A few of the U.S.’s Catholic Bishops have joined together to voice their support of LGBTQ people.
Ten U.S. Catholic Bishops, including Bishop John Stowe of Lexington Kentucky and Archbishop John Wester of Santa Fe, have written and signed the statement with the help of the Tyler Clementi Foundation, according to American Magazine. The Tyler Clementi Foundation is an organization that fights LGBTQ bullying in schools, work, and religious spaces.
“As we see in the Gospels, Jesus Christ taught love, mercy and welcome for all people, especially for those who felt persecuted or marginalized in any way; and the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that LGBT people are to be treated with ‘respect, compassion and sensitivity,’” the statement reads.
It then adds, “All people of goodwill should help, support, and defend LGBT youth; who attempt suicide at much higher rates than their straight counterparts; who are often homeless because of families who reject them; who are rejected, bullied and harassed; and who are the target of violent acts at alarming rates.”
“The Catholic Church values the God-given dignity of all human life and we take this opportunity to say to our LGBT friends, especially young people, that we stand with you and oppose any form of violence, bullying or harassment directed at you,” the statement says before concluding with, “Most of all, know that God created you, God loves you and God is on your side.”
Currently, the Catholic Church teaches that homosexuality is “objectively disordered” and condemns same-sex sexual acts. But the Church has lately been pushing for accepting and respecting gay people. The whole, “love the sinner, not the sin” argument. Even that phrase is starting to become outdated, though, as more high ranking officials express pro-gay sentiments.
In the past few years, Pope Francis has expressed support of gay people. He compared anti-gay rhetoric to Nazi propaganda in 2019. Then in 2020, he was filmed supporting same-sex unions in the documentary Francesco.
“Homosexuals have a right to be a part of the family. They’re children of God and have a right to a family,” he said in the film. “Nobody should be thrown out, or be made miserable because of it.”
He then added, “What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered. I stood up for that.”
Though, that doesn’t erase the continuing incidences of Catholic officials and organizations firing or ostracising LGBTQ individuals within their spaces. There’s still more work to be done.
Source: American Magazine,
