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ON TAPE: U.S. Priest Blasts Vatican Cardinal and Archbishop over Homosexuality During Homily

By John-Henry Westen

MINNEAPOLIS, November 26, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In the diocese of Saint Paul-Minneapolis, Fr. Leo Tibesar has been controversial for years when it comes to homosexuality and the Church's teaching.  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.

Now an audio recording of a homily which Fr. Tibesar gave on Saturday October 27 which took aim at an Archbishop, a Vatican Cardinal, and a prominent Evangelical preacher has been posted online.  The Archdiocesan spokesman had only recently heard of the incident and could not provide comment when contacted by LifeSiteNews.com.

The Gospel reading for that Sunday (also the Saturday evening liturgy) concerned the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector recorded in Luke 18:9-14, where Christ praises the repentant sinner over the self-righteous Pharisee.

However in his homily Fr. Tibesar, pastor of Saint Frances Cabrini Church, cast the Archbishop and Cardinal in the role of Pharisee and those who unrepentantly counter Church teaching on homosexuality as worthy of the praise of Christ.

"What would Jesus say today if he were telling the parable in our Gospel of Luke?" asked the priest as he began a series of four versions of his retelling. 

In version 3 of his retelling, Fr. Tibesar preached: "Two people came into Church to pray, one was a Catholic Archbishop who refuses communion to Rainbow Sash people at the Cathedral on Pentecost Sunday who prayed "I give you thanks oh God that I am not like others - greedy, dishonest or like others who need to make their dissent from official Church teaching so public and divisive." 

"The other were Rainbow parents of GLBT people at the Cathedral on Pentecost who stood off on the side and prayed, "Oh God be merciful to us for failing to attend our own Churches more often; they say they love God then turn thier backs on us in hate directly contrary to 1 John 4 - whoever loves God must also love the neighbor."

He concluded the point: "Jesus concluded the last ones went home more worthy in God's sight than the first."

With regard to the Vatican Cardinal, Fr. Tibesar took issue with the prohibition on the use of condoms. "Two  people came into Church to pray, one was a Roman Catholic Cardinal in Charge of Church doctrine who prayed "I give you thanks oh God that I am not like others  - greedy, dishonest or like those living in Africa where AIDS is killing everyone, even there we can never allow condoms to be used."

"The other was an African widow dying of AIDS who stood off to the side and prayed "Oh God, be merciful to me for not refusing the advances of my husband without a condom, soon I will follow him to the grave and leave our six children orphans," he continued.   

"Jesus concluded - the last person went home more worthy in God's sight than the first."

Finally taking aim at the Evangelical pastor, Fr. Tibesar recited the fourth version of his narrative.  "Two people came into Church to pray.  One was an Evangelical pastor whose regional services are broadcast nationally who prayed "I give you thanks oh God that I am not like others   - greedy, dishonest or like others who give into same gender sex drives which the bible calls an abomination."

"The others who came into Church to pray for a same sex couple raising children born by way of  donor insemination who prayed: "Oh god, be merciful to us for not finding our own medium to share with the broader audience the biblical passage of 1 John 4:16 - God is love and when we abide in love we abide in God and God in us." 
 
The homily grossly distorts Catholic teaching which teaches that all persons must be loved, and that the sin of homosexual sex acts are disordered and hurtful to the individuals involved in them.

Archdiocesan spokesman, Dennis McGrath told LifeSiteNews.com that he had only heard of the incident minutes before receiving the call from LifeSiteNews.com.  He noted that the Archbishops (Flynn and Nienstedt) were not available and had not yet heard the recording.  As in the past in response to other homosexual related problems in the same diocese, McGrath expressed concern about the situation, said the matter would be investigated and that "if action is necessary it will be taken."

In the meantime, despite Fr. Tibesar's very public history of gay activism, he is still a pastor of a parish in the archdiocese and has apparently not incurred serious sanctions.

To hear the homily online click below:
http://media.putfile.com/Fr-Tibesar-refutes-Bp-Nienstedt

To POLITELY express concerns:

Most Reverend Harry J. Flynn
Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
226 Summit Avenue
Saint Paul, MN 55102
(651) 291-4400
communications@archspm.org

Most Reverend John C. Nienstedt
Coadjutor Archbishop
Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
226 Summit Avenue
Saint Paul, MN 55102
(651) 291-4400
communications@archspm.org

See related LifeSiteNews.com articles:

Prominent Minneapolis-St. Paul Priest a Leader in National Homosexual Lobby Group
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/mar/06032009.html

Vatican Intervenes in Minneapolis Catholic "Gay Pride" Parish
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/oct/04102806.html

New Catholic Bishop Expected to Bring Orthodoxy and Opposition to Homosexual Agenda to Minneapolis
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/jun/07060507.html

Catholic St. Thomas University Votes to Sever Historic Ties with St. Paul Archdiocese
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/nov/07112103.html

Archdiocese Facing Parent Complaints over “Talking about Touching” Sex-Ed Program
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/feb/06022806.html

Archdiocese of St. Paul claims no "Subculture of Homosexual Priests" Here
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/mar/06032801.html

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