Warped Treatment Of Priests

My blogging colleague at Les Femmes has written of the treatment meted out to a good priest that she knows.  Her post is here.  Father Aitcheson, prior to his conversion to the Faith, was a member of the Ku Klux Klan.  He repented of his sin of racism well before he entered seminary.  Maria Santos Bier, a writer for the Washington Post, got wind of this and wrote a hit piece for the Post on Father.  Of course the "compost" would lap it up in a heartbeat, for they got to tar a hated Catholic priest as a racist.  Mary Ann correctly points out that Bier committed a mortal sin of detraction.  For those confused about detraction, it is defined in Catholic moral theology as "the unjust damaging of another's good name by the revelation of some fault or crime of which that other is really guilty or at any rate is seriously believed to be guilty by the defamer".

So while good priests see their vocations seriously compromised owing to long-repented faults, flaming dissident priests are celebrated precisely because of their poisonous heresies.

Father James Martin has been in the news in Catholic media circles.  Rightly ejected from Catholic speaking venues because of his promotion of sodomy, he has taken to whining and pouting all over social media.  In the course of so doing, he continues to spew forth heresy.  Consider this facebook post of his.  It's a long screed, and the heresy appears in the very last sentence: "And the Holy Spirit knows what She is doing".  Yes, you read that correctly.  He refers to the Third Person in the Trinity in the feminine.  In both Scripture and Tradition, all Three Persons of the Trinity have always been referred to in the masculine.  Given Martin's sordid history of promoting sexual perversion, we know he was taking another jab at Christ's teachings, blaspheming the Holy Spirit in the process.

Father Martin is the sort of priest who is celebrated by the Washington Compost and other rags - because both Martin and the progressives hate Catholic morality.  Mary Ann's piece suggests that Bier might be carrying on in the tradition of the traitorous Brutus; so is Father Martin.

Dissident Sr Helen Prejean In The Catholic Standard

Sister Helen Prejean, author of "Dead Man Walking" (a tome against capital punishment) was featured in the February 23rd issue of the Catholic Standard.  This particular piece is only found in the paper edition, not online.

Apparently her book was made into an opera and she gave a presentation on it at the Washington National Cathedral.  This presentation that included a panel of leaders of various religions was sponsored by "Catholic Mobilization Network To End The Death Penalty".  Isn't that a mouthful?  While we can be grateful that this gabfest didn't occur in a Catholic facility, we can wonder why the Standard staff saw fit to devote an entire page to it.

Sister claims to be opposed to abortion, but other problems abound as evidenced here.  At the 2008 Democratic Interfaith Gathering, she said “And in the Christian tradition, there are those who say God allowed or even willed his own son, Jesus, to be sacrificed and killed on the cross in payment for our sins!  And when we kill criminals we have chaplains in death houses!  And when we kill criminals for their crimes God accepts their death in payment for their sins so they can go to heaven!  What kind of god do we believe in?!  What kind of father would demand the death of a son?  Is this a god?  Or is it an ogre, a monster, created by our own violent impulses?  We project so this is God who wants vengeance, like we want vengeance.  Truly there are contradictory images of God in the Bible.  On which one will we model our lives?"  She blasphemed against God the Father and the Crucifixion.

She "officiated" at the wedding of Susan Sarandon's daughter.  Only clergy do that.  Does this point to dissidence regarding women and the priesthood?  It would appear so.  She also seems to condone the normalization of homosexual perversions in society.  I state all of this to demonstrate that Sister Helen Prejean has not one shred of credibility whatsoever to lecture Catholics on anything, let alone moral issues.

Several years ago, Judie Brown of American Life League touched upon Sister's seeming indifference to the murders of tiny children.  There does seem to be a lack of proportion in Sister's mind when it comes to the importance of both abortion and capital punishment in comparison to each other.  I've blogged about the matter in the past and now link to those posts.  In the first post in that anthology, I highlighted some statistics showing that for every convicted criminal executed there were 42,000 babies legally murdered.  In the third post I pointed out that the effort to eliminate all capital punishment might well be an act of disobedience to God Himself for it was He who charged civil governments with that responsibility.

Some might be understandably befuddled as to why so many of those who seek to abolish capital punishment actually applaud the murders of tiny infants.  I was among that number until the answer dawned upon me almost instantaneously.  The repugnance that pro-aborts feel towards capital punishment actually stems from both guilt and fear.  In a saner time, these same pro-aborts, precisely because of their support, if not cooperation with and even commission of the crime of baby-murder, would themselves be eligible for the death penalty.  As it is, they are in grave danger of damnation unless they repent.

What I still fail to understand is how any reliable Catholic news outlet could devote an entire page of newsprint to someone who deviates from Catholc morality.  This article is just the latest example of why the Catholic Standard connot be considered a reliable Catholic news source.  Regrettably we'll see new reasons in the not-too-distant future.

Some VERY Different Bishops

I relate below some recent incidents regarding three US bishops: one disgraceful and the other two causes for rejoicing.  I'll start with the bad news first.

Sit down, please.  Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York praised a college football star for coming out as gay.  You read that correctly.  Michael Sam of the University of Missouri football team announced he was gay.  This is Cardinal Dolan's response: "Good for him.  I would have no sense of judgment on him. God bless ya. I don't think, look, the same Bible that tells us, that teaches us well about the virtues of chastity and the virtue of fidelity and marriage also tells us not to judge people. So I would say, 'Bravo.'"

We do understand that Cdl Dolan is congratulating the young man for celebrating his mortal sin?  He claims to have "no sense of judgment".  Yes he does - only the "good for him" is a positive judgment on this young man's road to eternal perdition.  He will bear responsibility for Sam's soul if he doesn't remember he's a bishop.  But enough of him.

Bishop Michael Barber of the Diocese of Oakland (CA) dismissed two dissident priests from Newman Hall.  One of them is openly gay.  This diocese, being in California, is heavily infested with homophiles.  They are in a snit.  Let's pray and thank the good bishop for beginning the purging process in his newly assigned diocese.

A little north of that in the Archdiocese of Portland, Archbishop Alexander Sample announced that his archdiocese would join the coalition to oppose same-sex "marriage".  There is a ballot initiative afoot to that effect.  You will notice that the article to which I linked has a decidedly progressive slant.  Again, thanks and prayers are in order.  Recall that four years ago, when Archbishop Sample was Bishop of Marquette, he asked wildly-dissident Bishop Thomas Gumbleton not to speak in his diocese.  Sample cited Gumbleton's erroneous positions on homosexuality and women's "ordination" as reasons.

Faithful Priest Safeguards Last Rites From Sacrilegious Reception

Yesterday at Medstar Washington Hospital Center in Washington DC, a Catholic chaplain was in the process of administering Last Rites to a heart-attack patient when the patient announced that he is gay.  The chaplain, Father Brian Coelho halted the rites.

The patient, Ronald Plishka, became incensed and cursed at the priest.  Of course the hospital staff had a snit because Father Coelho did not "adhere to our values".  One has to read further down the story to understand that the priest adhered to the teachings of Jesus Christ.

The Last Rites has as an integral part the Sacrament of Confession.  Plishka did divulge his homosexuality and his struggle with it.  However, he did say about being gay that "you can't be somebody you're not; otherwise you'll end up 63 and alone."  In other words, he was justifying his ongoing commission of mortal sin.  Without the requisite repentance and resolve to forswear that sin, Plishka disqualified himself from receiving the Last Rites.  Owing to his own disposition, the Last Rites would have had no benefit for him and he would have been committing sacrilege to receive them in his state of mind.  The Catholic Encyclopedia has a thorough discussion on the Last Rites.

Medstar Washington, the Post, the Blade, etc apparently don't believe in the efficacy of Last Rites.  If that is the case, why are they so upset that Plishka didn't receive them?  A cynic might think that these entities just wanted to get a Roman Catholic priest to abandon Jesus Christ and bow to the idol of political correctness, but that couldn't be the case for these bastions of tolerance now, could it?  Could it?  Well call me a cynic.  More importantly, call Father Coelho a priest faithful to Jesus Christ.

The Coke Commercial's REAL Moral Poison

We've all seen the murder mysteries, where some person is deliberately poisoned by another.  Sometimes the poisoning process is immediate and sometimes the plan is carried out over time.  The poison is often disguised, such as being mixed in with food.  Now that food may be healthy and beneficial on its own, but because of what it bears and disguises, the food itself is a medium of death.  That is an apt analogy for the Coke commercial that has occasioned much debate over the past few days.  Please watch it and then read my comments below that for what they're worth.  They are below the jump break so

Vortex Scolds Bishops For Turning Their Backs On Phil Robertson

I've got to hand it to Phil Robertson and the rest of his Duck Dynasty family for adhering to Christian moral principles and proclaiming them boldly.  I too am ashamed of most of our Catholic bishops for not doing likewise.  They couldn't even muster up the zeal to stand publicly beside this good man.  Shame on them!

IMPORTANT ADDENDUM:  Fellow residents of the Archdiocese of Washington, remember two Lents ago, when Father Marcel Guarnizo actually was treated far worse than Roberson was.  They only ignored Robertson.  Father Guarnizo was actually punished for standing up for Godly morality.  Never forget that!

Notre Dame Establishes "GLTBQ" Student Organization

The University of Notre Dame and Georgetown University seem to by vying with each other to win the prize for besmirching their once-Catholic heritages and leading their students down the primrose path to hell.  This week the spotlight is on Notre Dame.  Notre Dame president Father John Jenkins (no, he didn't get sacked after the 2009 Obama debacle) announced the formation of a "GLTBQ" student organization.  Why?  In Father's own words, "to expand and enhance the support and services for students who identify as gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual and questioning".  Another main goal is "to create and sustain a welcome and inclusive environment for all students".

Uh-oh!  There's that word "inclusive" again!

I thought Father Jenkins was a priest - no?  As such, isn't one of his main purposes "to save souls"?  Nowhere do I see diddly-squat being said about saving the souls of these students who are admittedly flirting with mortal sin.  Let's be clear - homosexual acts are, objectively speaking, acts that are mortally sinful.  Those who engage in them, knowing that they contravene God's laws, imperil their immortal souls.  If they are engaged in these sinful lifestyles, they are on the road to damnation.  How will this "student organization" address this dire situation?  Will they preach God's truth so that these young people will leave that sinful lifestyle and go to Confession?  This pressing spiritual crisis far outweighs any contrived need for "inclusive environments".

The local bishop (of the Fort Wayne/South Bend diocese), Bishop Kevin Rhoades is "hopeful" that the group will be faithful to Church teaching.  Hopeful?  That implies that fidelity to Church teaching on the part of this student organization is not at all certain!  Even this statement by the local bishop does not address the spiritual plight of the students already embroiled in the mortally-sinful homosexual lifestyle.

What is needed, more than any "inclusive" stuff, is the proclamation of the Church's teaching on life, marriage, holiness, etc and emphasis on the need for the Sacraments.  Otherwise, this "inclusive" student group will be one big occasion for mortal sin.  Tomorrow is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.  Let us ask Our Lady's intercession for this university that still bears her name.

Progressives Pout Over CCHD Funding Cessations

My friend and colleague Stephanie Block has posted an excellent article at Spero Forum picking apart the utter lack of logic displayed by US Catholic's editor Bryan Cones in his screed against American Life League, Reform CCHD Now (of which we're a proud member) and the rest of us "right-wing pressure groups".

I need not rehash Ms Block's work here; please go and read for yourselves.  I will, however, elaborate on two points.  I quote from her article..

• My favorite bit in the Cones’ article, however, is his canard that “these witch hunts” – complaints about CCHD misappropriations of Catholic money to groups that support un-Catholic positions – are all about…sex!  Who would have imagined!  “More and more it appears that Catholics in general are so obsessed with issues of sexuality that we can't even feed the poor or shelter immigrants anymore.  This crack has been thrown at pro-lifers for decades and says a great deal about the speaker (or writer).  Abortion, of course, isn’t an “issue of sexuality” – it’s an issue of personhood and civil rights.  Same-sex marriage isn’t an “issue of sexuality,” either – it’s an issue of covenantal partnership for ends that can’t be achieved in same-sex relationships.  To reduce these issues to “sexuality” betrays that not only does the writer not understand Catholic teaching but that he is himself trapped in a Freudian construct that understands everything in sexual terms. What Peter says about Paul says more about Peter than it does about Paul.

So what is being said about "Peter" - that is, Bryan Cones?  Here's a brief biographical sketch about Cones.  So he was a high school teacher.  Even as a high school teacher he was doing quite a bit of writing.  For instance, he wrote one of several brief chapters in a book entitled "Young and Catholic in America".  I believe it's the tenth.  Here's the link, detailing a conversation he had with some students.  Read the whole thing.  He admits to being gay himself and does not accept the Church's teaching that the homosexual inclination is intrinsically disordered.  What I find particularly disturbing (although not too surprising) is the approving attitudes he meets along the way: from his bishop, pastors, etc.  At the time Cones was talking to his bishop, he did not receive from his bishop the shepherding that he needed; in other words, Cones was done a gross disservice by his bishops and later mentors.  However, Cones is not without fault here.  He knew the Church's teaching enough to dissent from it willingly.  And this, dear readers, is the history and the mental paradigm of an editor of US Catholic magazine.  Does this not explain some of the tenor behind US Catholic - when one of its leaders is living at serious variance with the Church?

Now let's look at "guilt by association".  I think we've illustrated what triggers the knee-jerk usage by Comes of that phrase.  He thinks gay unions are just fine and dandy. However, when a group like American Life League come along and point out the simple truth that homosexual relations are mortally sinful then the defense mechanism spring into action and the "guilt by association" phrases start flying.  No, Mr Comes, it's just your guilt - so why not do yourself (and your partner) a favor, break off the sinful relationship and go to Confession?  Speaking of charity and mercy, let's recognize what the Spiritual Works of Mercy (such as "admonish the sinner") are.

We find the phrase "guilt by association" in another article similar to Cones' in viewpoint and tenor.  The author writes that "Companeros decided against severing ties with CIRC, deciding that its membership in the organization was more important than giving in to CCHD's demands."  OK, that's fine.  They made a decision.  Implicit in all this whining and kvetching is a presumption that Companeros is entitled to the largess of Catholic donations without stipulation.  Not so.  The Church has not only the right but the duty to ensure that its monies are used in accordance with Church teaching.  

The article goes on to announce a new website called "withcharityforall", ostensibly to compensate for Companeros' very avoidable budget shortfall.  I freely acknowledge their right to collect these monies, provided that they are very honest with their donors as to the exact planned usage of the funds (something that CCHD has yet to learn).  At least it won't be Church money.

The site was founded by Catholics United.  As mentioned before on this blog, on that organization's board of directors is James Salt.  Read about his history here.  If there is any true "guilt by association", James Salt bears it in spades.  His resume includes "overseeing the Kansas Democratic Party's faith outreach efforts including messaging work for Governor Sebelius.."  Yep!  He helped further the career of Kathleen Sebelius, which landed her in her current position as Secretary of HHS.  Of course she used that position to foment the onerous mandate which hangs over all our heads.

Now they screech that the Catholic-donation gravy train is pulling into the station.  This train stop is long overdue.

Archdiocese Of Washington Displays Its Cowardice

Here are some offerings of the "lamebrain mainstream" media regarding the funeral incident last Saturday.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-archdiocese-denying-communion-to-lesbian-at-funeral-was-against-policy/2012/02/28/gIQAlIxVgR_story.html

http://www.wusa9.com/news/article/193305/158/Gaithersburg-Priest-Involved-In-Funeral-Controversy

By the way - as you listen to that second one, notice two things.  At the 00:45 mark, you'll hear that "Father Guarnizo apparently learned that Barbara was involved in a romantic relationship with another woman.."  Conveniently omitted was how Father came to learn of this.  Just before the ceremony, in the sacristy, Barbara walked in as Father was vesting.  She introduced herself and "her lover" (yes, her words).  They did not give him opportunity to speak with them about Church policies for reception of Communion.  However, as is standard practice during weddings and funerals (for the  benefit of non-Catholics in attendance), he did announce the Church's requirements - making plain that the gay relationship disqualified them from such reception.

At the 00:58 mark, it is announced that she is a "lifelong Catholic and former Catholic school teacher".  It defies all common sense to pretend that she didn't know that she was ineligible to receive Holy Communion under her freely-chosen circumstances.  

I know that Father Guarnizo went to the chancery offices and explained what had happened.  You can see a summary of that embodied in my previous post.  None of that seemed to matter to the chancery officials - many of them turn a blind eye themselves when the Pelosi-and-Biden types strut up for Communion.  They cringe at the thought of the slightest criticism from the mainstream media, and their courage collapses like a house of cards if the liberal media so much as looks cross-eyed at them.  

Thus we see that Bishop Barry Knestout, Vicar General of the Archdiocese, threw Father Guarnizo under the bus by issuing this groveling "apology" to Ms Johnson.  In the second paragraph, the bishop claims that Ms Johnson did not experience "kindness" and "charity" from Father Guarnizo.  I beg to differ - and that difference hinges on what constitutes "kindness and charity".  It would NOT have been "kind" of Father Guarnizo to facilitate for Ms. Johnson the mortal sin of sacrilegious Holy Communion.  And just what did Bishop Knestout think would have been the "pastorally sensitive" thing to do?   Canon 915 lays it right out there.  This apology is not only an attempt to appease those who embrace dissidence from Church teachings, but is also an attempt to justify the archdiocese's own fecklessness in the face of their obligations to obey Canon 915.  The yap and yammer about "pastoral sensitivity" is mere smoke and mirrors to excuse their own disobedience to Church law.

I understand that there is talk of transferring Father Guarnizo elsewhere or even asking him to leave the archdiocese.  Barbara Johnson made plain her intention to have Father Guarnizo removed from parish life in this diocese.  I regret to say that the Feckless Ones within the DC chancery will leap to do her bidding in that regard.  But there might be a miracle.  Let us pray that someone in the DC pastoral center finds a backbone and realizes that his Sacrament of Ordination really means service to Jesus Christ even to martyrdom.  Perhaps they'll take some inspiration from Father Guarnizo.

Let us pray for all involved - particularly Barbara Johnson.  As much as the chancery has thrown Fr Guarnizo under the bus, it is she who has received the greatest disservice from the Archdiocese of Washington.

Please contact the Archdiocese.  Let them know that you take a dim view of their behavior.  If you haven't made a pledge yet to the Cardinal's Appeal, you might want to hold off on that for a while.

Canon 915 - Alive In The Archdiocese Of Washington!

On Sunday morning, I noticed that a post I had written about five months ago had quite a few comments posted to it, many of them rather nasty.  I thought it curious since the post was rather old.  Upon further investigation I discovered why.

The post featured a talk given by Father Marcel Guarnizo, parochial vicar of St John Neumann in Gaithersburg, MD.  This past Saturday, Father did a funeral Mass for a deceased parishioner.  In attendance was her daughter who is an open lesbian.  On account of her ongoing mortally sinful lifestyle, Father refused Holy Communion to her, as is his obligation not only under Canon 915 but to prevent her from committing another mortal sin, that of sacrilegious Holy Communion.

Many of the pro-gay-rights community got in a royal snit about Father's actions.  You can see the comments that I allowed to be published.  Some of them show the hysterical, sputtering self-righteous and self-deluded rage that afflicts those who sympathize with deadly sin.  They hold up their self-customized images of "Jesus" and have hissies because Father decided to be the priest he was ordained to be and to give witness to the real Jesus who is The Way, The Truth and The Life.

Pray for these poor deluded souls, as they imperil their own immortal souls by giving allegiance to perversions and their own false ideas of God.  Then go to the parish website and thank both Father Guarnizo and the pastor, Father LaHood.  You may rest assured that the pro-gays are spewing forth their vomit and bile into the email boxes.   Please copy on that email chancery@adw.org as well.  Many in that office are, frankly, rather wimpy when it comes to doing their duties.  Perhaps Father's good example will provide the right encouragement.

Archdiocese Of New York To Commemorate 9/11 With Gay Men's Chorus??

First, thanks to Pewsitter for this alert.

Here it is.  At New York's Church of St Paul the Apostle, there will be a musical commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attack.  However, the "rememberance concert" will be performed by a gay chorus - as evidenced on their website.

The announcement for this profanation is repeated in the church's bulletin. This church, in hosting this chorus, is lending a forum to a group that admits to its purpose of celebrating the gay lifestyle.  A perusal of the bulletin will make plain that this church makes a habit of facilitating sin.  Notice that it has an "Out At St Paul Group" that seems to have the fostering of a sinful and dangerous lifestyle as its self-styled "misson".  And yes, that "Out" website does link to that of the Human Rights Commission!  You can go further down to see the "centering prayer" and yoga.  They even take trips to Atlantic City to support that city's despicable gambling industry.

This bunch will most likely be performing in front of the Blessed Sacrament, offering insult to Our Lord Himself.  This concert will make a mockery of the tragedy of 9/11 by lending legitimacy to a dangerous and sinful lifestyle.

Nine years ago, a number of us discovered similar plans afoot locally.  To commemorate the first anniversary of the attack, St Mary's Church in Rockville was slated to have a number of speakers address the congregation after a Mass.  One of them was rabidly pro-abortion US Congresswoman Connie Morella.  When we got wind of that, we called/faxed/emailed both the pastor and the DC chancery and advised them that if Morella wasn't disinvited, they could expect a picket.  Happily, they saw the errors of their ways and disinvted her, so our picket was not necessary.  I call upon the faithful Catholics of New York to take similar stands and engage in similar actions.

We can and will assist you by making our protests heard.  We must stand for the sanctity of that Church and for the teachings of Our Lord via the Magisterium.  Here is contact information for the church.   Here is contact information for the Archdiocese of New York. 

By the way - as I look at the homepage of the chorus, it seems that they profaned yet another Catholic Church this past May - the Church of the Most Blessed Sacrament.  When we contact the archdiocese, we need to ask what's up with this bunch being granted admittance to this church as well.

John Jay Study - Another Failed Damage Control Effort

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops commissioned the John Jay College of Criminal Justice to study the clergy sex abuse problem.  The study is released and published on the USCCB website.

It should surprise no one that this study does not acknowledge any correlation between gay clergy and this crisis - despite the fact that 90% of the victims were post pubescent males.  They ignore the proverbial elephant in the living room, in deference to political correctness; they've learned nothing over the years, and I'll elaborate on that later.  Just bear in mind that the USCCB funded this study.

This glaring omission was not overlooked by too many people.  Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, wrote a commentary that appeared in the National Catholic Register.  In it he skewers the lack of logic behind the JJ's - and the USCCB's - denial of the responsibility of gay clergy.  He does so by pointing out how the study contradicts itself.  Please read it.

Now I direct your attention to an article penned by Brian Clowse of Human Life International last year.  Why is that relevant?  It is VERY relevant because a friend of mine just posted this article to the USCCB's facebook page: and subsequently found himself banned from that page!  That is NOT a coincidence!

Earlier I promised elaboration on my "elephant in the living room" point.  Here it is.  Several years ago, shortly after the sex scandals became public news, the Archdiocese of Washington announced a series of "dialog sessions" to discuss the crisis and what the diocese was doing about it.  They announced that their first meeting would be held at St Raphael's in Rockville.  So I, and many others, attended.  It was basically a panel discussion, with the panel being various folks chosen by the Archdiocese; I cannot remember the composition of that panel.  At any rate, they too tried to downplay the correlation between homosexuality and the abuse crisis.  During the question-and-answer session, they quickly learned that we would not let them get away with that, well, bovine excretement.  We could see on the panel members' faces that they were expecting us to be docile and naive, and were almost afraid when we didn't live down to their hopes.  Thus ended the first - and last - "dialog session".

I'll end this post with a Vortex perspective on the John Jay study.  Click here if you can't see embedded video.

The Pseudo-Condom Conundrum

All the liberal press and progressive media are in a state of ecstatic elation over what they think is a major capitulation on the part of the Holy Father regarding the usage of condoms.  As is to be suspected, some remarks of his were clearly taken out of context (perhaps deliberately) so that the libertines of our culture could further justify their perverted lusts.  They're all atwitter over alleged acknowledgement of the use of condoms by male prostitutes.

Catholic World Report gives the complete context of the Pope's remarks, which were really a small part of an interview that he granted.  I'll quote below from Chapter 11 of "Light of the World", also found on Catholic World Report.

The Pope - "This means that the sheer fixation on the condom implies a banalization of sexuality, which, after all, is precisely the dangerous source of the attitude of no longer seeing sexuality as the expression of love, but only a sort of drug that people administer to themselves. This is why the fight against the banalization of sexuality is also a part of the struggle to ensure that sexuality is treated as a positive value and to enable it to have a positive effect on the whole of man’s being.  There may be a basis in the case of some individuals, as perhaps when a male prostitute uses a condom, where this can be a first step in the direction of a moralization, a first assumption of responsibility, on the way toward recovering an awareness that not everything is allowed and that one cannot do whatever one wants. But it is not really the way to deal with the evil of HIV infection. That can really lie only in a humanization of sexuality."
Seewald - "Are you saying, then, that the Catholic Church is actually not opposed in principle to the use of condoms?"
The Pope - "She of course does not regard it as a real or moral solution, but, in this or that case, there can be nonetheless, in the intention of reducing the risk of infection, a first step in a movement toward a different way, a more human way, of living sexuality."

My!  Isn't it enlightening to read things in their true context?  What I put in bold above is the tiny fraction that the progressives are blowing out of proportion.  He isn't justifying the use of condoms at all; he merely sees its use as an acknowledgement of the dangers of sodomy. 

As an analogous situation, I am reminded of a certain abortionist's story of how she left the lifestyle of an abortionist to become a committed Christian.  For her, the journey began slowly.  She was confronted with an underage girl who wanted an abortion at one of her mills.  At that time, grace was beginning to work in her and she was uneasy with this young lady patronizing her business.  She pulled the young girl into her office and told her that she didn't think abortion was in her best interests.  Everett did not allow that abortion to occur.  Now to be sure, this woman allowed other abortions to occur that day.  However, as she began taking these sorts of "first steps" about which the Pope spoke, the light shone ever more brightly and she left the abortion business altogether.  The one act of stopping the young girl's abortion was not a justification for the abortions that occurred.  The (now former) abortionist didn't practice virtue on that occasion; she refrained from sin and committing more damage.  It would have been no solution to continue in the abortion business.  What the Pope said is that condoms are no solution, but may be a manifestation of an awareness of the inherent harm of the gay lifestyle.

For more detailed clarification, and another analogy, see this article from Renew America.