If Jim Corcoran had taken the time to think and pray about what the Bishop had asked him instead of getting in a knot about it, he could have seen the wisdom in what the Bishop was asking of him. But, that would have required personal sacrifice and that does not seem to come easy to him, if his reaction is an example.
Here are the particular verses that the Bishop was referring Mr. Corcoran to when he asked him to step down as an altar server at St.Michael's Parish in Cobourg.
Romans 14:13-23 (NIV)
13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.
14 As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.
15 If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died.
16 Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil.
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.
19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.
21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.
22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.
23 But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
The Bishop was asking Mr. Corcoran not to put a stumbling block in the way of the other parishioners as in verse 20. He was not judging him personally. He was using the analogy of these verses to ask Mr. Corcoran to step away to allow the dust to settle, no matter how long it took.
Verse 22 is particularly interesting since it says to keep whatever you believe about these things between yourself and God. I guess that he missed that one. Oops. So now, Barb Hall is not Pope Barb, But God Barb, Wow, are we in trouble!
The Bishop gave Mr. Corcoran an opportunity to remove some of the stress from the parish in an effort to allow saner heads to prevail. But, Mr. Corcoran saw it as a Gay Rights issue, not a matter of faith.
It seems to indicate that Fr. Hood was premature in inviting Mr. Corcoran to serve on the altar only a few short months after his return to regular attendance at the Holy Eucharist. Apparently, the spiritual maturity is not there yet.
Too bad, I keep hoping that he will show it, but he keeps listening to the voices that agree with him. Spiritual maturity is about seeking the truth, not about trying to be right.
Since this story broke i've been keeping an eye on the different blogs about this. They are very interesting and i'm not one to comment but feel drawn to comment. This situation is very interesting how much Mr. Corcoran has twisted it and created the exact scandel he states the 12 parisheners were going to create. This situation could have been avoided what seems strange to me is how come it took him so long to file with the tribunal. This situation is much more then taking a stab at a gay man. I personally know these people and they are not against or ment to discriminate against him, they were only trying to make a statement about church policies...and stand strong for there church....i am RC and have not gone to the RC church for years after leaving with my parents in Port Hope because there was a priest we did not like, i now go to christ the servant because i don't share the same beliefs as the RC church...why would a man like Jim want to go to a church that doesn't recognize homosexuals is my first question? Who freely accept him for who he is. These 12 people have gone to this church for over 30 years, there is much more going on at St. Michaels then any of the public will understand. It clearly states in Jims Blog that since it wouldn't be right for a priest to sue his parish that Jim has taken it apon himself to make these people pay ...i have witnessed first hand FR. Hood and he truely left no impression on me to return to the Roman Catholic Church....If the public could only hear the whole story.
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