June 8, 2025
Dear St. Rita Families,
Pentecost is rightly called the birthday of the Church, since it is the moment when it spread beyond the original disciples. Those first ones, empowered by God to proclaim His marvelous works, were propelled outward by the Spirit to take on themselves the role of Christ, each according to God’s design. Whether clergy or lay, each lived more fully as an “alter Christus” – another Christ. That phrase “alter Christus” is often used to refer to the priestly vocation as such, since the priest shares in Christ’s headship over the Church; he administers the Sacraments “in persona Christi” – in the person of Christ; he acts visibly as Christ in relation to the Church.
It is not wrong, however, to use the same phrase in referring to each baptized Christian, since Baptism makes us a member of Christ. Certainly, the Body of Christ which has many parts, is also one Body (cf. 1 Cor 12:12). But if the Body of Christ really is the Body of Christ, it does not admit of sin. It cannot admit of sin. Sin is totally foreign to it. This truth is fundamentally why becoming a Christian requires conversion. Conversion is the result of repentance, and someone or something has to be the catalyst for that repentance.
What was the catalyst for your repentance? At some point, someone had to preach the Gospel to you in a way that was uncomfortable. Perhaps it fell on deaf ears at the time. Perhaps it angered you. Perhaps it offended you. But you heard the truth, and even if you didn’t turn away from sin right away, the truth stayed in your mind. And when the time was right, when God orchestrated your life such that you couldn’t ignore the truth anymore, you turned from sin.
The preaching of Peter and the Apostles at Pentecost is meant to be jarring for those who heard it. Peter calls out the Jews in Jerusalem for killing Jesus (Acts 2:22-23) and then calls them to repentance (v. 38). And they believe him, and they repent. Without the courage to make others uncomfortable, Pentecost never would have happened. God came to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable. And if we are “alteri Christi”, then we share in that mission, priests and laypersons alike.
Last week, I wrote to encourage you to stand firm in the Church’s teaching regarding homosexuality. I will continue in that vein here. The world does not believe that purity and chastity are possible virtues. Those who seek these virtues are scorned and ridiculed. Indeed, there is a certain social “prowess” conferred upon men who are promiscuous, and there is a glorified “independence” that can be offered to women. Both of these so-called virtues are really the vices of pride and selfishness, however. They seek one’s own glorification at the expense of another, and fall into the trap of using the other for personal gain.
There is also another side of rejection of chastity which flows from weakness and disillusionment. Everyone knows that sexual desire is powerful, and for some moreso than for others. Weakness in this regard can make some think that purity is not possible. Others become disillusioned with the possibility of joy in marriage, and in that way decide to settle for a life of “casual sex” (a misnomer) until they find the right person. And I’m sure there are other, more subtle and/or complicated motivations also.
The Church, however, proclaims unwaveringly, not just that impure actions are mortally sinful, but that they blind us to the possibility of true love. Love is more than sex, and one of the great benefits of purity in the context of relationships is that it enables couples to expand their horizons of love. It makes them find things to do that aren’t sex, forming a much broader idea of the common life together they hope to form when they marry.
In the realm of homosexuality, the conversation is similar, but more nuanced. Men and women who struggle with homosexuality and who want to live a chaste and pure life must learn not only how to be pure, but how to have good friendships, especially with members of the same sex. Fortunately, there is an apostolate in the Catholic Church called “Courage”, precisely for individuals who are seeking to live according to God’s plan for them, but who experience “Same-sex attraction” or SSA. The Courage apostolate adheres firmly to the teachings of the Catholic Church about homosexuality (unlike other groups such as DignityUSA), and it has helped countless men and women to find the peace and joy in Christ that they seek and desire. Courage also has a program called EnCourage, which supports family members of persons who identify as homosexual. The Diocese of Arlington has chapters of both Courage and EnCourage.
All of this is completely contrary to the culture, which celebrates any rejection of purity as liberating. Sadly, such “liberation” is a lie, as sexual impurity leads only to slavery and bondage to sin. The Church’s call to purity should right afflict the comfortable, but it is not a call to emptiness or sexual frustration. The Church’s call to purity is a joyful affirmation of God’s plan for married love between a man and a woman. It is also a recognition that while sex is necessary for the propagation of the species, it is not necessary for every single member of the species. Purity, both in preparation for marriage and as a part of the celibate life, is always made possible by grace. None of this makes sense unless it is integrated into our life of faith and our relationship with God. It is God alone who fills the human heart, whether one is married or not, whether one struggles with SSA or not.
In proclaiming these truths, the Church does not seek to marginalize or to denigrate. She seeks always to call every single person to Jesus Christ who promises peace and forgiveness, but who requires repentance from sin. Therefore, stand firm in your witness, both in word and action. Know that the Church’s call isn’t a judgmental demand, but an invitation to communion with God and others in the Church. And pray that the grace of Pentecost would be poured out upon all who hear your words.
In Christ,
Fr. Christensen