Vatican Softens Stance on Homosexuality

Great news for the LGBT community! The Vatican released a document called "Relatio" urging the Catholic Church to treat gay catholics with respect, promising a huge change to how they have approached the issue of homosexuality in the past! This statement resulted from a conference on the contemporary family attended by 200 bishops and Pope Francis himself.

The statement calls on the church to recognize the gifts and qualities that gay people can contribute, making it possible to make a "fraternal space" for homosexuals without compromising on basic doctrine.

image courtesy of diversitychronicle.wordpress.com

The document states in part: “[A]re we capable of welcoming these people, guaranteeing to them a further space in our communities? Often they wish to encounter a Church that offers them a welcoming home.” 

The Vatican statement does not really make a formal change in policy or theology as it continues to view homosexual sex as sin. It should, however, have the effect of discouraging discrimination especially among the parishoners. It is noteworthy that the bishops asserted that homosexual committed relationships “cannot be considered on the same footing as matrimony between man and woman.”


Overall, I think that this is a great move in the right direction. It is not perfect, and it is far from ideal. The Church basically still condemns gay marriage and gay sex, so we are all still on the way to hell as far as they are concerned. But I do believe that this form of acceptance is a big step towards full integration. Kudos to Pope Francis for being wise enough to know that change is imminent.


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