Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Catholic News

Home

Home
Catholic
Religion News
A voice missing from the synod: faithful Catholics with same-sex attraction

A voice missing from the synod: faithful Catholics with same-sex attraction

Last updated on: August 13, 2015 at 10:11 pm by CNA Daily News

A voice missing from the synod: faithful Catholics with same-sex attraction 2015-08-13T22:11:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Detroit, Mich., Aug 13, 2015 / 04:11 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- When presenters addressed last year’s Synod of Bishops to discuss challenges facing the family, there was one group who voice was absent – those with same-sex attraction living chastely.

So says Fr. Paul Check, executive director of Courage, a Catholic outreach ministry to persons experiencing homosexual desires.

At the organization’s international conference, he emphasized the importance of hearing testimonies from those for whom same-sex attraction is “a lived reality” but who believe that the Church’s teaching on chastity “leads to peace.”

“Our best ambassadors are our members,” Fr. Check said. The personal stories of these faithful Catholics must be heard, he continued, since a “personal narrative” reaches the modern audience more broadly than an argument on chastity from natural moral law, vital as it is.

The Courage conference, “Welcoming and Accompanying Our Brothers and Sisters with Same-Sex Attraction,” was held August 10-12 in Detroit, Michigan. Almost 400 people attended from six countries, including some 125 clergy and four bishops. The rest were primarily lay persons who hold ministry positions at parishes, and family members of persons with same-sex attraction.

It was the organization’s first conference devoted to Church leaders in pastoral ministry on the issue. Speakers included persons who have experienced same-sex attraction but who have been guided to live chastity by friendships and the Church, as well as experts in areas of psychology, natural law, and chastity.

The Courage conference was developed from the questions posed ahead of the 2015 Synod on the Family. The lineamenta, or part of the preparatory document for the synod, features questions sent to bishops’ conferences all over the world for consideration.

“The pastoral care of persons with homosexual tendencies poses new challenges today, due to the manner in which their rights are proposed in society,” the lineamenta states.

“How can the Christian community give pastoral attention to families with persons with homosexual tendencies? What are the responses that, in light of cultural sensitivities, are considered to be most appropriate?”

Although the natural moral law is “indispensable” to understanding the Church’s teaching on sexuality, it is “not mutually accepted as a starting point for many conversations,” Fr. Check said, because many people cannot agree on exactly what human nature is or what natural law is.

However, he said, personal testimonies of those with same-sex attractions who strive to be chaste can help correct common “misconceptions” about chastity in modern society, namely that it is “onerous” and “unnatural.”

Courage has already attempted to tell these stories in the format of a film, “Desire of the Everlasting Hills,” which focuses on the personal stories of three people who lived an openly homosexual lifestyle but returned to the Church and are now trying to live chastely.

However, the Church must be careful not to treat young people experiencing same-sex attractions as if they are defined by these attractions, Fr. Check warned.

Many young people are “over-sexualized,” he said, because they are taught early in life that all of their feelings of attraction are natural and should be acted on, even though the years before maturity can be a time of confusion and change, and feelings experienced as a teenager are not the “final word.”

More importantly, he added, to define a young person by their sexual feelings towards anyone, regardless of gender, is an injustice because their sexuality is only “one part” of their human nature.

Catholics should be “avoiding sexualizing young people so that they aren’t entering into a sphere or realm of the human condition for which they are not yet prepared psychologically, emotionally, spiritually, morally,” he told CNA in an interview at the conference.

“And that’s not just young people who may feel the same-sex inclination. That’s for all (young people).”

A challenge, Fr. Check acknowledged in his conference address, is for Catholics to reach out to those experiencing these inclinations in a spirit of “encounter” like that proposed by Pope Francis, and invite them to “trust us” and “walk with them.”

This involves upholding the truth of sexuality expressed in the Church’s teaching while proposing it in a charitable and inviting manner, he explained.

Jesus did not begin his ministry with Calvary, Fr. Check noted, but first offered something that “drew people to Him,” while at the same time never abandoning truth or causing scandal.

“Friendships and relationships are things that are an essential part of a fulfilled human life,” he stated, and through chaste relationships with others working to live chastely, Catholics can offer what everyone seeks – happiness and deep relationships.

Through friendships, they can help others sort through their own attractions and desires and discern the good from the bad. Ultimately, friendships can help others discover the truth about themselves.

And if man knows the truth about himself, his actions will reflect that. Fr. Check said, stressing that man is “created in the image and likeness of God, redeemed by Christ’s blood, and the beneficiary of grace.”

Previous Post

August 13, 2015

Colorado court gives no relief to baker who declined to serve gay wedding

Next Post

August 14, 2015 Could the release of 22 Christians signal another Islamic State attack?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

According to James, what should you do if you lack wisdom?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Fast and pray for seven days Study the Torah diligently Seek counsel from elders Ask God, who gives generously