some choose to be part of a group that is mocked, ridiculed, laughed,
told they were 'going to hell', fornicators, and even derogatory slurs
such as "faggot". Why in the world would anyone choose to live a life
with that level of persecution? Being gay is NOT a "lifestyle". It is
WHO God created each to be. They cannot change or "choose" their
sexual orientation any more than a straight man could "choose to be
gay". I will assume the majority of readers are straight. Let me ask
you a question. What if you were told that "you have to change your
sexual orientation to gay" in order to be accepted in your church, in
your place of work and in society? Would you do it? Could you do it?
If you are like most straight men, the very thought of having sex with
another man is repulsive and makes you physically ill just thinking of
the idea. Being gay is the very same as being straight be only in
reverse. To gay men and women, having sex with the opposite sex produces
that same repulsive feelings that straight people do when told they
would have to become gay.
Moving on to another aspect of the author's article. Did it ever
occur to any straight person that the reason gay men seek out
"anonymous" and in this day an age "dangerous" sexual encounters is
because of the very abuse they would experience by the straight world,
who judges them (or pre-judges; in other words are prejudice against
LGBT). Most LGBT people and couples I know do not show public displays
of affection like straights for fear of being shamed. Yet we see a
young straight couple making out with heavy petting, and almost applaud
and encourage this behavior. The reason LGBT for years have stayed "in
the closet" is because of the very prejudice they experience at the
mouths of so called "Christians". Really? Did Jesus ever "mock"
anyone he encountered? Remember the woman at the well?
If you really want to understand the context about the Bible and the gay controversy, you should visit The Reformation Project (http://reformationproject.org).
Started by a Harvard undergraduate, who took two years off his studies
to research all references in the Hebrew Scriptures about
homosexuality. Through a thorough exegesis which has been applauded by
many seminary professors, he debunks every reference to "homosexuality
being a sin" within the Hebrew Scriptures. And by the way, even from a
common sense standpoint, if are going to follow "The Law" as laid out
in the Pentateuch, you must follow ALL the laws. You don't get to pick
and choose. This is why Christ came.... To free us from this type of
"legalism" and bring the Holy Spirit into our lives so that we would
know how to treat one another. There are really only two commandments
which Jesus gave to us Christians when he walked the earth according to
the Scriptures; 1) Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul
and mind and body; and 2) Love your neighbor as yourself. Must of us
know these commandments as "The Great Commandment" and "The Golden
Rule". So if your neighbor is a gay couple, you are to treat them with
the same love and kindness that you do your own family.
The young people of today will not allow society to continue to abuse
verbally, degrade, call names and treat with disdain LGBT people today.
Why? Because many of their friends are LGBT. They grew up realizing
that being gay is just one facet of MANY that people have. How often
have you heard a group say "look at those straights! I can't believe
their doing that in public!". Never right? Then why do we feel the
need to single out a person if we find out they are "gay or lesbian",
even though in every other respect they are just like our straight
friends. It was not too long ago the case "Love Vs. State of Virginia
(1967) reversed state law prohibiting interracial marriage. Why were laws
in existence banning "whites" and "blacks" from marrying (today we know
the proper references are Caucasian and African Americans). Because
people of the time "pre-judged" or were prejudice against African
Americans because it was thought that they were less intelligent, less
moral, more like animals. Thank goodness the courts in 1967 concluded
that "ALL" men are created equal - not just Caucasians. And therefore
concluded that all men and women have a "right to marry" regardless of
color.
Today the LGBT movement calling for same-sex marriage is following
the same path. We think that we as "Christians" have a right to
determine who can marry and who cannot marry. We have the audacity to
conclude that marriage is a "Christian" institution, when in fact the
concept of marriage existed thousands of years before Christianity hit
the world. Being Gay or Lesbian or Transgendered is NOT a choice. it
is who we are. It is what God create us to be. It was once told to me
"God don't make junk". Why would a loving God create a desire within
LGBT people only to ban those same people from acting on their true
feelings. Have we allowed our Christian ego to become so large that we
know the mind of God?
So with all the passion I can call upon, I vehemently disagree with
the author and his conclusions. Gay people are just people. The are
like you and me. The love, they laugh, they cry, the work, they have
bills, they have children, they have parents and grandparents, they have
hopes and they have dreams. They are our neighbors, our mailmen and
women, our grocers, our physicians, our counselors and yes even our
pastors and friends in church. So if we are to "love our neighbor as
ourselves", let me ask - does the author encourage us to love LGBT
people as equals? Or does he wrongly ask us to love LGBT persons as
victims like those who are raped in prison? Really? Why is it so
impossible to believe that two people, regardless of their sex, can fall
in love? do you think "cupid" discriminates? Then why should we?
Rev Brother Jeffery Wolfe
St John XXIII Pastoral & Outreach Center
p.s. Since posting my reply on the Crises Management website, I have received a couple of posts already. I am truly saddened by the responses and the unbending view readers of "Crises Magazine" have. I want to share a couple responses.. Names have been removed to protect the person replying.
First Reply:
"Being gay may not be a
choice. If it is not, then it is a cross to bear, not an excuse for
mortal sin. Showing love in the context you describe would mean turning
a blind eye to sin, which is not what Christ would have us do.
Is anyone else concerned that a priest has ended this diatribe with a reference to a pagan god?
Second Reply:
"Why in the world would
anyone choose to live a life with that level of persecution? Being gay
is NOT a "lifestyle". It is WHO God created each to be. "
Fine. Let's follow your logic further. Pedophiles are even more
ridiculed than homosexuals. They obviously didn't choose their
inclinations either based on your reasoning. Does that mean God made
them that way too?
I am truly saddened by the responses to my op-ed on Mr. Ruse' article. I am even more saddened by the magazine "Crises Magazine" It continues to perpetuate the myths and stereotypes of all types of individuals. Its it almost like the Pharisee who prayed, "Thank you God for not making me like those heathens". It makes me very concerned just what type of teaching our Roman brothers and sisters are learning. One thing is for sure. The two who replied to my op-ed certainly have their "hate" down pat.
Bro Jeffery Wolfe St John XXIII Catholic Church Indianapolis, Indiana
____________________________________ About the Author: Rev Bro Jeffery Wolfe, OSFC is the Executive Director and a member of the Board of Directors for The Kristen Center, a faith-based not-for-profit community based organization dedicated to providing programs and services to those with HIV and those who care for them. Currently The Kristen Center offers targeted, customized HIV Support Groups for: Newly Diagnosed; Long Term Survivors; Family & Caregivers of those with HIV; and, Women with HIV. HIV Prevention programs are an essential core element of the services offered by The Kristen Center. You can learn more about The Kristen Center by going to http://www.thekristencenter.com/ or by checking out its Facebook Page at http://www.fb.com/TheKristenCenter or visit their Twitter page at http://www.twitter.com/kristencenter.
Bro Jeff is also author of his blog “Following My Calling”. You can reach Bro Jeff on his Facebook
In addition, Bro Jeffery Wolfe, OSFC is the Pastor and Deacon of St John XXIII Catholic Church located in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was
founded April 4, 2011 in Indianapolis on the East-side in Irvington. Bro Jeff attends seminary as a third year student at Holy Spirit enrolled in the Master of Divinity Program. As Pastor of the St. John Catholic Church in Indianapolis, Bro Jeff serves Indianapolis by offering a Progressive, Vatican II Independent Catholic parish which offers communion, hospital visitation, shut-in visitation, prayer groups, RCIA, weddings and funerals, and other traditional liturgies associated with Catholicism.
St John Catholic Church denies NO ONE for ANY reason from receiving the Holy Eucharist. ALL are welcome at our Mass regardless of status (divorced, single, married, gay, straight, bi-sexual, trans-gendered). As a parish of the United American Catholic Church (UACC), we believe as Pope John XXIII did that Christ died for all, FOR ALL.
Brother Jeff, in addition to being the Director/Pastor of St John XXIII Pastoral & Outreach Center, is the Executive Director of The Kristen Center. The Kristen Center
is a Not for Profit, inter-faith organization dedicated to providing
programs and services to those with HIV and those who care for them.
World AIDS Day
Facebook Profile Picture
On The Kristen Center’s Facebook Page,
they are asking all individuals who have a Facebook Page and all
Organizations which have a Facebook Page to change their “Profile
Picture” to the photo show here (Red Picture with “World AIDS Day” and
AIDS ribbon) in order to show solidarity and support to the over 70
million currently afflicted with this disease and the more than 35
million who have died since HIV/AIDS hit the world.
Here is the specific message The Kristen Center posted on its
Facebook Page for its Fans, Friends, Family, Groups, Acquaintances and
Follow Community Based Organizations:
To all The Kristen Center fans, family, friends, acquaintances and fellow HIV/AIDS Organizations.
World AIDS Day is coming soon – Sunday, December 1, 2013.
In a show of solidarity and
support to all those affected and afflicted by HIV/AIDS – those lost and
those survivors living day to day with HIV – PLEASE use the attached
photo as your Facebook Profile picture on Sunday, December 1, 2013.
The Kristen Center is asking ALL
who receive this message to change your FACEBOOK PROFILE PHOTO for ONE
DAY – December 1st, 2013, with the attached photo.
Please share this message as
well – tell YOUR family, YOUR friends, YOUR acquaintances, HIV/AIDS
organizations with which you are affiliated, YOUR churches and YOUR
Communities of Faith. PLEASE ASK All of your FB friends noted above to
also SHARE this message.
Let’s show the WORLD nothing but
a SEA OF RED “World AIDS Day” profile photos on December 1, 2013 –
especially to remember the more than 70 million souls world wide are
afflicted with this disease and more than 35 million souls have been
lost to this devastating disease.
Show your support on December 1, 2013 – SHOW YOUR RED!!!!
PLEASE pass this message along to all your family, friends,
acquaintances and businesses whom all have FACEBOOK pages and ask them
to do the same (change their Facebook Profile Photo for one day –
December 1st, 2013 – to show support for those afflicted with and
affected by and those who lost their lives to HIV/AIDS.
In a previous article "HIV: Have we Become Complacent about HIV/AIDS in the U.S.", I stated the following statistics from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) latest research:
According to the latest statistics on HIV in the US...
More than 1.1 million people
in the United States are living with HIV infection, and almost 1 in 5
(18.1%) are unaware of their infection
Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM),1 particularly young black/African American MSM, are most seriously affected by HIV.
By race, blacks/African Americans face the most severe burden of HIV.
Figure1: Estimated New HIV Infections in the United States, 2010, for the Most Affected Subpopulations (from the CDC website).
As Director of The Kristen Center, a not for profit charitable organization focused on delivery programs and services to those with HIV and those who care for them, I have made it a point to join several of the HIV groups listed on Facebook to try and take the pulse, so to speak, of what those with HIV are saying, what those who hope they are helping those with HIV are saying - to learn the terrain of HIV Discussions today.
Recently I came across one group which is doing wonderful work in creating an environment where individuals share their story about discovering they are HIV status and then going to share how they are dealing with their new status in today's world. I cannot say enough about groups like this one. It allows those with HIV take ownership of their illness. It is only through owning our HIV will we help ourselves and others overcome it.
Yet there was one posting recently that gave me pause and great concern. It was the story of an young woman who thought she fell in love, had sex with a man one night (unprotected) and became pregnant and HIV+, only to have the man she thought loved her, leave. Later in her story she shared a lot a resentment and hatred toward this individual whom she believed gave her HIV. She started warning her friends of this individual. Toward the end of her story, she shared that received one day a call from the local police department asking if she wanted to press charges against the man she suspected gave her HIV. Apparently the man confessed that she was one of his unsuspecting sex partners he did not inform about his status. She said yes, then started to explain the stress of that decision and how she feels better knowing this individual was sentenced to up to 4 years in prison. This was only possible because the man wandered into the police station with tremendous guilt and explained he was having unprotected sex without telling others his status.
Though I think for her this story was cathartic and I think for her it was good to get it out on paper, I had concerns about this story actually being posted in a group publicly, but actually highlighted as the top story. Looking at the story again, I discovered that she admitted she was not sober when she had sex. She did not mention that this was the only man with whom she has had unprotected sex. This means that though the man confessed he was positive and had sex with her without telling her his status, there is no way to prove that this man who was sentenced under one of several states' HIV criminalization laws, was the exact man and they her strain was the exact strain that he has. My concern is not that she shared her story, but there was no warning about the dangers of trying to know by whom and when exactly a person contracts HIV.
In my experience, and through training and education programs on HIV and HIV Prevention, there is only however, there is always that 1% chance you might. The only way you absolutely have NO control of having unprotected sex is either receiving a rufy and/or being raped against your will - this applies to men as well as women. Yes men can be raped against their will by other men.
One way to guarantee that you will not get HIV - Don't have sex. Become celibate. Beyond that, even using safer sex practices, condoms, dental dams, water based lubricant, there is no way to guarantee 100% that you will never contract HIV. Using safer sex practices, you can diminish your chances to about 1% to 5% chance that you will contract HIV. In other words, you can be 95% to 99% certain that you will not contract HIV from a positive sex partner.
So my concern in all of this is: the young women in the story looks at herself as a victim because she believed the guy she met and chose to have unprotected sex with 1) loved her; 2) assumed he would not have sex with her if he were positive; and 3) admitted she was confident of her free will and educated choice to have unprotected sex with him even when she was admittedly under the influence. Therefore, she believes herself to be a victim and the culprit she help put in jail. Wrong.
First, you cannot be a victim of a sex act you willingly participate in. If the other person tells you he or she is negative, and you decide to have unprotected sex because he or she told you their HIV-, then it is not their fault if you become HIV+. There is nothing preventing the other person from lying to you. Even those in a committed relationship for years, still lie to each other. So unless the sex act was a result of you receiving a rufy and being taken advantage of or that of being raped against your will (believe it or not there are some who enjoy the role play of rape - hence I mention "raped against your will"), ultimately it is YOU who is responsible for whether or not you become HIV+. The unfortunate story the young woman shared believes she was a victim and the man convicted was the man that infected her. Again this is a wrong assumption. If he had not confessed, there is virtually no "practical" way you can determine it was this or that particular person who gave you HIV, unless you are a virgin, or celibate up to that point - and let's face it: most of us - in fact very few of us, will be in the position of never having sex before. Please don't misunderstand me. It does occur, but these days it is a rare occurrence.
Find a Testing Center: http://locator.aids.gov
Second, many states have enacted "HIV Criminalization Laws" which make it illegal for a person who knows he or she is HIV+ and has sex with another person without proper notification to their sex partner of their status. When these laws, mostly created by conservative legislatures out of fear, were first created, they were thought to help reduce the incidence of new infections by unsuspecting victims by forcing people to be responsible, get tested, and tell their status before having sex with their partner. The laws have actually done the exact opposite. Instead of encouraging people to go out and get tested for HIV, it has actually decreased the rate of individuals getting tested (even anonymously) for HIV. Its not because they intend to purposely infect others. It is because they know that if they don't know they are positive (in other words, don't know their HIV status), the laws state that they are NOT responsible for the other person should the other person become HIV+. Another reason for this law being ineffective is that it does not take into account human nature. No one, especially on a first date, or even their long time companion, wants to admit to the other they are HIV+. It implies that they are promiscuous (which this too is a wrong assumption). Just because you are HIV+, it does not mean you have sex with anyone. It simply means you have an infectious disease of which the other person needs to be aware. When have you have had your partner tell you before you had sex with them, "oh by the way I had crabs"? Never right? Of course. You'd bolt before they other person even got their shoes off.
I think that many of the groups on Facebook and other venues encouraging people to tell their story about how they contracted HIV (or think they did), and how they are doing now is over all a positive thing. It helps chip away at these stigmas incorrectly attached to having HIV (like HIV+ is a sin or HIV+ means you are promiscuous or HIV+ means you are irresponsible). Ultimately the decision to have sex never carries with it the assumption you will contract a potentially deadly disease. But then again, no one wants to admit they are HIV+ to anyone. So for them, its better not knowing so they can't know if they are hurting another person.
Groups need to help their members understand that blaming others for their own choice to have unprotected sex (exceptions noted earlier), does them nor their sex partner justice. In fact, just like the HIV criminalization laws, by allowing stories where others are blamed for the cause of their HIV status does the exact opposite of the groups desire - to eliminate Stigmas of HIV. These stories where others are blamed for "my" HIV status, actually promotes being HIV+ means you are promiscuous. Groups must encourage those who are HIV+ to take responsibility for their status. Being HIV+ is NOT as sin. It does NOT necessarily mean you are promiscuous. It is simply a disease which can be transmitted during sex. We must be responsible and always use safer sex practices, if we chose to have sex. This is a policy that I believe every HIV group should promote. It does no good to blame others, who we can never legally prove (and even medically prove to a certain extent) that a particular person is the one who gave us HIV. How you got HIV doesn't matter. Admitting that you have it and getting treatment does.
We all have to act as responsible adults when it comes to sex these days. If you don't know your status - go get tested and find out! If you are active sexually, and don't always use safer sex guidelines and tools, then you should get tested at least every six months, then start using safer sex practices. If you ARE HIV+, don't have sex with someone until you inform them of your status. Give someone else the courtesy you may or may not have been given. If you are HIV-, ask your partner first their status. If they state their status is positive, you have a choice of walking away, or having sex using safer sex practices with the understanding that no safer sex practice guarantees that you will
www.hivtest.org
locator.aids.gov
not contract HIV - only that is diminishes your chances greatly. If you are HIV- and you ask your partner their status and they tell you they are negative, don't believe them. Use safer sex practices. Its not that they would intentionally lie to you, but if they have never been tested, they cannot tell you their true status. And let's face it - HIV today still HAS stigmas attached to it - so human nature is not to disclose your status if you are positive for fear of being "misjudged".
HIV is no longer a death sentence. I cannot state that enough. Believe it or not 30 years after HIV hit the US, there are still those who still believe that HIV = death. And many of these individuals have advanced degrees! This simply is not true today. HIV is a chronically manageable disease when treated early (before symptoms), can help avoid the damage HIV would do if you ignore the disease all together, don't get tested, and wind up in a hospital with severe symptoms. If you wait till this stage, when you have a CD4 count of 10 and a viral load of 500,000, damage may already be done to your body like your nervous system (peripheral neuropathy can be a common occurrence in those who wait to get treated after symptoms of HIV/AIDS appear - it is can be a very painful condition which could require long term pain management along with your HIV medications). Avoid the damage HIV might do and get treated early.
Be Empowered - Know your Status
www.greaterthan.org
I am especially concerned about youth (13-24 year olds) who know that HIV is chronically manageable disease and chose not to use safer sex practices because they have told themselves - "If I get sick, I'll just take meds". This is not the best option either, yet with the HIV criminalization laws, it is pushing our youth to these conclusions, rather that learning about HIV Prevention and implementing safer-sex practices in their own lives.
So as you consider HIV... If you find out you have HIV... What will you tell yourself? What will you tell others? Are you a victim? Or are you taking responsibility for your own choice to have unprotected sex which may have led to your contraction of HIV. It's not the other person that needs to get tested before we have sex with them. It is us that need to get tested before we chose to have sex with another person.
________________________________________
www.thekristencenter.com
Rev. Brother Jeffery Wolfe is the Executive Director and a member of the Board of Directors for The
Kristen Center, a faith-based not-for-profit community based organization
dedicated to providing programs and services to those with HIV and those who
care for them. Currently The Kristen Center offers targeted, customized HIV
Support Groups for: Newly Diagnosed; Long Term Survivors; Family &
Caregivers of those with HIV; and, Women with HIV. HIV Prevention programs are an essential core element of the services offered by The Kristen Center. You can
learn more about The Kristen Center by going to http://www.thekristencenter.com/ or by checking out its Facebook Page
at http://www.fb.com/TheKristenCenter or visit their Twitter page at
http://www.twitter.com/kristencenter.
In addition, Rev. Brother
Jeff Wolfe is the Director and Administrator of St John xxiii Pastoral & Outreach Center (POC) in Indianapolis, IN. It was founded
April 4, 2011 in Indianapolis on the East-side in Irvington. Bro Jeff attends
seminary as a third year student at St. John xxiii Theological Institute
enrolled in the Master of Divinity Program. As the Director of the St. John
xxiii Pastoral & Outreach Center in Indianapolis, Bro Jeff serves
Indianapolis by offering a Progressive, Vatican II Independent Catholic parish which
offers communion, hospital visitation, shut-in visitation, prayer groups, RCIA,
weddings and funerals, and other traditional liturgies associated with
Catholicism.
St. John xxiii Parish denies NO ONE for ANY reason from receiving the Holy
Eucharist. ALL are welcome at our Mass regardless of status (divorced, single,
married, gay, straight, bi-sexual, trans-gendered). As an ACCUS church, we
believe as Pope John XXIII did that Christ died for all, FOR ALL. Our clergy
hold valid Holy Orders eleven (11) lines of Apostolic succession (Duarte-Costa
(Roman); Utrecht (Roman); Milingo (Roman); Greek Orthodox; Russian Orthodox;
Albanian Orthodox; Coptic Orthodox; Cyprian Orthodox; Antioch Orthodox;
Reformed Episcopalian; and Malankara/Syrian/Jacobite (Orthodox); as our sister
Church, the Roman Catholic church holds. Consider joining us. Contact Bro Jeff
at rev_jwolfe@stjohnxxiiipoc.org or go to the "Contact Us" page at http://www.stjohnxxiiipoc.org/. You can also visit St John XXIII POC
at their Facebook page at http://www.fb.com/StJohnXXIIIPOC or on their twitter
page at http://www.twitter.com/StJohnXXIII.
