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Catholic Church has respect for gay people
• BY claiming that “The universal church teaches that homosexuality is a sin”, John Kearney (The same religion? Perhaps not, January 4) does a grave injustice to the Catholic Church, let alone to the thousands of practising Christians – and others – whose orientation happens to be homosexual.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (published on the authority of Pope John Paul II in 1992) makes a clear distinction between homosexual orientation and homosexual acts. Concerning the latter, the Catechism states that “Sacred Scripture ... presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity”.
The Catholic Church does not teach that homosexuality is a sin, let alone that those whose orientation is homosexual are thereby sinners. To quote the Catechism: “The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination ... constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity.”
There are many religious people with a homosexual orientation who do not refer to themselves as “gay” or “lesbian”. The reason for this is that they do not regard homosexuality or homosexual acts as a valid, let alone a moral, alternative to heterosexuality.
“These persons”, adds the Catechism, “are called to fulfil God’s will in their lives ... Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them their inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.”
In my opinion, the gay rights movement, including the legal recognition of same-sex unions, generally puts a slur on those with a homosexual orientation who accept that, as far as homosexual acts are concerned, they have no moral rights.
Mr Kearney’s gross inaccuracy concerning the moral teaching of the Catholic Church does not demonstrate the “respect, compassion and sensitivity” to which persons who happen to have a homosexual tendency or orientation do have a right.
STEPHEN HILL
Address supplied
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