Exclusive: Inside sources provide new info on priest censured for denying lesbian Communion

Exclusive: Inside sources provide new info on priest censured for denying lesbian Communion GAITHERSBURG, MD, March 1, 2012 (LifeSiteNews) - In the wake of international press coverage of a priest’s …More
Exclusive: Inside sources provide new info on priest censured for denying lesbian Communion
GAITHERSBURG, MD, March 1, 2012 (LifeSiteNews) - In the wake of international press coverage of a priest’s decision to deny a lesbian communion, and the woman’s subsequent demands that he be removed from the parish, a source close to the incident contacted LifeSiteNews with new information that he says will set the record straight.
Among other things, the new information indicates that the woman did actually receive Communion at the Mass – but from an Extraordinary minister rather than the priest.
Fr. Marcel Guarnizo of St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland, was reprimanded by the Archdiocese of Washington this week after denying communion to Johnson at her mother’s funeral. Johnson had informed the priest before the Mass that she was a lesbian, and was denied communion when she presented herself in line.
LifeSiteNews spoke today with Diego von Stauffenberg, a source who is …More
Yoshimine
Well, I should hope that each of us remembers to treat (and speak of) even the worst sinners as Our Lord would want them spoken of. (I say not, "as we would want to be spoken of," because we can then dismiss our uncharitable attitudes on the grounds we'd want others to treat us the same way if we were the sinner).
Obviously, this is one of those heinous sins that is utterly galling, but we also …More
Well, I should hope that each of us remembers to treat (and speak of) even the worst sinners as Our Lord would want them spoken of. (I say not, "as we would want to be spoken of," because we can then dismiss our uncharitable attitudes on the grounds we'd want others to treat us the same way if we were the sinner).

Obviously, this is one of those heinous sins that is utterly galling, but we also ought to remember... Our Lord bears no hatred for sinners. Only the sin. We ought to walk in His spirit of loving the sinner and being compassionate (at least by praying rather than bashing) those who are living in such grave sin.

When the world sees Catholics making hateful remarks about sinners, they see hypocrisy. And indeed they do see it, unfortunately. There can be no defense for the galling sins... of this woman, or of our own. But the love that we are called upon by Christ to love even our enemies with, has got to be something real. If our hearts are filled with hatred for the person every time we hear someone is this or that kind of sinner (gay, abortionist, etc.) we do not have real charity in us.

It's easy to say, "I don't hate this person, just the sin" ... but if our words and attitudes and emotions and actions are saying exactly the opposite, we ought to wonder what is the quality of our charity. It is one of the hardest things in the world to love your enemies, or someone guilty of the most disgusting sins, with sincere love... but if you can't find that sincere love in your heart, then you have not got the sympathy of Christ for the sick soul. Our Lord surely wants the sin abolished out of that person's soul, and out of their lives... but Our Lord would yet love that sinner with mercy and compassion infinitely tender. Can we say the same? Do we love this or that sinner, ugly though their sins are, with the same love we have toward our dearest friends, or the same love which Christ had toward Mary Magdalen?

It's tragic that people think this appalling, immoral behavior is something they can do, or that there's nothing wrong with it. Of course they are dead wrong. But it's no surprise if non-Cathoilcs behave immorally. We ought to be concerned, however, when our own words become hypocritical and empty... when our charity stops at SAYING we love the sinner and hate the sin, and yet our attitudes, our remarks, our deepest heartfelt sentiments, are utterly contrary to the love with which Our Lord was willing to die on the cross, to offer those very souls a chance to come to Him. His love didn't stop at just saying, or matter-of-factly proposing that sinners might be saved. He loved them deeply, truly and tenderly.

How many of us look on these sinners and feel true, heartfelt love, in spite of their sins? How many are willing to pray for them in a spirit of spite and scorn, but not with the sincere, concerned love with which we would fight by prayer to save the soul of a mother or brother or sister? But even the most heinous sinner has a soul deeply loved by God as a son or daughter, even if their actions are treacherous. He harbors no desire to see any soul in hell, but that all should come to Him, repent and live. Would that we also had that charity in our hearts, not just words.

Just saying...