Dear Editor, The purpose of the Church is not to reflect secular culture but to evangelise it. Christ charged us to go forth to all the nations and spread the Gospel.
This adherence to perennial truth, in the service of he who is the Truth, is radically contrary to contemporary relativism. The contrast was exemplified in two recently published perspectives in The Irish Catholic on life as a homosexual Catholic. Both authors were young gay men, each apparently committed to his faith, but the tone of the two articles was completely different.
The first, entitled ‘It isn’t easy to be the gay and Catholic’, presented a robust and compassionate discussion of the challenges facing homosexuals as they work out a faithful Christian vocation. The second ‘Young, gay and Catholic’ essentially argued that the Church should adjust Christianity in order to accommodate human desires.
It is the first author whoexpresses an authentic image of the Faith: we must allow Christ to mould us in his image. This is the paradox that eluded Adam and Eve. Freedom and fulfilment cannot be snatched, but follow from submission to God’s law, the Truth sets us free! A critical issue here is whether we have actually heard the truth! Have we studied and grasped the reason and beauty behind Church teaching, or are our opinions shaped by sentiment and secular punditry?
Everyone experiences inclination towards behaviour contrary to Christ’s teaching. He has given us the solution to these dilemmas; “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”!
Yours etc.,
Samuel Shephard,
Dungourney,
Co. Cork.