Priest to Pope Francis: ‘You are hurting my parish’ by promoting homosexuality

[Michie]

Fr. Joseph Illo​

‘When you promote homosexuality, Holy Father, you hurt me and my parish. When you do not speak clearly, you make my priestly task very difficult,’ Father Joseph Illo wrote.


Dear Pope Francis,

I am writing to you in the spirit of parrhesia, a biblical word you have used several times to encourage us to speak freely, boldly, and without fear of disagreement. In your opening speech to the Synod delegates on Wednesday, you said that “everyone needs to express themselves freely.” Please receive the following words freely, not from Rome, but from the peripheries, from a simple parish priest.

My Papa Francesco, I must tell you that you are making my job as a parish priest difficult. I work in one of the declining parishes of San Francisco, California, a city that prides itself in having evolved beyond faith in God. In my city, the faith is openly mocked and attacked, and my parishioners are struggling to believe in Jesus. Most of their family members, friends, and co-workers have abandoned the Christian faith. My parishioners cannot wear a cross or speak the name of Jesus at work for fear of losing their jobs. Our schools teach their children from kindergarten to doubt the natural goodness of their bodies, and to despise marriage and family life. My parishioners are clinging to the simple truths of our faith, especially the Church’s teachings about the human person.

When you promote homosexuality, Holy Father, you hurt me and my parish. When you do not speak clearly, you make my priestly task very difficult. You have said that two men cannot “marry,” and that homosexual acts are wrong, but you also encourage bishops who bless same-sex unions. A female student from my parish, who attends a Jesuit-owned university, “married” another woman according to United States law. She later surgically removed her breasts and uterus to appear like a man. She hates her mother for raising her Catholic, and her mother grieves the loss of her daughter and grandchildren. But this college student points to you, Holy Father. She says you permit blessings for homosexual unions in Germany, and that you favor priests and cardinals who promote homosexual relations. She knows that you have appointed a European cardinal who promotes homosexual unions to lead the Synod.

Continued below.

An Open Letter to Pope Francis

Dear Pope Francis, I am writing to you in the spirit of parrhesia , a biblical word you have used several times to encourage us to speak freely, boldly, and without fear of disagreement. In your...

www.frilloblog.com

 

[Wolseley]

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other; and because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold."
(2 Thessalonians 2:3; Matthew 24:10,13)

We are seeing divine prophecy unfolding in front of our very eyes.
May Our Lord Jesus protect and save us all....Mother Mary, pray for us!

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Pope Francis isn't promoting homosexuality. If your parish is hurting from misinformation, the problem is you,
not Pope Francis.

 

[Michie]

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other; and because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold."
(2 Thessalonians 2:3; Matthew 24:10,13)

We are seeing divine prophecy unfolding in front of our very eyes.
May Our Lord Jesus protect and save us all....Mother Mary, pray for us!

I don’t know if you’ve read Fr. Longenecker’s take on it. If not, here it is: Advice for Confused Catholics | Fr. Dwight Longenecker

 

[RileyG]

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other; and because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold."
(2 Thessalonians 2:3; Matthew 24:10,13)

We are seeing divine prophecy unfolding in front of our very eyes.
May Our Lord Jesus protect and save us all....Mother Mary, pray for us!

Amen.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Pope Francis isn't promoting homosexuality. If your parish is hurting from misinformation, the problem is you,
not Pope Francis.

Pope Francis speaks clearly about this, except when he doesn't.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Fr. Joseph Illo​

‘When you promote homosexuality, Holy Father, you hurt me and my parish. When you do not speak clearly, you make my priestly task very difficult,’ Father Joseph Illo wrote.


Dear Pope Francis,

I am writing to you in the spirit of parrhesia, a biblical word you have used several times to encourage us to speak freely, boldly, and without fear of disagreement. In your opening speech to the Synod delegates on Wednesday, you said that “everyone needs to express themselves freely.” Please receive the following words freely, not from Rome, but from the peripheries, from a simple parish priest.

My Papa Francesco, I must tell you that you are making my job as a parish priest difficult. I work in one of the declining parishes of San Francisco, California, a city that prides itself in having evolved beyond faith in God. In my city, the faith is openly mocked and attacked, and my parishioners are struggling to believe in Jesus. Most of their family members, friends, and co-workers have abandoned the Christian faith. My parishioners cannot wear a cross or speak the name of Jesus at work for fear of losing their jobs. Our schools teach their children from kindergarten to doubt the natural goodness of their bodies, and to despise marriage and family life. My parishioners are clinging to the simple truths of our faith, especially the Church’s teachings about the human person.

When you promote homosexuality, Holy Father, you hurt me and my parish. When you do not speak clearly, you make my priestly task very difficult. You have said that two men cannot “marry,” and that homosexual acts are wrong, but you also encourage bishops who bless same-sex unions. A female student from my parish, who attends a Jesuit-owned university, “married” another woman according to United States law. She later surgically removed her breasts and uterus to appear like a man. She hates her mother for raising her Catholic, and her mother grieves the loss of her daughter and grandchildren. But this college student points to you, Holy Father. She says you permit blessings for homosexual unions in Germany, and that you favor priests and cardinals who promote homosexual relations. She knows that you have appointed a European cardinal who promotes homosexual unions to lead the Synod.

Continued below.

An Open Letter to Pope Francis

Dear Pope Francis, I am writing to you in the spirit of parrhesia , a biblical word you have used several times to encourage us to speak freely, boldly, and without fear of disagreement. In your...

www.frilloblog.com

Didn't Fr. Illo had a TLM mass at his parish that got shut down by Traditiones Custodes?

 

[Michie]

Didn't Fr. Illo had a TLM mass at his parish that got shut down by Traditiones Custodes?

I don’t remember.

 

[Michie]

Bishop Joya Calls for Protection of Family Amid Debate on Blessing of Same-Sex Unions

As the Synod on Synodality in Rome enters its second week, Bishop Hieronymus Joya IMC of the Catholic Diocese of Maralal has weighed in on the controversial subject of the blessing of same-sex unions, a response of Pope Francis to five dubia (doubts) questions sent to him by five cardinals...

cisanewsafrica.com

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Pope Francis speaks clearly about this, except when he doesn't.

Pope Francis speaks clearly for those who listen. Those who have an ax to grind
have stopped listening long ago.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Pope Francis speaks clearly for those who listen. Those who have an ax to grind
have stopped listening long ago.

What is pope Francis saying about gender ideology in his appointment of cardinals? I can't figure out the clarity of it.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

What is pope Francis saying about gender ideology in his appointment of cardinals? I can't figure out the clarity of it.

Respect people, even those you don't agree with.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Respect people, even those you don't agree with.

OK. That would be a fine message as far as it goes. We should all be able to get behind that.

But does that include blessing sodomy because it would be disrespectful to not bless two people who do that kind of thing? Many cardinals appointed by pope Francis think that is the thing to do.

Or perhaps would respecting people mean not calling them names? I'm thinking like maybe not saying any of the following about other people: THE LITTLE BOOK OF INSULTS USED BY FRANCIS THE MERCIFUL

 

[chevyontheriver]

Respect people, even those you don't agree with.

OK. That would be a fine message as far as it goes. We should all be able to get behind that.

But does that include blessing sodomy because it would be respectful to bless two people who do that kind of thing? Many cardinals appointed by pope Francis think that is the thing to do.

Or perhaps would respecting people mean not calling them names? I'm thinking like maybe not saying any of the following about other people: THE LITTLE BOOK OF INSULTS USED BY FRANCIS THE MERCIFUL

 

[JimR-OCDS]

OK. That would be a fine message as far as it goes. We should all be able to get behind that.

But does that include blessing sodomy because it would be disrespectful to not bless two people who do that kind of thing? Many cardinals appointed by pope Francis think that is the thing to do.

Or perhaps would respecting people mean not calling them names? I'm thinking like maybe not saying any of the following about other people: THE LITTLE BOOK OF INSULTS USED BY FRANCIS THE MERCIFUL

Pope Francis never blessed sodomy. This is your own misinformation that is spread in this forum and other
fundamentalists forums.

Remember, Jesus ate with prostitutes and tax collectors. He was criticized and eventually killed by his critics.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Pope Francis never blessed sodomy.

To the best of my knowledge you are correct that pope Francis has yet to bless sodomy. He has appointed cardinals who say that Church teaching on sodomy is wrong. Cardinal Hollerich comes to mind.

This is your own misinformation that is spread in this forum and other
fundamentalists forums.

And yet CBS, ABC, NBC, and NPR all say pope Francis is saying that such blessings are possible. IF it is misinformation it is not 'fundamentalist' misinformation but mainstream news misinformation. But based on actual words of pope Francis. So maybe it isn't misinformation at all.

Remember, Jesus ate with prostitutes and tax collectors. He was criticized and eventually killed by his critics.

Did Jesus bless prostitution? I would think the answer was 'no'. He did say "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more." Is that what cardinal Hollerich is saying? Does pope Francis disagree with his cardinal?

 

[RileyG]

Praying for purification within the Church and that the homosexual activists may be enlightened.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

To the best of my knowledge you are correct that pope Francis has yet to bless sodomy. He has appointed cardinals who say that Church teaching on sodomy is wrong. Cardinal Hollerich comes to mind.

And yet CBS, ABC, NBC, and NPR all say pope Francis is saying that such blessings are possible. IF it is misinformation it is not 'fundamentalist' misinformation but mainstream news misinformation. But based on actual words of pope Francis. So maybe it isn't misinformation at all.

Did Jesus bless prostitution? I would think the answer was 'no'. He did say "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more." Is that what cardinal Hollerich is saying? Does pope Francis disagree with his cardinal?

And you believe CBS, ABC, NBC and NPR when they report false information about Pope Francis, but I bet
you don't believe them on other issues.

Jesus didn't bless prostitution and Pope Francis nor the new Cardinals bless homosexual acts. They don't bless
heterosexual acts outside of marriage nor masturbation either. Blessing the sinner is not blessing the sin.

 

[chevyontheriver]

And you believe CBS, ABC, NBC and NPR when they report false information about Pope Francis,

Pope Francis COULD correct them.

but I bet
you don't believe them on other issues.

Sometimes and sometimes not.

Jesus didn't bless prostitution and Pope Francis nor the new Cardinals bless homosexual acts. They don't bless
heterosexual acts outside of marriage nor masturbation either. Blessing the sinner is not blessing the sin.

Blessing a sinner is fine. Especially if it leads to repentance and not away from it. You say, present tense, that none of pope Francis’ cardinals bless homosexual acts. Maybe not yet. But some of them dearly want it approved. And they have said as much. Wonder where the media get the idea from? They aren’t total blockheads.

 

[Gnarwhal]

Didn't Fr. Illo had a TLM mass at his parish that got shut down by Traditiones Custodes?

He's still pastor at Star of the Sea in SF, +Cordileone's obviously going to be one of the last prelates to shutdown a TLM.

Illo's one of the real ones, I haven't met him personally but we have some mutual friends from his time as chaplain at TAC and before that he was in the Diocese of Stockton. They all speak so highly of him.