Denver Catholic

6 MAY 2-8, 2015 | DENVER CATHOLIC Q: Homosexual people can live in stable, committed and loving relationships. It is dis- crimination to exclude them from this insti- tution. Why shouldn't they also be allowed to marry? A: This is not an issue about equality. To give everyone equal access to marriage would require the state to cease to recognize marriage altogether. This debate is about the purpose of mar- riage and why the state should promote it. Q: Why is the Church in favor of family planning but not artificial contra- ception? A: Catholics are against artificial contraception because it suppresses fertility rather than regulates it. Not every sexual act will be fer- tile, but you shouldn't separate sex from its meaning, which is for creating new life and deepening the self-giv- ing love between a husband and wife. Nat- ural family planning is natural, organic and respects the body and its cycles, rather than suppressing them. Q: The Catho- lic Church has ignored and cov- ered up clerical sex abuse of children by priests for decades and it's still a danger- ous place for children. Don't you think requir- ing priests to be celibate inclines them to become abusers? A: The appalling crime of clerical sex abuse of minors is a profound betrayal of the Gospel and the Church failed to grasp the extent of abuse. But in the last 10 years, the Church has gone further than any other institution to put in place vital reforms to ensure it doesn't happen. The priesthood is not, nor has it ever been, exceptional in the number of abusers. There is no causal link between priestly cel- ibacy and clerical sex abuse. Q: Isn't it a woman's right to choose abor- tion? She should be able to make decisions for her own body. A: This is not a matter of the rights of women versus other rights. There are others involved—men and unborn life. The rights of women are best pro- tected by ensuring that pregnant women are supported in every way possible. The Church wants a society where all life is welcomed and valued. SOURCE: "HOW TO DEFEND THE FAITH WITHOUT RAISING YOUR VOICE" E D M & C e Archdiocese of Denver has an immediate opening for an individual to lead both its mortuary and cemeteries. As the leader of this important ministry, you will be responsible for a unique organization that was the pioneer in establishing the integration of funeral and cemetery operations within the Catholic Church. e team serving those who come to us are commied to providing superior service to all and oer the full suite of funeral and cemetery services. We are seeking a commied Catholic leader who brings a signicant background of business accomplishments. We believe that there is signicant opportunity for the new Executive Director to grow the reach and impact of this sacred ministry. To submit your interest in condence, please reply to hr@cmsmission.org with a cover leer that states your desired annual salary range and a resume, no later than 5/24/15. Catholic Management Services is assisting the Archdiocese to position itself for this growth. Space deadline is May 7th Ad materials deadline is May 11th To reserve an ad for your school, call Cindy O'Neill today at (303) 715-3212 1/8 Page: $347 (4.925" wide x 3.9937" tall) 1/4 Page: $693 (4.925" wide x 6.1375" tall) 1/3 Page: $1,040 (4.925" wide x 9.2813" tall) 1/2 Page (h): $1,386 (10" wide x 6.1375" tall) 1/2 Page (v): $1,386 (4.925" wide x 12.425" tall) Full Page: $2,757 (10" wide x 12.425" tall) Denver Catholic's Graduation Issue is May 16, 2015 Cover Story office watercooler, or over drinks at a social gathering and then all eyes turn to "the Catholic," the one who suddenly finds themselves appointed by the group as the spokesper- son for the Church. Faithful could be challenged about topics including a statement from the pope, use of artificial birth control, priest celibacy or praying before statues of saints. It can be di«cult to decide the right time and place to defend the faith, said Father Andreas Hoeck, academic dean and associate professor at St. John Vian- ney Theological Seminary. "The first point would be discern- ment in the Holy Spirit," he explained. "The Holy Spirit is going to help us to understand 'When is it my time, what is my place and what am I supposed to do there? Am I going to defend the faith or rather go away?'" "Jesus says if they don't receive you then just shake the dust o• your feet and leave that town." Church history has also produced a movement of apologetics, or defense of the faith using reason, that traces back to the first centuries. "In the first centuries until the middle ages and after that have seen a movement of apologetics," Father Hoeck explained. "People have written and spoken in defense of the faith. There is an organized system of literature and testimony for the faith." The outcome was ultimately the Cat- echism of the Catholic Church, the best resource a Catholic has for preparing for a defense, he said. "So if a person reads the catechism and is very familiar with it, that's one way of defending the faith, and preparing one- self for that defense," Father Hoeck said. John Christian, who teaches Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) at St. Thomas More Parish in Centennial, said he felt better prepared to defend his faith once he began an in-depth study. His wife, who was non-denominational at the time, challenged his beliefs about Lent and practices including abstaining from meat on Fridays. "Where in the Bible does it say to give up meat on Fridays?" he said his wife, Laurie, would ask. He didn't know. "Eventually, I started studying it on my own in secret and came to a surprise that all this Catholic stu• wasn't just what some pope had made up," Christian said. He went to Mass and later convinced his wife to attend RCIA. They began a journey together where they learned the meaning and reasoning behind the prac- tice of the faith. "The problem for most Catholics is they don't know their faith well enough," « 1 | WHAT TO SAY Q&A

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