Friends,
Please read the below. I came across a homily that I had to respond to because of the potential damage to the Church and for the correction of those who agree with his position or those who could be persuaded by his teaching. Please forward this as much as possible.
Thanks, and may God have mercy on us all!!
In Christ,
Fr. Louis
May we never stop praying for and encouraging all priests to be the man and priest God created him to be! For the informed to speak up courageously like Fr. Louis and for the misinformed to see the light.
May 31, 2021
Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Dear friends,
With heavy heart I send this post. Attached you will find a homily written by a Catholic priest (who will remain
anonymous) along with my rebuttal to claims made in the homily that attack the integrity of the Catholic
Church. This homily exemplifies the secularly-influenced cultural mindset that is distorting the minds of good,
unsuspecting people and undermining the faith of many Catholics. My purpose in writing this is to 1) confront
the priest directly, who has personally received this letter, 2) battle against the same-sex agenda that is
attempting to refashion the truth of our humanity and sexuality, and 3) to provide Catholics, Christians and all
God-fearing/right-living people with information to engage their friends, relatives, and clergy who embrace
this destructive and misinformed ideology.
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Edmund Burke wrote this in 1770.
It is relevant today and will be until evil is destroyed forever. I cannot sit idly by while the attacks
against Truth are boldly paraded before us. Please help me in this fight for Truth by resending these letters by
any means possible. Not everyone can write letters, but everyone can forward emails or print and mail letters
to bishops, priests, politicians, relatives and friends.
Please do not respond to me if you approve of this effort; use your time and energy to get this message into
the hands of others, especially those you suspect agree with this spiritually dangerous and misleading homily.
I would love to hear from those who disagree with this message (which is not mine but that of the Church),
but please know that an emotional response does not prove a point or provide a basis for Truth. Authentic
love for others is rooted in the love of God who is Truth, and God’s plan for intimate love is rooted only in a
union between one man and one woman. I understand that this is a sensitive issue for many, but we cannot
shy away from discussing how God created us and how we are to live. Only when we live in Divine Truth will
we experience true peace, happiness and, ultimately, salvation. I love my same-sex attracted brothers and
sisters and desire only the best for them, and those I have met throughout my life know this is true. Certain
people have rejected and abused the homosexual community in the past causing pain and suffering for so
many. Unfortunately, not so different from the Civil Rights movement, people are fighting back and
demanding not only tolerance but acceptance and blessing of this lifestyle. We must learn as a culture to love
and embrace every person, but, unlike the argument for the equality of persons because of skin color, samesex relationships can never be sanctioned by the Church or by a culture founded on Judeo-Christian principles
because of the Divine mandate. The Church loves and embraces every person created but does not and
cannot embrace whatever is opposed to God’s Will. Any word to the contrary is a lie and must be rebuked;
and we need to do this with charity and respect.
May the Lord help us all work out our salvation by sacrificing our own thoughts and desires while embracing
the Will of God more perfectly each day.
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Louis Marie Leonelli, CFR email: frlouiscfr@gmail.com
Pascha II Homily
2021 – Cycle B; Acts 4:32-35; Psalm 118; I John5:1-6; John 20:19-31
“The community of believers was of one heart and mind…”
Was that ever true? Is it true now?
People have been leaving the community of the Catholic Church for some time. We can argue
about the reasons which are many and lay blame at the feet of a variety of causalities. Yet we
never seem to look at ourselves that maybe we are responsible in some way. Are we of one
heart and mind?
We have been torn asunder by the scandal of the sexual abuse within the community. The
failure of our bishops to lead have caused many to leave or at best to become numb.
Such is the feeling of gay and transgender members of the church with their families and
friends over the recent two–page document of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith
saying “No” to a question of whether the church can bless same-sex couples. The document
and its harsh verbiage have caused hurt, dismay, and damage to the Church. What are we
asking for when we ask for a blessing? Is it not God’s life and love to assist us, to acknowledge
thanks? “The covenant between a man and a woman is something of immense importance
and is sacred. [Cardinal Archbishop Christoph Schönborn of Vienna]” Yet can we not say
“Yes” to family while not saying “No” to other forms of partnership that are rooted in love and
commitment? Can our theology not be as broad as God’s mercy to encompass the
commitment between gay couples?
The Sacred Liturgy, which the Vatican Council called, “the source and summit of our
Christian life” has become a source of division. The Council called for a renewal of the liturgy.
Instead we have two forms of the Eucharist that embody two views of priesthood, the church
and the place of the People of God now pitting us against each other.
There are arguments about ordaining women to the diaconate, and why not the priesthood?
Divisions over the translations of the liturgy and scripture so as to be inclusive of over half
our church: women. We seem not to be able to agree on much of anything. Throughout life in
general, we presume the worst of intentions of other people. Philosopher Roger Scruton, who
was a Christian believer, observed: “When a system of belief starts to persecute those who do
not accept it, we know it is a pseudo–science”. That’s something to think about in relation to
our Catholic history and present moment.
“The community of believers was of one heart and mind…” What was Luke trying to convey?
If there is not unity among us then we are not witnesses to the Resurrection of the Lord and
people will go in need.
It is not a matter of playing to the crowd or watering down the teachings of Christ but rather
the need for an imaginative reflection on human experience, sacred scripture, science, our
technologically connected world and faith. We need to articulate a theology that weaves all
this and more into a coherent message of hope if we expect to be heard by contemporary
people.
Is not the mission of the Church to proclaim Christ crucified and alive so as to gather rather
than scatter people? It is one thing to proclaim the resurrection but we must also embody the
redemptive truth of the resurrection by caring for one another in ways that secure the fullness
of life God intends.
We all need to look deep within ourselves. Because Luke will not give us our answer.
May 31, 2021
Dear Fr. David,
Peace of Christ! I received a copy of your homily from the Second Sunday of Easter from some
friends who sing your praises and are grateful for your priesthood. I appreciate your desire to share
your thoughts and insights with a wider audience. However, with respect to this homily, I ask that you
consider reevaluating your conclusion. You claim that the recent document from the CDF forbidding
the blessing of same-sex couples causes division among Catholics. Of course, someone who is
uncatechised may mistakenly assume that the Church, in rejecting these relationships, is rejecting
these individuals. Do you honestly believe this? You who have studied Church teaching must be aware
that She rejects no one, but instead desires the salvation of every soul. Unfortunately, what you
expressed in this homily can potentially jeopardize the salvation of your parishioners and those who
read your homilies online.
You accuse the CDF document of being harsh. The CDF seems to have done everything possible to
avoid the appearance of being harsh, yet you have influenced your audience with the poisonous notion
that the Church is causing harm to this segment of its population. Quoting from the CDF document,
Responsum of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to a dubium regarding the blessing of the
unions of persons of the same sex, 15.03.2021, I ask if the following sounds harsh:
“The declaration of the unlawfulness of blessings of unions between persons of the same sex is not
therefore, and is not intended to be, a form of unjust discrimination, but rather a reminder of the truth
of the liturgical rite and of the very nature of the sacramentals, as the Church understands them.
The Christian community and its Pastors are called to welcome with respect and sensitivity persons
with homosexual inclinations, and will know how to find the most appropriate ways, consistent with
Church teaching, to proclaim to them the Gospel in its fullness. At the same time, they should
recognize the genuine nearness of the Church – which prays for them, accompanies them and shares
their journey of Christian faith – and receive the teachings with sincere openness.”
Do you also accuse Jesus of being harsh when he overturned the money changer’s tables, or when he
chastised the Pharisees in Mt 23? Is St. Paul too harsh when he accuses the Corinthians of being
arrogant in 1Cor 4, or when he chastises them for sexual immorality, saying that they “must not
associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy…”? (1Cor
5:11) Unlike these strongly worded passages from scripture, this document is written with love and
compassion for persons desiring blessings on their homosexual unions. What you seem to be
endorsing is a gospel that panders to human desires and sensibilities that are devoid of divine truth
concerning God’s plan for human sexuality. The Church cannot simply “articulate a theology that
weaves…a coherent message of hope” just so that it can “be heard by contemporary people,” as you
stated in your homily. This would be a gospel without a cross; a gospel emptied of healthy sexual
moral boundaries that safeguard God’s plan for marital love and procreation, even if at times difficult
to fulfill because of our weak human nature. This is when the cross becomes heavy. The measure of
difficulty, however, does not dictate the acceptability of human choices. This principle remains so for
every contemporary moral dilemma, including abortion, co-habitation, fornication, pornography,
gender reassignment, transgenderism, and euthanasia to name a few. As a priest of Jesus Christ there is
no excuse for ignorance, or worse, obstinately holding on to views contrary to the Church’s teaching
on this matter.
Your quote from Roger Scrutin implies that the Church is persecuting those with same-sex attraction.
Your use of this quote damages people’s perception of the Church when in reality there are sinful and
misinformed people in the Church who are responsible for actions that could be considered harmful to
a particular group of people. The Eucharist, our Sacred liturgy, is also not the source of division as
you describe in your homily. Rather, division is caused by pride, ignorance, and sin. Many who
disregard Divine precepts and embrace lives contrary to Church teaching tend to promote their own
agendas and dare to distort and manipulate God’s immutable word to satisfy their own desires. Such
persons are foolishly playing God, presuming to know what is better for humanity than what God has
revealed in the human body, in human psychology, and in Divine Revelation. In the light of God’s
Truth, all feeble arguments for same-sex approval are shattered. Hence, these authentic yet unnatural
desires ought never be sanctioned, especially by the Church, for to do so would contradict God
himself. This also applies to your arguments concerning women’s ordination and the use of inclusive
language.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we each need to love every person more perfectly. The CDF document
states, “God loves every person, and the Church does the same.” Loving others, however, is not about
embracing every desire and lifestyle, for not all are healthy or holy. Afterall, would you endorse
pedophilia, pre-marital heterosexual relations and co-habitation, abortion or alcoholism, even if the
person’s intentions were “pure,” or would you rather agree that by condoning these unhealthy and
destructive behaviors you jeopardize, not only yours, but their true happiness and eternal salvation?
When Jesus taught, many people rejected Him, even unto his death. The Church, Christ’s Mystical
Body on earth, must also face rejection and persecution. We may even see martyrdom in our time.
When society loses faith, as it has in the last fifty years, Christians become increasingly ignorant of
Church teaching and are desensitized to immorality that bears upon the structure of society. The
seemingly well-intentioned yet misinformed lay person, politician, business leader, and now cleric
falsely accuses the Church of being a hateful, homophobic institution because society becomes
desensitized to immorality. The Church’s moral teachings are seen as archaic or oppressive and out of
touch with the “modern, inclusive, relevant, and tolerant” culture. The fact is, if we all loved more
perfectly and lived in the Divine Will, families would be healthier and fewer people would have an
attraction to the same sex. And for those who did, they too would feel loved and accepted by both
God and man.
You also are mistaken questioning the truthfulness of St. Luke’s statement: “the community of
believers was of one mind and heart”. It was true then, as is now, and ever shall be. Perhaps
confusion is caused by how one defines the word believer. Scripture implies they are those who
embrace Christ and all his teachings with respect to faith and morals. These believers existed from the
time of Jesus until this present day. Therefore, those who do not embrace Christ and his teachings are
not really believers. In a sense, there was never a division, only a disagreement between those who
believe and those who do not believe. In short, Christ was only able to gather those who embraced
him and his teaching. The Church can only do the same. A church that embraces and promotes every
whim of its members is an absurd one; it is not reasonable. And in the end, that type of church will
bring no comfort to those seeking a strong foundation.
Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life.” (Jn 14:6) If there is no unity among us, then someone is
rejecting the Truth that is meant to unify us. True unity is attained not from a mere horizontal
agreement but comes about when people are united in the Revelation that comes through Jesus Christ.
The kind of unity that you are attempting is weak and superficial, for it will be forged apart from God.
Unity under the banner of blessing same-sex relationships is a fantasy, and your promotion of this idea
gives false hope to those contemplating that lifestyle. This will breed more anger, frustration and
division as time passes and their hopes are dispelled.
I will be praying for your healing and conversion, and for every priest and bishop that embraces and
proclaims this distorted ideology. May our Holy Mother Mary, Mother of the Church and Holy Saint
Joseph, protector of the Church, intercede and help you to be more perfectly conformed to their Son
and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Your brother in Christ,
Fr. Louis Marie Leonelli, CFR
Charles DeFeo: Catholic Blogger and Useless Servant of Christ 