Mom going to the priest!

I think you should speak with him if she asks you to. If it gets to the "you are going to hell" area, just get up and leave.

 

Personally, I wouldn't talk to him, but I'm sort of belligerent when it comes to religion. >_>

On a better note, I've heard more stories about the priests being more understanding/accepting of GLBT-ness, lately. Granted, this is still not the universal norm, but there's hope you will get more of "Jesus still loves you" and less of "You're going to hell."

If it will help smooth things over with your mom, maybe you should talk with him some. If he gets cray-cray on you, well, you already said that you are good at tuning people out!

Let us know what you decide, and how it goes. (*hug*)

 

I'll have to say the same as MommaFrog , if it gets heated up there just leave.
Good luck!

 

If she asks you to go meet with him, I would suggest going but making it very clear that you will stay only as long as you are comfortable with the conversation. If it turns into a big you're going to hell thing or a love the sinner, hate the sin thing, then you get up and leave and don't go back.

 

Actually - there is much potential for personal amusement with this. You go on, have a chat, and if he gets preachy or out of line, ask if he will do a sarah palin style exorcism, and ham it from there. I know I would.

And, if after this episode your mother is upset, explain reality to her. Best of luck though

 

I don't see what's to be gained by going to see her priest. She's more than welcome to see whoever she wants to to help her deal with your sexuality, but the thing to keep in mind is that YOU're not the one with the problem - SHE is.

Lex

 

Aside of playing nice for the mother, there is nothing to be gained. But, at the least, one could have fun with it.

 

>>>Aside of playing nice for the mother, there is nothing to be gained. But, at the least, one could have fun with it.

OK, say you go, and you mock the priest and his religion. Does the priest laugh and say "Yeah, you got me - my religion is phony and hypocritical"? Does the mother then suddenly "get" her child, and throw her support completely behind him? All it will do is dig the chasm deeper and wider.

Lex

 

i think mom should talk to the priest if she wants.
if she asks you to go to the priest i would ask her why she wants you to go: is it so she can have moral support and get all her feelings out about this? or is it so you can be coverted?
if my mom needed me to go becuase she wanted to have some group therapy, i would do it. but if it was for me to go so i can be bashed, i would pass.

i am not roman catholic but from what i understand it says that the orientation of homosexuality isn't a sin, but acting on the orientation is? if that's the case, then i mean, im not sure what benefit going will do since you probably already know what they are going to say.

also, do you speak latin? how does anyone know what is being said in mass if it in latin? i always wondered about that.

 

I think you're dead...

No, listen. And go if he says the slightest thing offensive. You don't need to hear the type of things he will say if he's coming to convert you.

 

im roman catholic (technically not though i never got confirmed thank..glob?) but the masses were never in latin

tangent aside i agree with everyone else, go, and if it gets too much, politely leave

its pretty weird, the entire time i was there i never heard the word gay or homosexual or any bashing at all, actually the confirmation guy bashed the church because they escorted a homeless person out (ironic)

but i chuckled when the confirmation guy showed us a picture of a protein that just happpened to look like a cross and said its a sign.

 

Wow,

I'm going to experience this if I ever come out to my mom or sister. Only it will be an evangelical pastor who has done anti-gay sermons on the radio.

 

Consider it from your mom's point of view if you will: It probably took you quite some time (as it has taken many of us) to come to terms with your sexuality. Well, your mom is going through a similar process. She's probably just trying to find a way to get help in accepting this, which is a great thing! Her outlet is church, and she probably considers the priest a wise man and great source of guidance for her -- so really, it could be an awesome thing that she's seeking help from him. Different people draw strength from different things. That being said, if she wants you to talk to him, I would encourage you to do so, to help your mom, but as so many before me have advised, IF it does get uncomfortable and the priest is totally uncool about it, don't feel obliged to stay. Do you have any idea how your church views homosexuality and how your priest will react?

 

I don't see anything wrong with having a conversation at all. In fact, I think having open conversations like this is healthy. There's never anything problematic about sharing your heart. You will have your perspective of where you're at, and I see no problem in simply listening to his. We don't always have to only talk with people we agree with. Yes, it could be a difficult conversation, however, you may also find some thoughts that he shares comforting. We don't know. And consider this, you may even make a comment or two which softens his heart (if, in fact it is even hardened...again we don't really know). I'm all for making an impact.

So, my encouragement is to let yourself be genuine and speak, there's no harm in either of you listening to the other's perspective and there's no real basis for argument when two people are just sharing where they are at. Whatever way you go, you have my support.

 

If your mom is having religious concerns, you can also have her look at DignityUSA.

It's important to realize that the Church does sometimes change its mind about things. Many Catholics, including some Catholic priests, oppose the Church's current teaching. It is under constant debate within the Church. DignityUSA is an organization of Catholic laypeople that lobby for change in the Church's official policy on homosexuality.

Also, if you don't have like, a whole bunch of siblings, it's likely that your mom and dad have violated a teaching of the church that is predicated on the same grounds as homosexuality: their ban on birth control. Both are said to cut the sexual act off from procreation.

 

Well, hey, if her priest was as accepting as he sounds, then accept it and be thankful. He could have made it a lot harder on your mom, and therefore on you, but he didn't. The Catholic church is a big place after all (I'm not part of it but several friends are, the vast majority of whom are very accepting of lgbt peoples), and maybe your family happened to end up with one of the friendly ones.

True, Benedict's comments are annoying. But John Paul II before him did much the same thing. It's not like he's breaking new ground. That said, I'm not thrilled about it either, but it doesn't mean that every Catholic is immediately falling in line to think whatever the pope tells them to think. Ideal or not, that's just not how things work.

(Cyber) group hugs shall be shared. Hang in there! I think this counts as solid good news.

(&&&)