Catholic students blast bishop for being not Catholic

Press release from Flemish Catholic Student Association of Antwerp

KVHV Antwerp: "Your
Excellency, what you are proposing is not Catholic!"

The Bishop of Antwerp, Mgr. Johan Bonny, has once again been reported in the media by openly stand up for the Church to recognize and bless relationships between homosexuals.  It is not the first time. The Antwerp prelate several years ago, in 2012,was enthusiastic about a play that was staged at De Singel, entitled 'On the Concept of the Face, Regarding the Son of God. "Although this play by Romeo Castelucci took the form of a blasphemous attack on Jesus Christ, Mgr. Bonny saw the cultural value of it.

With his call to offer
homosexual relationships within the Roman Catholic Church a position within the structure, Mgr. Bonny crosses a new frontier. Not this time of decency, but of faith and morals. First, he creates the image that homosexuals should have no place in the Catholic Church. This is manifestly incorrect. Every human being is created by God to join Catholic Church. This Church has its rules, structures and traditions, which are the same for everyone, and contrary to what one suspects, still very well known. Sexual orientation is by no means a criterion that prevents someone being a Catholic. The Church, the only way to salvation in the afterlife, is open to any person, whatever their background, their talents and their problems. This is also the case for homosexuals - as if that had to be said. Everyone is welcome.

But the rules of morality apply universally to every Catholic, at any place and any time. Marriage, a sacrament instituted by Christ, is open to one man and one woman and is entered into voluntarily. It stops at the death of one of the marriage partners. Sexual experience is desired by God in marriage. In this way, the goal of sexuality is human reproduction, raising a family. For the Church, this is not possible outside of marriage. As to commit errors is all too human, so God also provides the sacrament of confession and so every time begins a new chapter in the spiritual  life of every Catholic. In that sense there is no difference between unmarried cohabiting heterosexual and gay couples. The difficulty is only that the Church  cannot allow to have two people of the same sex to marry because the purpose of sexuality is not possible. This is also how Archbishop Léonard has stated the view of the Church on homosexuality in the “duo” interview with Etienne  Vermeersch on VRT.

Here the Archbishop preaches at a Latin Mass- a most excellent man, who the Pope has yet to give a Cardinal's hat.  Bonny is expected to be his successor.


Interview continues.

What is being asked here, is not a place for homosexuals in the Church. They have a place already. What Msgr. Bonny wants is not to allow new players in the game (because everyone is already authorized), but to change the game itself subtly. He seems to want to  promote sexuality outside the sacrament of marriage as not sinful. This means that everyone, both homosexuals and divorced people, may experience sexual relationships outside of marriage without being labelled as sinful by the Church.

Mgr. Bonny, successor of the Apostles, wants to change the Faith in a veiled way. The Flemish Catholic Student  Association of Antwerp also clearly raises its voice and says: no Monsignor, what you are proposing is not Catholic.