Friday, April 30, 2010

on protecting our own.

Greetings and Peace be with you.
As recommended viewing by the Catholic Youth Secretariat (webpage) , I had tuned in to tonight's episode of "Who wants to be a millionaire in God's Kingdom", and I was disturbed by a comment that was made on the program.

They had been in the business of introducing the three teams, and when getting to the team from Fatima College in blue, under the team-name "saints", the host then remarks that the team-name created a "paradox" of some sort, with the sly expression of "If you know what i mean!" on his face, with one raised eyebrow. The other host joins in, and laughs almost uncontrollably at what seems to be funny for everyone in studio, except for the three (visibly not impressed) young men from Fatima.

The joke clearly was made in reference to the homosexual video episode earlier this week, with two boys from the school, and it troubles me to know that these young men from a Catholic school, go on to a Catholic television program to be made fun of, because of an issue that happened in the a Catholic school, that for years has not been sufficiently and effectively addressed.

It's the same as watching your house burning down and adding kerosene to the fire. They might look the same, but kerosene carries a stench, water does not. I know that culturally, we have a way of turning the most serious events and mishaps into comedy, but there is a time and place for all things, and this should not be the attitude when the church is facing such a vulnerable time as this one.

Do we as youth of the Catholic Church, allow this issue to become aggravated and a permanent stigma on our institutions, or do we use the unfortunate event to create forums for discussion, sharing, and Spirit-led instruction as to where the Church stands on the issue? Are we ready to assist and lend counsel to youth in our churches who may be struggling with homosexual and lesbian tendencies? Are we still going to pretend that the problem doesn't even exist?

The funny thing about being 'Catholic' is the whole idea of it being 'universal'. Which means that as the Body of Christ, if one part falls apart, no other part is left standing.

God's Blessings to you.