<\/p>\n
What Can I Do?<\/h5>\n
<\/p>\n
by CAPP-USA<\/span><\/span><\/h5>\n“I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life”. (Deuteronomy 30:19)<\/span><\/p>\nBeing Catholic and Gay<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nThat seems an easy choice, right? If we have the option of life and blessings or death and curses, who wouldn\u2019t choose life<\/strong>!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n![\"Catholic](\"https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/A-young-woman-stands-with-her-eyes-raised-in-a-Catholic-Church.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Catholic and gay means walking in God’s way, and abandoning sinful lifestyles, not the Church.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
But the command: \u201cChoose life\u201d is more than deciding to keep on eating and breathing. God\u2019s command to choose life requires us \u201cto love the Lord your God, to walk in God\u2019s ways<\/strong>, and to keep God\u2019s commandments.\u201d Deuteronomy 30:16<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nLoving God calls for an exclusive, unreserved love: \u201cLove the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.\u201d (Deuteronomy 6:5)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nTo \u201cwalk in God\u2019s ways\u201d and to \u201ckeep God\u2019s commandments<\/strong>\u201d leads to life but also requires a change of heart.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nJesus clarifies what it means to \u201cchoose life\u201d in one of the harshest statements in the New Testament: “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out\u2026if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off”. Is Jesus calling for self-mutilation?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nOf course not! He is saying: Stop making excuses; do not chose the curse and death; stop doing it your way<\/strong>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nTo \u201cChoose life\u201d we must have a change of heart! The kind that can only come through faith in the one who teaches us: \u201cI Am the Way, the Truth and the Life\u201d. (John 14:6) \u201cYou did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit\u201d. (John 15:16) <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u201cChoosing life\u201d, \u201cbearing fruit\u201d, living by \u201cGod\u2019s commands\u201d is, in fact, God\u2019s gracious work in us \u2013 helping us daily to turn away from sin and self<\/strong>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u201cGod is Father and he does not disown any of his children. And \u2018the style\u2019 of God is ‘closeness, mercy, and tenderness’. In this way (or along this path) you will find God.\u201d (Pope Francis)<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\nIs Homosexuality a Sin?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nIn a nutshell: \u201cTradition has always declared that \u201cacts of homosexuality are intrinsically disordered\u2026They cannot receive approval under any circumstances<\/strong>.\u201d (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2357)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u201cThe community of faith today, [is] in\u00a0unbroken continuity with the Jewish and Christian communities within which the ancient Scriptures were written\u201d. (On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, 5)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nHomosexuality, Not Homosexuals, is Condemned<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32)<\/span><\/p>\nSo, our \u201cgreat task is\u2026recapturing the ultimate meaning of life and its fundamental values. Only an awareness of the primacy of these values enables man\u2026to bring about the true advancement of the human person in his or her whole truth\u2026freedom and dignity.\u201d (Familiaris Consortio, 8)<\/a> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u2018Hate the sin – love the sinner\u2019 is not a clich\u00e9. The Church is here for you<\/strong>. Not just rhetorically but as part of her essence as the body of Christ transmitting the \u201cgood news\u201d through history.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n“[T]he Church raises men up, gives them a home and a hope, a home that is hope \u2013 the path to eternal life”. (Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), \u201cIntroduction to Christianity<\/em>\u201d, San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2004, p. 344.)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u201cAlthough she constantly holds up the call to perfection and asks for a fuller response to God, \u2018the Church must<\/strong> accompany<\/strong> with<\/strong> attention and care the weakest of her children, who show signs of a wounded and troubled love, by restoring in them hope and confidence’\u201d. (Pope Francis, 291)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\nWhile clearly reiterating Church teaching on homosexual behavior, Pope Francis emphasizes God\u2019s love and infinite capacity for forgiveness: \u201cGod is Father and he does not disown any of his children<\/strong>. And \u2018the style\u2019 of God is ‘closeness, mercy, and tenderness’. In this way (or along this path) you will\u00a0find God.\u201d (Pope Francis)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nWith this approach Pope Francis seeks to draw you close to the Church to experience God\u2019s love\u00a0and<\/span> become\u00a0aware of the truth.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nThe Catholic Church and Homosexuality<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n<\/span>\u201cThe God who is at once truth and love calls the Church to minister to every man, woman and child with the pastoral solicitude of our compassionate Lord.\u201d (On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, 18)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nThe Church\u2019s teaching is not meant to curtail love but to enable it<\/strong>. For those troubled with their identity, patience is called for. When a person is on a path seeking wholeness, their search must be encouraged and respected \u2013\u00a0in friendship. <\/span><\/p>\nIndividuals \u201cmust be welcomed<\/strong> with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Any form of unfair discrimination will be avoided against them. These people are called to carry out the will of God in their lives\u201d.\u00a0(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2358)<\/a> <\/span><\/p>\nThe Church points to the peace and life-giving path of Christ\u2019s commandments. We owe it to God, our brothers and sisters and ourselves to offer what is true \u2013 and why we believe it is true.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Church Never Gives Up<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n“[E]ven when man rejects the truth and goodness that the Creator proposes to him, God does not abandon<\/strong> him but\u2026continues to see him and to speak to him so that he will recognize his error and open himself to divine Mercy which can heal any.”\u00a0(Pope Benedict XVI)<\/a> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u2018Hate the sin – love the sinner\u2019 is not a clich\u00e9. The Church is here for you.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\nWhat Should I Do?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n“Even in the most difficult circumstances human freedom is capable of extraordinary acts of sacrifice and solidarity<\/strong>“. (Pope Benedict XVI)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u201cHomosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom\u2026they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.\u201d (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2358)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\nCatholic Teaching on the Virtue of Chastity<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nBeing chaste is \u201ceasily misunderstood\u2026if it is merely\u2026a pointless effort at self-denial\u201d. It is not that! Chastity \u201cempowers those who trust in him to practice virtue in place of vice.\u201d (On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, 12)<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nBeing chaste means<\/strong> being whole<\/strong> and leads to a fuller life! <\/span><\/p>\nTo \u201cbe pulled in different directions by contrasting desires or needs drains us of energy and courage. It takes the zest out of life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nThe goal is integration – which is a source of strength. \u201cThis is fundamentally what is at stake in the pursuit of chastity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nAnd \u201c[t]he way to chaste integrity passes through honest confrontation with the incoherences and passions we carry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cTo live and love chastely is to reverence the other, refusing to see her or him as merely an instrument for the fulfilment of my purpose or desire.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nThe Church does not deny \u201cthat to be a human being is to be possessed of longing\u201d. But part of that longing includes living <\/strong>\u201cas an embodied echo of a Word<\/strong>\u201d. Not getting in touch with that \u201cmay imprison me in frustration, even hopelessness [because] nothing in the world seems adequate to what I really want.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nHowever, if I do \u2018connect\u2019 with this longing \u201cit can also enable instances of exultantly unexpected, ecstatic recognition.\u201d (Quotes above are from Bishop Erik Varden<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\nThe Call to be Holy<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n\u201cAs [you] dedicate [your] lives to understanding the nature of God\u2019s personal call\u2026[you] will be able to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance more faithfully and receive the Lord\u2019s grace so freely offered there in order to convert [your] lives more fully to his Way.\u201d (On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, 12)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u201cFundamentally, [you] are called to enact the will of God in [your] life<\/strong> by joining whatever sufferings and difficulties [you] experience\u2026to the sacrifice of the Lord\u2019s Cross.\u201d (On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, 12)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\nThe Eternal Reward<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n\u201c[B]y your witness to the truth<\/strong> of humanity in God\u2019s plan, you effectively manifest fraternal love, upholding the true dignity, the true human dignity, of those who look to Christ\u2019s Church for the guidance which comes from the light of God\u2019s word.\u201d\u00a0(Pope St. John Paul, 6)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nResources<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nIn an insightful book<\/a> Bishop Erik Varden fully explores the benefits and rewards of chastity. <\/span><\/p>\nAlso, in 1978 Terrence Cardinal Cook, Archbishop of New York, invited an organization to the archdiocese which offers a spiritual support system for men and women with homosexual orientation who desire to live chaste lives<\/strong>. Called \u201cCourage\u201d, Lopez Cardinal Trujillo, Pontifical Council for the Family, later offered the Holy See\u2019s support for Courage\u2019s \u201chelping homosexual persons to live in accordance with the laws of God and the teaching of His Church\u201d (7 July 1994 \u2013 Prot. N216\/93)<\/span><\/p>\nAs an apostolate of the Catholic Church with chapters throughout the US and around the world, Courage International<\/a> and EnCourage<\/a>\u00a0are, respectively, two groups helping Catholic men and women \u2013 and their families \u2013 to live in accordance with the Catholic Church\u2019s pastoral teaching on homosexuality.<\/span><\/p>\nCourage members are men and women who experience same-sex attractions and who have made a commitment to strive for chastity. They are inspired by the Gospel call to holiness and the Catholic Church\u2019s beautiful teachings about the goodness and inherent purpose of human sexuality.<\/span><\/p>\nDr. Amy E. Hamilton: What the LGBTQ+ Community Needs from the Church<\/a><\/span><\/p>\nBible Verses About Homosexuality<\/a><\/p>\nChristianity and Homosexuality<\/a><\/p>\nWhat Does the Bible Say About Homosexuality?<\/a><\/p>\nThe Sexual Revolution and Catholic Social Teaching<\/a><\/p>\nWhat Can I Do About Homosexuality?<\/a>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_button button_url=”\/homosexuality\/” button_text=”Learn More About Church Teaching on Homosexuality” button_alignment=”center” module_class=”hover-btn-border” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”30px” button_text_color=”#054368″ button_border_width=”0px” button_border_radius=”0px” button_font=”|600||on|||||” button_icon=”5||divi||400″ button_on_hover=”off” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”on” button_text_color__hover=”#054368″][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_button button_url=”\/articles\/” button_text=”Back to Articles” button_alignment=”center” module_class=”hover-btn-border” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”30px” button_text_color=”#054368″ button_border_width=”0px” button_border_radius=”0px” button_font=”|600||on|||||” button_icon=”5||divi||400″ button_on_hover=”off” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”on” button_text_color__hover=”#054368″][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Widget of Issues ” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px||” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” saved_tabs=”all” locked=”off” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_5,3_5,1_5″ use_custom_gutter=”on” module_class=” et_pb_row_fullwidth” _builder_version=”4.13.0″ width=”100%” width_tablet=”100%” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” max_width=”100%” max_width_tablet=”100%” max_width_phone=”” max_width_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” custom_css_main_element=”width: 100% !important;” make_fullwidth=”on” global_module=”31023″ saved_tabs=”all” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_slider show_image_video_mobile=”on” module_class=”three-principles” _builder_version=”4.19.5″ header_font=”Open Sans|700|||||||” header_text_color=”#084369″ header_font_size=”24px” header_line_height=”1.5em” body_text_color=”#084369″ width=”100%” width_last_edited=”off|desktop” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”|||” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_css_slide_image_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_css_slide_image_phone=”width: auto;||margin: 0 auto !important;”][et_pb_slide heading=”Three Key Principles” button_link=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/catholic-social-teaching-principles\/” image=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Three-Principles.png” use_bg_overlay=”off” use_text_overlay=”off” image_alt=”Three circles containing symbols of the three principles of catholic social teaching: human dignity, subsidiarity, and solidarity.” image_tablet=”” image_phone=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/3-Key-principle-icons-resized.png” image_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.19.5″ header_font=”||||||||” background_color=”#ffffff” button_on_hover=”on” z_index=”0″ overflow-x=”hidden” overflow-y=”hidden” link_option_url=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/catholic-social-teaching-principles\/” custom_css_slide_image=”width: 300px !important;||margin: 0 auto !important;” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\nCatholic social teaching is built on three foundational principles –\u00a0<\/strong>Human Dignity<\/strong>,\u00a0Solidarity\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Subsidiarity.\u00a0<\/strong>Human Dignity, embodied in a correct understanding of the human person, is the greatest. The others flow from it. Good governments and good economic systems find ways of fostering the three principles.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Human Dignity” button_link=”\/human-dignity\/” image=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Human-Dignity.png” use_bg_overlay=”off” use_text_overlay=”off” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ header_font=”||||||||” background_color=”#ffffff” button_on_hover=”on” link_option_url=”\/human-dignity\/” custom_css_slide_image=”width: 200px !important;||margin: 0 auto !important;” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
This means a correct understanding of the human person and of each person\u2019s unique value. All Catholic social teaching flows from this: the inherent dignity of every person that comes from being made in God\u2019s image.\u00a0<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Solidarity” button_link=”\/solidarity\/” image=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Solidarity.png” use_bg_overlay=”off” use_text_overlay=”off” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ header_font=”||||||||” background_color=”#ffffff” button_on_hover=”on” link_option_url=”\/solidarity\/” custom_css_slide_image=”width: 200px !important;||margin: 0 auto !important;” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
Solidarity is not \u201ca feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of others. It is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good\u201d. (Pope St. John Paul II, 38)<\/a> Love of God and love of neighbor are, in fact, linked and form one, single commandment.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Subsidiarity” button_link=”\/subsidiarity\/” image=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Subsidiarity.png” use_bg_overlay=”off” use_text_overlay=”off” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ header_font=”||||||||” background_color=”#ffffff” button_on_hover=”on” link_option_url=”\/subsidiarity\/” custom_css_slide_image=”width: 200px !important;||margin: 0 auto !important;” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
Subsidiarity \u201cis a fundamental principle of social philosophy, fixed and unchangeable, that one should not withdraw from individuals and commit to the community what they can accomplish by their own enterprise and industry. So, too, it is an injustice and at the same time a grave evil and a disturbance of right order to transfer to the larger and higher collectivity functions which can be performed and provided for by the lesser and subordinate bodies\u201d. (Pope Pius XI)<\/a><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_slider][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” admin_label=”Image & Text” module_id=”newsletter” module_class=”mosaic_width” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ background_color=”#eb7525″ z_index=”950″ display_conditions=”W3siaWQiOiI2MmUwMjk2ZS1lYmY5LTQwYWYtYmM0Mi0zZmEzYzUyNGNlYTEiLCJjb25kaXRpb24iOiJwYWdlIiwiY29uZGl0aW9uU2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiZGlzcGxheVJ1bGUiOiJpc05vdCIsImR5bmFtaWNQb3N0cyI6W3sibGFiZWwiOiJDYXJpdGFzIGluIFZlcml0YXRlIiwidmFsdWUiOiI0NzIxNCJ9XSwicG9zdFR5cGVMYWJlbCI6IlBhZ2VzIiwiYWRtaW5MYWJlbCI6IlBhZ2VzIiwiZW5hYmxlQ29uZGl0aW9uIjoib24ifSwib3BlcmF0b3IiOiJPUiJ9XQ==” custom_margin=”||” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”0px||0px||false|false” animation_direction=”left” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_module=”45073″ saved_tabs=”all” locked=”off” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ make_equal=”on” module_class=”mosaic_width” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ custom_margin=”||” custom_padding=”0px||0px||true|false” animation_style=”fade” animation_delay=”200ms” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”ds-vertical-align” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”Playfair Display||||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” header_font=”||||||||” header_text_align=”center” header_text_color=”#eb7525″ header_2_text_color=”#ffffff” header_3_text_color=”#ffffff” header_3_font_size=”30px” header_4_font=”Playfair Display|700|||||||” header_4_text_color=”#ffffff” header_4_font_size=”32px” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||” custom_padding=”||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
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Being Catholic and Gay<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nThat seems an easy choice, right? If we have the option of life and blessings or death and curses, who wouldn\u2019t choose life<\/strong>!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n
Catholic and gay means walking in God’s way, and abandoning sinful lifestyles, not the Church.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
But the command: \u201cChoose life\u201d is more than deciding to keep on eating and breathing. God\u2019s command to choose life requires us \u201cto love the Lord your God, to walk in God\u2019s ways<\/strong>, and to keep God\u2019s commandments.\u201d Deuteronomy 30:16<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nLoving God calls for an exclusive, unreserved love: \u201cLove the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.\u201d (Deuteronomy 6:5)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nTo \u201cwalk in God\u2019s ways\u201d and to \u201ckeep God\u2019s commandments<\/strong>\u201d leads to life but also requires a change of heart.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nJesus clarifies what it means to \u201cchoose life\u201d in one of the harshest statements in the New Testament: “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out\u2026if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off”. Is Jesus calling for self-mutilation?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nOf course not! He is saying: Stop making excuses; do not chose the curse and death; stop doing it your way<\/strong>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nTo \u201cChoose life\u201d we must have a change of heart! The kind that can only come through faith in the one who teaches us: \u201cI Am the Way, the Truth and the Life\u201d. (John 14:6) \u201cYou did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit\u201d. (John 15:16) <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u201cChoosing life\u201d, \u201cbearing fruit\u201d, living by \u201cGod\u2019s commands\u201d is, in fact, God\u2019s gracious work in us \u2013 helping us daily to turn away from sin and self<\/strong>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u201cGod is Father and he does not disown any of his children. And \u2018the style\u2019 of God is ‘closeness, mercy, and tenderness’. In this way (or along this path) you will find God.\u201d (Pope Francis)<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\nIs Homosexuality a Sin?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nIn a nutshell: \u201cTradition has always declared that \u201cacts of homosexuality are intrinsically disordered\u2026They cannot receive approval under any circumstances<\/strong>.\u201d (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2357)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u201cThe community of faith today, [is] in\u00a0unbroken continuity with the Jewish and Christian communities within which the ancient Scriptures were written\u201d. (On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, 5)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nHomosexuality, Not Homosexuals, is Condemned<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32)<\/span><\/p>\nSo, our \u201cgreat task is\u2026recapturing the ultimate meaning of life and its fundamental values. Only an awareness of the primacy of these values enables man\u2026to bring about the true advancement of the human person in his or her whole truth\u2026freedom and dignity.\u201d (Familiaris Consortio, 8)<\/a> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u2018Hate the sin – love the sinner\u2019 is not a clich\u00e9. The Church is here for you<\/strong>. Not just rhetorically but as part of her essence as the body of Christ transmitting the \u201cgood news\u201d through history.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n“[T]he Church raises men up, gives them a home and a hope, a home that is hope \u2013 the path to eternal life”. (Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), \u201cIntroduction to Christianity<\/em>\u201d, San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2004, p. 344.)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u201cAlthough she constantly holds up the call to perfection and asks for a fuller response to God, \u2018the Church must<\/strong> accompany<\/strong> with<\/strong> attention and care the weakest of her children, who show signs of a wounded and troubled love, by restoring in them hope and confidence’\u201d. (Pope Francis, 291)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\nWhile clearly reiterating Church teaching on homosexual behavior, Pope Francis emphasizes God\u2019s love and infinite capacity for forgiveness: \u201cGod is Father and he does not disown any of his children<\/strong>. And \u2018the style\u2019 of God is ‘closeness, mercy, and tenderness’. In this way (or along this path) you will\u00a0find God.\u201d (Pope Francis)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nWith this approach Pope Francis seeks to draw you close to the Church to experience God\u2019s love\u00a0and<\/span> become\u00a0aware of the truth.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nThe Catholic Church and Homosexuality<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n<\/span>\u201cThe God who is at once truth and love calls the Church to minister to every man, woman and child with the pastoral solicitude of our compassionate Lord.\u201d (On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, 18)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nThe Church\u2019s teaching is not meant to curtail love but to enable it<\/strong>. For those troubled with their identity, patience is called for. When a person is on a path seeking wholeness, their search must be encouraged and respected \u2013\u00a0in friendship. <\/span><\/p>\nIndividuals \u201cmust be welcomed<\/strong> with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Any form of unfair discrimination will be avoided against them. These people are called to carry out the will of God in their lives\u201d.\u00a0(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2358)<\/a> <\/span><\/p>\nThe Church points to the peace and life-giving path of Christ\u2019s commandments. We owe it to God, our brothers and sisters and ourselves to offer what is true \u2013 and why we believe it is true.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Church Never Gives Up<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n“[E]ven when man rejects the truth and goodness that the Creator proposes to him, God does not abandon<\/strong> him but\u2026continues to see him and to speak to him so that he will recognize his error and open himself to divine Mercy which can heal any.”\u00a0(Pope Benedict XVI)<\/a> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u2018Hate the sin – love the sinner\u2019 is not a clich\u00e9. The Church is here for you.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\nWhat Should I Do?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n“Even in the most difficult circumstances human freedom is capable of extraordinary acts of sacrifice and solidarity<\/strong>“. (Pope Benedict XVI)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u201cHomosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom\u2026they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.\u201d (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2358)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\nCatholic Teaching on the Virtue of Chastity<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nBeing chaste is \u201ceasily misunderstood\u2026if it is merely\u2026a pointless effort at self-denial\u201d. It is not that! Chastity \u201cempowers those who trust in him to practice virtue in place of vice.\u201d (On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, 12)<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nBeing chaste means<\/strong> being whole<\/strong> and leads to a fuller life! <\/span><\/p>\nTo \u201cbe pulled in different directions by contrasting desires or needs drains us of energy and courage. It takes the zest out of life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nThe goal is integration – which is a source of strength. \u201cThis is fundamentally what is at stake in the pursuit of chastity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nAnd \u201c[t]he way to chaste integrity passes through honest confrontation with the incoherences and passions we carry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cTo live and love chastely is to reverence the other, refusing to see her or him as merely an instrument for the fulfilment of my purpose or desire.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nThe Church does not deny \u201cthat to be a human being is to be possessed of longing\u201d. But part of that longing includes living <\/strong>\u201cas an embodied echo of a Word<\/strong>\u201d. Not getting in touch with that \u201cmay imprison me in frustration, even hopelessness [because] nothing in the world seems adequate to what I really want.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nHowever, if I do \u2018connect\u2019 with this longing \u201cit can also enable instances of exultantly unexpected, ecstatic recognition.\u201d (Quotes above are from Bishop Erik Varden<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\nThe Call to be Holy<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n\u201cAs [you] dedicate [your] lives to understanding the nature of God\u2019s personal call\u2026[you] will be able to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance more faithfully and receive the Lord\u2019s grace so freely offered there in order to convert [your] lives more fully to his Way.\u201d (On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, 12)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u201cFundamentally, [you] are called to enact the will of God in [your] life<\/strong> by joining whatever sufferings and difficulties [you] experience\u2026to the sacrifice of the Lord\u2019s Cross.\u201d (On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, 12)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\nThe Eternal Reward<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n\u201c[B]y your witness to the truth<\/strong> of humanity in God\u2019s plan, you effectively manifest fraternal love, upholding the true dignity, the true human dignity, of those who look to Christ\u2019s Church for the guidance which comes from the light of God\u2019s word.\u201d\u00a0(Pope St. John Paul, 6)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nResources<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nIn an insightful book<\/a> Bishop Erik Varden fully explores the benefits and rewards of chastity. <\/span><\/p>\nAlso, in 1978 Terrence Cardinal Cook, Archbishop of New York, invited an organization to the archdiocese which offers a spiritual support system for men and women with homosexual orientation who desire to live chaste lives<\/strong>. Called \u201cCourage\u201d, Lopez Cardinal Trujillo, Pontifical Council for the Family, later offered the Holy See\u2019s support for Courage\u2019s \u201chelping homosexual persons to live in accordance with the laws of God and the teaching of His Church\u201d (7 July 1994 \u2013 Prot. N216\/93)<\/span><\/p>\nAs an apostolate of the Catholic Church with chapters throughout the US and around the world, Courage International<\/a> and EnCourage<\/a>\u00a0are, respectively, two groups helping Catholic men and women \u2013 and their families \u2013 to live in accordance with the Catholic Church\u2019s pastoral teaching on homosexuality.<\/span><\/p>\nCourage members are men and women who experience same-sex attractions and who have made a commitment to strive for chastity. They are inspired by the Gospel call to holiness and the Catholic Church\u2019s beautiful teachings about the goodness and inherent purpose of human sexuality.<\/span><\/p>\nDr. Amy E. Hamilton: What the LGBTQ+ Community Needs from the Church<\/a><\/span><\/p>\nBible Verses About Homosexuality<\/a><\/p>\nChristianity and Homosexuality<\/a><\/p>\nWhat Does the Bible Say About Homosexuality?<\/a><\/p>\nThe Sexual Revolution and Catholic Social Teaching<\/a><\/p>\nWhat Can I Do About Homosexuality?<\/a>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_button button_url=”\/homosexuality\/” button_text=”Learn More About Church Teaching on Homosexuality” button_alignment=”center” module_class=”hover-btn-border” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”30px” button_text_color=”#054368″ button_border_width=”0px” button_border_radius=”0px” button_font=”|600||on|||||” button_icon=”5||divi||400″ button_on_hover=”off” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”on” button_text_color__hover=”#054368″][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_button button_url=”\/articles\/” button_text=”Back to Articles” button_alignment=”center” module_class=”hover-btn-border” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”30px” button_text_color=”#054368″ button_border_width=”0px” button_border_radius=”0px” button_font=”|600||on|||||” button_icon=”5||divi||400″ button_on_hover=”off” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”on” button_text_color__hover=”#054368″][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Widget of Issues ” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px||” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” saved_tabs=”all” locked=”off” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_5,3_5,1_5″ use_custom_gutter=”on” module_class=” et_pb_row_fullwidth” _builder_version=”4.13.0″ width=”100%” width_tablet=”100%” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” max_width=”100%” max_width_tablet=”100%” max_width_phone=”” max_width_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” custom_css_main_element=”width: 100% !important;” make_fullwidth=”on” global_module=”31023″ saved_tabs=”all” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_slider show_image_video_mobile=”on” module_class=”three-principles” _builder_version=”4.19.5″ header_font=”Open Sans|700|||||||” header_text_color=”#084369″ header_font_size=”24px” header_line_height=”1.5em” body_text_color=”#084369″ width=”100%” width_last_edited=”off|desktop” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”|||” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_css_slide_image_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_css_slide_image_phone=”width: auto;||margin: 0 auto !important;”][et_pb_slide heading=”Three Key Principles” button_link=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/catholic-social-teaching-principles\/” image=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Three-Principles.png” use_bg_overlay=”off” use_text_overlay=”off” image_alt=”Three circles containing symbols of the three principles of catholic social teaching: human dignity, subsidiarity, and solidarity.” image_tablet=”” image_phone=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/3-Key-principle-icons-resized.png” image_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.19.5″ header_font=”||||||||” background_color=”#ffffff” button_on_hover=”on” z_index=”0″ overflow-x=”hidden” overflow-y=”hidden” link_option_url=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/catholic-social-teaching-principles\/” custom_css_slide_image=”width: 300px !important;||margin: 0 auto !important;” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\nCatholic social teaching is built on three foundational principles –\u00a0<\/strong>Human Dignity<\/strong>,\u00a0Solidarity\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Subsidiarity.\u00a0<\/strong>Human Dignity, embodied in a correct understanding of the human person, is the greatest. The others flow from it. Good governments and good economic systems find ways of fostering the three principles.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Human Dignity” button_link=”\/human-dignity\/” image=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Human-Dignity.png” use_bg_overlay=”off” use_text_overlay=”off” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ header_font=”||||||||” background_color=”#ffffff” button_on_hover=”on” link_option_url=”\/human-dignity\/” custom_css_slide_image=”width: 200px !important;||margin: 0 auto !important;” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
This means a correct understanding of the human person and of each person\u2019s unique value. All Catholic social teaching flows from this: the inherent dignity of every person that comes from being made in God\u2019s image.\u00a0<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Solidarity” button_link=”\/solidarity\/” image=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Solidarity.png” use_bg_overlay=”off” use_text_overlay=”off” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ header_font=”||||||||” background_color=”#ffffff” button_on_hover=”on” link_option_url=”\/solidarity\/” custom_css_slide_image=”width: 200px !important;||margin: 0 auto !important;” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
Solidarity is not \u201ca feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of others. It is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good\u201d. (Pope St. John Paul II, 38)<\/a> Love of God and love of neighbor are, in fact, linked and form one, single commandment.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Subsidiarity” button_link=”\/subsidiarity\/” image=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Subsidiarity.png” use_bg_overlay=”off” use_text_overlay=”off” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ header_font=”||||||||” background_color=”#ffffff” button_on_hover=”on” link_option_url=”\/subsidiarity\/” custom_css_slide_image=”width: 200px !important;||margin: 0 auto !important;” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
Subsidiarity \u201cis a fundamental principle of social philosophy, fixed and unchangeable, that one should not withdraw from individuals and commit to the community what they can accomplish by their own enterprise and industry. So, too, it is an injustice and at the same time a grave evil and a disturbance of right order to transfer to the larger and higher collectivity functions which can be performed and provided for by the lesser and subordinate bodies\u201d. (Pope Pius XI)<\/a><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_slider][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” admin_label=”Image & Text” module_id=”newsletter” module_class=”mosaic_width” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ background_color=”#eb7525″ z_index=”950″ display_conditions=”W3siaWQiOiI2MmUwMjk2ZS1lYmY5LTQwYWYtYmM0Mi0zZmEzYzUyNGNlYTEiLCJjb25kaXRpb24iOiJwYWdlIiwiY29uZGl0aW9uU2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiZGlzcGxheVJ1bGUiOiJpc05vdCIsImR5bmFtaWNQb3N0cyI6W3sibGFiZWwiOiJDYXJpdGFzIGluIFZlcml0YXRlIiwidmFsdWUiOiI0NzIxNCJ9XSwicG9zdFR5cGVMYWJlbCI6IlBhZ2VzIiwiYWRtaW5MYWJlbCI6IlBhZ2VzIiwiZW5hYmxlQ29uZGl0aW9uIjoib24ifSwib3BlcmF0b3IiOiJPUiJ9XQ==” custom_margin=”||” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”0px||0px||false|false” animation_direction=”left” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_module=”45073″ saved_tabs=”all” locked=”off” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ make_equal=”on” module_class=”mosaic_width” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ custom_margin=”||” custom_padding=”0px||0px||true|false” animation_style=”fade” animation_delay=”200ms” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”ds-vertical-align” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”Playfair Display||||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” header_font=”||||||||” header_text_align=”center” header_text_color=”#eb7525″ header_2_text_color=”#ffffff” header_3_text_color=”#ffffff” header_3_font_size=”30px” header_4_font=”Playfair Display|700|||||||” header_4_text_color=”#ffffff” header_4_font_size=”32px” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||” custom_padding=”||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
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\nThat seems an easy choice, right? If we have the option of life and blessings or death and curses, who wouldn\u2019t choose life<\/strong>!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Catholic and gay means walking in God’s way, and abandoning sinful lifestyles, not the Church.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
But the command: \u201cChoose life\u201d is more than deciding to keep on eating and breathing. God\u2019s command to choose life requires us \u201cto love the Lord your God, to walk in God\u2019s ways<\/strong>, and to keep God\u2019s commandments.\u201d Deuteronomy 30:16<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Loving God calls for an exclusive, unreserved love: \u201cLove the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.\u201d (Deuteronomy 6:5)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n To \u201cwalk in God\u2019s ways\u201d and to \u201ckeep God\u2019s commandments<\/strong>\u201d leads to life but also requires a change of heart.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Jesus clarifies what it means to \u201cchoose life\u201d in one of the harshest statements in the New Testament: “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out\u2026if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off”. Is Jesus calling for self-mutilation?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Of course not! He is saying: Stop making excuses; do not chose the curse and death; stop doing it your way<\/strong>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n To \u201cChoose life\u201d we must have a change of heart! The kind that can only come through faith in the one who teaches us: \u201cI Am the Way, the Truth and the Life\u201d. (John 14:6) \u201cYou did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit\u201d. (John 15:16) <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cChoosing life\u201d, \u201cbearing fruit\u201d, living by \u201cGod\u2019s commands\u201d is, in fact, God\u2019s gracious work in us \u2013 helping us daily to turn away from sin and self<\/strong>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cGod is Father and he does not disown any of his children. And \u2018the style\u2019 of God is ‘closeness, mercy, and tenderness’. In this way (or along this path) you will find God.\u201d (Pope Francis)<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u201cThe community of faith today, [is] in\u00a0unbroken continuity with the Jewish and Christian communities within which the ancient Scriptures were written\u201d. (On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, 5)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n So, our \u201cgreat task is\u2026recapturing the ultimate meaning of life and its fundamental values. Only an awareness of the primacy of these values enables man\u2026to bring about the true advancement of the human person in his or her whole truth\u2026freedom and dignity.\u201d (Familiaris Consortio, 8)<\/a> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u2018Hate the sin – love the sinner\u2019 is not a clich\u00e9. The Church is here for you<\/strong>. Not just rhetorically but as part of her essence as the body of Christ transmitting the \u201cgood news\u201d through history.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n “[T]he Church raises men up, gives them a home and a hope, a home that is hope \u2013 the path to eternal life”. (Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), \u201cIntroduction to Christianity<\/em>\u201d, San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2004, p. 344.)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAlthough she constantly holds up the call to perfection and asks for a fuller response to God, \u2018the Church must<\/strong> accompany<\/strong> with<\/strong> attention and care the weakest of her children, who show signs of a wounded and troubled love, by restoring in them hope and confidence’\u201d. (Pope Francis, 291)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n While clearly reiterating Church teaching on homosexual behavior, Pope Francis emphasizes God\u2019s love and infinite capacity for forgiveness: \u201cGod is Father and he does not disown any of his children<\/strong>. And \u2018the style\u2019 of God is ‘closeness, mercy, and tenderness’. In this way (or along this path) you will\u00a0find God.\u201d (Pope Francis)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n With this approach Pope Francis seeks to draw you close to the Church to experience God\u2019s love\u00a0and<\/span> become\u00a0aware of the truth.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The Church\u2019s teaching is not meant to curtail love but to enable it<\/strong>. For those troubled with their identity, patience is called for. When a person is on a path seeking wholeness, their search must be encouraged and respected \u2013\u00a0in friendship. <\/span><\/p>\n Individuals \u201cmust be welcomed<\/strong> with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Any form of unfair discrimination will be avoided against them. These people are called to carry out the will of God in their lives\u201d.\u00a0(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2358)<\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n The Church points to the peace and life-giving path of Christ\u2019s commandments. We owe it to God, our brothers and sisters and ourselves to offer what is true \u2013 and why we believe it is true.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2018Hate the sin – love the sinner\u2019 is not a clich\u00e9. The Church is here for you.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u201cHomosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom\u2026they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.\u201d (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2358)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Being chaste means<\/strong> being whole<\/strong> and leads to a fuller life! <\/span><\/p>\n To \u201cbe pulled in different directions by contrasting desires or needs drains us of energy and courage. It takes the zest out of life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The goal is integration – which is a source of strength. \u201cThis is fundamentally what is at stake in the pursuit of chastity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n And \u201c[t]he way to chaste integrity passes through honest confrontation with the incoherences and passions we carry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cTo live and love chastely is to reverence the other, refusing to see her or him as merely an instrument for the fulfilment of my purpose or desire.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The Church does not deny \u201cthat to be a human being is to be possessed of longing\u201d. But part of that longing includes living <\/strong>\u201cas an embodied echo of a Word<\/strong>\u201d. Not getting in touch with that \u201cmay imprison me in frustration, even hopelessness [because] nothing in the world seems adequate to what I really want.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n However, if I do \u2018connect\u2019 with this longing \u201cit can also enable instances of exultantly unexpected, ecstatic recognition.\u201d (Quotes above are from Bishop Erik Varden<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFundamentally, [you] are called to enact the will of God in [your] life<\/strong> by joining whatever sufferings and difficulties [you] experience\u2026to the sacrifice of the Lord\u2019s Cross.\u201d (On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, 12)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Also, in 1978 Terrence Cardinal Cook, Archbishop of New York, invited an organization to the archdiocese which offers a spiritual support system for men and women with homosexual orientation who desire to live chaste lives<\/strong>. Called \u201cCourage\u201d, Lopez Cardinal Trujillo, Pontifical Council for the Family, later offered the Holy See\u2019s support for Courage\u2019s \u201chelping homosexual persons to live in accordance with the laws of God and the teaching of His Church\u201d (7 July 1994 \u2013 Prot. N216\/93)<\/span><\/p>\n As an apostolate of the Catholic Church with chapters throughout the US and around the world, Courage International<\/a> and EnCourage<\/a>\u00a0are, respectively, two groups helping Catholic men and women \u2013 and their families \u2013 to live in accordance with the Catholic Church\u2019s pastoral teaching on homosexuality.<\/span><\/p>\n Courage members are men and women who experience same-sex attractions and who have made a commitment to strive for chastity. They are inspired by the Gospel call to holiness and the Catholic Church\u2019s beautiful teachings about the goodness and inherent purpose of human sexuality.<\/span><\/p>\n Dr. Amy E. Hamilton: What the LGBTQ+ Community Needs from the Church<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Bible Verses About Homosexuality<\/a><\/p>\n Christianity and Homosexuality<\/a><\/p>\n What Does the Bible Say About Homosexuality?<\/a><\/p>\n The Sexual Revolution and Catholic Social Teaching<\/a><\/p>\n What Can I Do About Homosexuality?<\/a>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_button button_url=”\/homosexuality\/” button_text=”Learn More About Church Teaching on Homosexuality” button_alignment=”center” module_class=”hover-btn-border” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”30px” button_text_color=”#054368″ button_border_width=”0px” button_border_radius=”0px” button_font=”|600||on|||||” button_icon=”5||divi||400″ button_on_hover=”off” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”on” button_text_color__hover=”#054368″][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_button button_url=”\/articles\/” button_text=”Back to Articles” button_alignment=”center” module_class=”hover-btn-border” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”30px” button_text_color=”#054368″ button_border_width=”0px” button_border_radius=”0px” button_font=”|600||on|||||” button_icon=”5||divi||400″ button_on_hover=”off” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”on” button_text_color__hover=”#054368″][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Widget of Issues ” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px||” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” saved_tabs=”all” locked=”off” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_5,3_5,1_5″ use_custom_gutter=”on” module_class=” et_pb_row_fullwidth” _builder_version=”4.13.0″ width=”100%” width_tablet=”100%” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” max_width=”100%” max_width_tablet=”100%” max_width_phone=”” max_width_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” custom_css_main_element=”width: 100% !important;” make_fullwidth=”on” global_module=”31023″ saved_tabs=”all” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_slider show_image_video_mobile=”on” module_class=”three-principles” _builder_version=”4.19.5″ header_font=”Open Sans|700|||||||” header_text_color=”#084369″ header_font_size=”24px” header_line_height=”1.5em” body_text_color=”#084369″ width=”100%” width_last_edited=”off|desktop” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”|||” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_css_slide_image_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_css_slide_image_phone=”width: auto;||margin: 0 auto !important;”][et_pb_slide heading=”Three Key Principles” button_link=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/catholic-social-teaching-principles\/” image=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Three-Principles.png” use_bg_overlay=”off” use_text_overlay=”off” image_alt=”Three circles containing symbols of the three principles of catholic social teaching: human dignity, subsidiarity, and solidarity.” image_tablet=”” image_phone=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/3-Key-principle-icons-resized.png” image_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.19.5″ header_font=”||||||||” background_color=”#ffffff” button_on_hover=”on” z_index=”0″ overflow-x=”hidden” overflow-y=”hidden” link_option_url=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/catholic-social-teaching-principles\/” custom_css_slide_image=”width: 300px !important;||margin: 0 auto !important;” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n Catholic social teaching is built on three foundational principles –\u00a0<\/strong>Human Dignity<\/strong>,\u00a0Solidarity\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Subsidiarity.\u00a0<\/strong>Human Dignity, embodied in a correct understanding of the human person, is the greatest. The others flow from it. Good governments and good economic systems find ways of fostering the three principles.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Human Dignity” button_link=”\/human-dignity\/” image=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Human-Dignity.png” use_bg_overlay=”off” use_text_overlay=”off” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ header_font=”||||||||” background_color=”#ffffff” button_on_hover=”on” link_option_url=”\/human-dignity\/” custom_css_slide_image=”width: 200px !important;||margin: 0 auto !important;” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n This means a correct understanding of the human person and of each person\u2019s unique value. All Catholic social teaching flows from this: the inherent dignity of every person that comes from being made in God\u2019s image.\u00a0<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Solidarity” button_link=”\/solidarity\/” image=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Solidarity.png” use_bg_overlay=”off” use_text_overlay=”off” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ header_font=”||||||||” background_color=”#ffffff” button_on_hover=”on” link_option_url=”\/solidarity\/” custom_css_slide_image=”width: 200px !important;||margin: 0 auto !important;” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n Solidarity is not \u201ca feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of others. It is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good\u201d. (Pope St. John Paul II, 38)<\/a> Love of God and love of neighbor are, in fact, linked and form one, single commandment.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”Subsidiarity” button_link=”\/subsidiarity\/” image=”https:\/\/capp-usa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Subsidiarity.png” use_bg_overlay=”off” use_text_overlay=”off” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ header_font=”||||||||” background_color=”#ffffff” button_on_hover=”on” link_option_url=”\/subsidiarity\/” custom_css_slide_image=”width: 200px !important;||margin: 0 auto !important;” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n Subsidiarity \u201cis a fundamental principle of social philosophy, fixed and unchangeable, that one should not withdraw from individuals and commit to the community what they can accomplish by their own enterprise and industry. So, too, it is an injustice and at the same time a grave evil and a disturbance of right order to transfer to the larger and higher collectivity functions which can be performed and provided for by the lesser and subordinate bodies\u201d. (Pope Pius XI)<\/a><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_slider][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” admin_label=”Image & Text” module_id=”newsletter” module_class=”mosaic_width” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ background_color=”#eb7525″ z_index=”950″ display_conditions=”W3siaWQiOiI2MmUwMjk2ZS1lYmY5LTQwYWYtYmM0Mi0zZmEzYzUyNGNlYTEiLCJjb25kaXRpb24iOiJwYWdlIiwiY29uZGl0aW9uU2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiZGlzcGxheVJ1bGUiOiJpc05vdCIsImR5bmFtaWNQb3N0cyI6W3sibGFiZWwiOiJDYXJpdGFzIGluIFZlcml0YXRlIiwidmFsdWUiOiI0NzIxNCJ9XSwicG9zdFR5cGVMYWJlbCI6IlBhZ2VzIiwiYWRtaW5MYWJlbCI6IlBhZ2VzIiwiZW5hYmxlQ29uZGl0aW9uIjoib24ifSwib3BlcmF0b3IiOiJPUiJ9XQ==” custom_margin=”||” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”0px||0px||false|false” animation_direction=”left” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_module=”45073″ saved_tabs=”all” locked=”off” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ make_equal=”on” module_class=”mosaic_width” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ custom_margin=”||” custom_padding=”0px||0px||true|false” animation_style=”fade” animation_delay=”200ms” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”ds-vertical-align” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”Playfair Display||||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” header_font=”||||||||” header_text_align=”center” header_text_color=”#eb7525″ header_2_text_color=”#ffffff” header_3_text_color=”#ffffff” header_3_font_size=”30px” header_4_font=”Playfair Display|700|||||||” header_4_text_color=”#ffffff” header_4_font_size=”32px” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||” custom_padding=”||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ module_class=”ds-vertical-align” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.21.0″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]Is Homosexuality a Sin?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nIn a nutshell: \u201cTradition has always declared that \u201cacts of homosexuality are intrinsically disordered\u2026They cannot receive approval under any circumstances<\/strong>.\u201d (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2357)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nHomosexuality, Not Homosexuals, is Condemned<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32)<\/span><\/p>\nThe Catholic Church and Homosexuality<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n<\/span>\u201cThe God who is at once truth and love calls the Church to minister to every man, woman and child with the pastoral solicitude of our compassionate Lord.\u201d (On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, 18)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nThe Church Never Gives Up<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n“[E]ven when man rejects the truth and goodness that the Creator proposes to him, God does not abandon<\/strong> him but\u2026continues to see him and to speak to him so that he will recognize his error and open himself to divine Mercy which can heal any.”\u00a0(Pope Benedict XVI)<\/a> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\nWhat Should I Do?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n“Even in the most difficult circumstances human freedom is capable of extraordinary acts of sacrifice and solidarity<\/strong>“. (Pope Benedict XVI)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nCatholic Teaching on the Virtue of Chastity<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nBeing chaste is \u201ceasily misunderstood\u2026if it is merely\u2026a pointless effort at self-denial\u201d. It is not that! Chastity \u201cempowers those who trust in him to practice virtue in place of vice.\u201d (On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, 12)<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nThe Call to be Holy<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n\u201cAs [you] dedicate [your] lives to understanding the nature of God\u2019s personal call\u2026[you] will be able to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance more faithfully and receive the Lord\u2019s grace so freely offered there in order to convert [your] lives more fully to his Way.\u201d (On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, 12)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nThe Eternal Reward<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n\u201c[B]y your witness to the truth<\/strong> of humanity in God\u2019s plan, you effectively manifest fraternal love, upholding the true dignity, the true human dignity, of those who look to Christ\u2019s Church for the guidance which comes from the light of God\u2019s word.\u201d\u00a0(Pope St. John Paul, 6)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nResources<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nIn an insightful book<\/a> Bishop Erik Varden fully explores the benefits and rewards of chastity. <\/span><\/p>\nSign Up For Our Newsletter:<\/h4>\n