“Most people I know would never torture another human being under any circumstances. Yet people believe in a god(sic) who not only tortures, but tortures for all eternity. That is bitter vengeance by anyone’s definition. Why would anyone want to be alone with such a testy and temperamental god(sic)?…We have ended up being ourselves more loving, or at least trying to be, than the god(sic) we profess to believe!” Father Richard Rohr, retreat master for the Rochester convocation of priests.

“Most people can actually forgive and forget. But not our god(sic)! God does not forgive until he or she gets some appropriate penance, reparations, and repayment. (Actually affirmed in common sacramental practice).” Father Richard Rohr.

“Neither abortion nor homosexuality were litmus tests for Christian belief for the first 2,000 years of the church!…If any moral position was held absolute for the first 300 years, it was this: Christians would be non-violent, and would take care of the poor.” Father Richard Rohr.

“We want body morality, not really a demanding Biblical morality. No concern about social values, or justice values, just puritanical concern for keeping human bodies so-called ‘pure’, by preoccupation with issues like abortion, those terrible gays, and stem cell research.” Father Richard Rohr.

Father Richard Rohr will today be instructing the patoral ministers of the Diocese of Rochester.