What

is

natural

to

man?

My dear Tim:

You are one of the friendliest people I know and I'm certain you have found that you make friends easily. Forgive me if I guess: you are so friendly that you are finding that the intensity of your love for another almost prodigal. You are afraid that you cannot equate the intensity of your affectionate relationships-let's label them for what they are, "homophilic"-with the moral obligations and precepts of the Christian religion and Catholic discipline. You are tempted to "go all out" in your relations with friends and "forget about the Church and all that stuff."

I know you asked me not to give you counsel or advice, but to pray for you. You certainly have my prayers, and have always had them, but I think you are very mixed up about the question of homophilic love so you are going to be given some advice nevertheless. St. Aelred's De Spirituali Amicitia would be

one

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