Politics
Friday December 21, 2007
See today's LifeSiteNews stories
Archbishop has Priest Remove Notice from Parish Website About Blessing Homosexual Couples
By John-Henry Westen
ST. PAUL, Minnesota, December 21, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has informed LifeSiteNews.com that after a meeting with Archbishop Harry J. Flynn, Father Leo Tibesar, of Saint Frances Cabrini Parish in Minneapolis has agreed to remove from the parish website "any language from the St. Frances Cabrini parish website that is in opposition to Roman Catholic Church doctrine."
Removed from the parish website was a page titled a "Statement of Reconciliation" which bemoaned Church teaching on sexual purity and married chastity and misrepresented these teachings as a form of "oppression." The statement said the parish is committed to "Publicly bless the relationships of a same sex couple after the couple completes a process of discernment similar to that completed by heterosexual couples before marriage." The item had an asterisk referring to a note on the bottom reading "not being implemented at this time."
The news comes less than a month after LifeSiteNews.com published two separate articles on Father Tibesar and St. Frances Cabrini Parish:
One on the web page:
US Catholic Parish set to "Publicly Bless the Relationship of Same-Sex Couples"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/nov/07112807.html
and another on a recorded homily of Fr. Tiebsar's:
ON TAPE: U.S. Priest Blasts Vatican Cardinal and Archbishop over Homosexuality During Homily
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/nov/07112602.html
"Father Tibesar has never blessed a same sex marriage nor does he intend to do so, which would be a violation of his priestly vows and state," said a release from the Archdiocese. The release states further that Fr. Tibesar "made this very clear in a public clarification issued by Saint Frances Cabrini's parish council and following a meeting with Archbishop Harry J. Flynn."
The statement from the Archdiocese also notes that during his meeting with Archbishop Flynn and Auxiliary Bishop Richard Pates, Father Tibesar also agreed "to refrain from statements in any form that are contrary to Church teaching." The priest confirmed these commitments to Archbishop Flynn in a letter following their meeting.
Dennis McGrath, spokesman for the Archdiocese told LifeSiteNews.com that Fr. Tibesar claimed that he did not know the controversial statement was on his website.
Last year LifeSiteNews.com reported that the website of Dignity USA, the most prominent US lobby organization fighting Catholic teaching on human sexuality "from within" the Church, featured Fr. Tibesar as a member of the organization's National Leadership Team.
In a homily he delivered on October 27, 2007 which was recorded by a LifeSiteNews.com reader, Fr. Tibesar blasted a Vatican Cardinal and an Archbishop over the Church's teachings on homosexuality.
Fr. Tibesar is still the pastor of Saint Frances Cabrini Parish.
A copy of the "Statement of Reconciliation" now removed from the parish website has been retained by LifeSiteNews.com and can be viewed here:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/dec/071221a.html
Back to TopSHARE THIS STORY: E-mail Print Newsvine Digg Reddit Del.icio.us Facebook
Latest Headlines
- McCain VP Pick Delivers Hard-hitting First Speech, Calling for End to "Politics as Usual"
- Pro-life, Pro-family Leaders Praise McCain's Choice of Pro-Life Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for VP Running Mate
- Obama Acceptance Speech Calls for Change, Brushes Over Abortion, Same-Sex "Marriage"
- Florida Schools Charged with Violating Students' Religious Freedom by Allowing Student Prayer at Graduations
- Two More Bishops and 19 Congressmen Slam Pelosi Arguments on Abortion
- New Stats: Europe Facing Demographic Winter, Growing Political, Economic Tensions
- Donor Registry Allows IVF Conceived Children to Unite with Biological "Donor" Parents and Siblings
- Montezuma’s Abortion Revenge
- Homosexual Activists Target California Businesses That Support Pro-marriage Proposition
- Over 100 MPs Oppose Morgentaler Order of Canada
- National Right to Life calls GOP Platform "Strongest Ever" on Life Issues
- McCain Himself Accuses Obama of Courting Infanticide
- Comments on August 28 LifeSiteNews
- Two More Bishops Make 8 Who Have Come Out against Pelosi's 'Catholic' Abortion Theology
- VP Hopeful Biden about Pro-Abortion Stance: "My Views are Totally Consistent with Catholic Social Doctrine..."
- Protests and Official Mourning Declared following Mexican Pro-Abortion Ruling
Most Read this Week
- Biden's Bishop Will not Permit Him, Even if Elected VP, to Speak at Catholic Schools
- Exclusive: Prominent Rabbi Says Lieberman was Excommunicated and it is Still in Effect
- "Catholic" Speaker Pelosi Denies that Catholicism Condemns Abortion
- Cardinals, Bishops and Congressmen Slam Pelosi on Abortion
- Mainstream Media Admits Anti-Family Bias: NBC to 'Gay' Activists: 'Your Victories Are Our Victories'
- Talk a Woman out of Abortion in the UK? Two Years Jail
- Pelosi Spokeswoman About-face: Catholic Church "Clear" on Life Teaching After All - But Catholics Need Not Listen
- McCain Selects Strongly Pro-life Governor, Mother of Five Sarah Palin for Running Mate
- American Apparel Defends "Pornographic" Billboards
- New York Cardinal - Pelosi Not Worthy of "Providing Leadership in a Civilized Democracy"
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.