The Church and Homosexuality

Salt and Light Catholic Daily News
Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Last week's reflection on the centrality, dignity and sacredness of
marriage and the dignity of homosexual persons invited a host of responses from across the country. I thank all of those people who took the time to write, call, and send e-mails of encouragement to us at Salt and Light Television. Since we now have nearly 100,000 subscribers and viewers across Canada,
the messages coming to us really do represent a wide spectrum of Canadian society and the Canadian Church. Many of you asked that we state clearly what the Church teaches about homosexuality.

As you well know, all of human sexuality, including homosexuality, is the topic of so much discussion and study. It is really only in the last fifty-sixty years that the scientific and the medical communities have seen homosexuality not so much as a matter of choice for the great number of people, but they have seen it as an orientation, as part of who that person is, not as something that has necessarily been chosen.

In 1986, a document of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith stated, "... it can be clearly seen that the phenomenon of homosexuality, as complex as it is, and with many consequences for society and ecclesiastical life, is a proper focus for the Church's pastoral care. It thus requires of her ministers attentive study, active concern, and honest, well-balanced counsel." That same document in paragraph 3 states, "... the particular inclination of the homosexual person is not a sin" yet "the inclination itself must be seen as an objective disorder."

In this 1986 document the Church also teaches clearly: "It is
deplorable that homosexual persons have been and are the object of violent malice in speech or in action. Such treatment deserves condemnation from the Church's pastors whenever it occurs. It reveals a kind of disregard for others, which endangers the most fundamental principles of a healthy society. The intrinsic dignity of each person must always be respected in action and in law." Further in the same document it states, "Today the Church provides a badly needed context for the care of a human person which she refuses to consider solely as heterosexual or homosexual, and insists that every person has a fundamental identity: a creature of God, and by grace, God's child and an heir to eternal life."

Our Catholic Catechism, published in 1994 states: "The number of men and women who have deep seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. They do not choose their homosexual condition. For most of them it is a trial. They are to be accepted with respect, with compassion, with sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These people are called to fulfill God's will in their lives."

In its prayer and in its remembering, the Church goes back to the fifth chapter of Matthew's Gospel. It remembers the high standards that Jesus gave us in the Beatitudes. Even though being so compassionate and understanding with our human weaknesses, Jesus preached those Beatitudes of singleness
of heart, of seeking justice, of being merciful, and so on, that were the hallmarks of His real disciples. Jesus looked out at those disciples, people like us, and said, "You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world." That is the dignity He saw in them and still looks for in us.

But Jesus also challenged his hearers and followers: "You have heard it said, 'You should not commit adultery... But even to look at another with lust in your heart is a sin." And later, in discussing forgiveness and being asked, should we forgive even up to seven times, the Lord answered, "Seventy times seven times." You see, Jesus is also always challenging us as disciples to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church sets high standards for the situation of single and married persons, but also for the persons of a homosexual orientation. It states, "Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection."

The Catechism reminds those who are not married that fornication is sinful, or that adultery is sinful for those who are married, so it says that "homosexual acts cannot be approved." It is a reminder that all of us, whatever the sexual orientation, are called to live chaste lives. As disciples of the Lord, we must offer mutual support and encouragement
and strive to live up to these standards.

Fr. Thomas Rosica, C.S.B. is the Chief Executive Officer of the Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation and Catholic Television Network in Canada.