Henri Nouwen (1932-1936).
Henri Nouwen was a Roman Catholic Priest, whose writings inspire people to trust God make space for God to act in our lives in surprising ways. The Henri Nouwen Society has a fabulous display of his life, teachings and legacy.
Nouwen wrote it in his private journals and conversations that are
now subjects of biographies about his sexuality that he was same sex attracted which he did not make public in his lifetime. He is now dead and does not have right of reply. He is being used as a "Christian" gay
icon. Two paintings were done during his lifetime by a Franciscan brother and Friar Robert
Lentz, who had a reputation for painting LGBTQ icons. One was commissioned by Nouwen of him offering up
his sexuality and devotion to Christ. This is from an article titled Henri Nouwen by a
"Christian" lesbian Kittredge Cherry who has claimed Nouwen as a LGBT
Saint. At the time of this blog there is one comment attached to this article, only one, and it discredits him, accusing him of a crime. Cherry also included that there is
no evidence that he ever broke his vow of celibacy, yet this very condemning comment was allowed
to be published without qualification.
He didn’t write that he was a non-practicing homosexual he wrote about celibacy. He was human and
likely was surrounded and lived with male clergy, these feelings may have been
confused with love and respect and sexuality. I am not alone in being concerned that to be a priest you have to be celibate, as devout Roman Catholics have advocated publicly for priests to marry without success. The paintings of Nouwen are
about celibacy as befitting to a Roman Catholic Priest.
Should Henri Nouwen expect or want to be used as a gay icon with his life and legacy rewritten to suit a homosexual agenda? Would Henri Nouwen like to know that he has been used in this agenda and that it has caused a schism in the church?
