Step One:

"I am a person with homosexual inclinations, and I am powerless over this condition"

With formal permission from AA we utilize the Twelve Steps...

"[N]one of us will have to face the problems of homosexuality alone..."


Adapted from the Rev. Father John Harvey, O.S.F.S.' timely article in the Homiletic & Pastoral Review, August / September 2009, "Homosexuality and Courage."

"[I]n 1978 I received a letter from Father Benedict Groeschel in which he told me about the desire of the archbishop of New York, Terence Cardinal Cooke, to help persons with same - sex attractions to live chaste lives.

"Through Father Groeschel I met Cardinal Cooke, who asked me to start a support group for persons with same - sex attractions [SSA] to teach them the virtue of chastity.

"It took two years before our first group meeting.

"That led the Archdiocese of New York to plan a support group for men and women with same - sex attractions who desired to live chaste lives.

"The new group began its first session in September 1980.

"At the first meeting of Courage there were five men in attendance.

"The group grew slowly.

"A New York priest, Father Edwin O'Brien -- now Archbishop O'Brien of Baltimore was my director.

"On one occasion he suggested that I ask the men to write out their goals and purposes.

"It took the support group months of deliberation to produce their five goals.

"Those Five Goals are still in use today.

"The Five Goals of Courage:

"Goal 1: To live chaste lives in accordance with the Roman Catholic Church's teachings on homosexuality.

"Goal 2: To dedicate our entire lives to Christ through service to others, spiritual reading, prayer, meditation, individual spiritual direction, frequent attendance at Mass, and the frequent reception of the sacraments of reconciliation and Holy Eucharist.

"Goal 3: To foster a spirit of fellowship in which we may share with one another our thoughts and experiences and to ensure that none of us will have to face the problems of homosexuality.

"Goal 4: To be mindful of the truth that chaste friendships are not only possible, but necessary in a chaste Christian life and to encourage one another in forming and sustaining them.

"Goal 5: To live lives that may serve as good examples to others.

"The Five Goals reveal the purposes of this support group, which later got its name of Courage from one of the members.

"Later on he died of AIDS.

"The first goal identifies the group as loyal to the teaching of the Church on the necessity of chastity."

Wow!

What a contrast to Assumption Seminary and OLLU!! :

"The second goal sets up a program of intensive prayer as the principal means of learning chastity."

Thanks to the John Calvin Hegedus case, we know this much:

Neither Archbishop Gómez nor Archbishop Flores seemed to have listened...

"The third goal demands regular attendance at meetings and active participation in its discussions in a manner similar to Alcoholics Anonymous.

Again, most likely Duh!!?? on the part of both archbishops and Fr. Cepeda...

"The fourth goal is concerned with seeking chaste friendships as support in preserving a chaste way of living.

"The fifth goal stresses giving good example to other persons."

D*a*m*n do our local ranking clergy have a lot to answer for! :)

"The meetings led to the formation of lasting friendships and deeper prayer lives.

"By writing articles and making oral presentations on the meaning of Courage between 1980 and 1985, I was able to describe the benefits and the limitations of Courage.."

This article is a fantastic source of information for anyone interested in learning more about the struggles of those heroic men and women from America's homosexual community who really do love Jesus Christ and moreover set a tremendously inspiring example to us all in the process of striving to live out their lives here below in preparation for an eternity of bless with Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the Holy Saints in heaven.

I have had the unique privilege of knowing such heroes, and will always owe them more than I'll ever be able to repay!

As for all those archbishops, bishops, priests, deacons and nuns who betray these good folks and everyone too?

Bah!

No need to waste our time on their probable destiny, o.k.? :)

We'll give them the benefit of the doubt by perfunctorily remembering them in our daily prayers, but otherwise leave them to enjoy whatever they can here, these thrice - accursed religious, whether male or female, as "here" may in fact, be all they believe in anyway!

So?

Let the Holy Spirit sort all that out, as we tremble for own sins and for our own salvation...