Church References Concerning Homosexuality
1. CATECHISM
#2357
Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity,[140] tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.”[141] They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.
#2358
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 must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.
#2359
Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them 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.
#2396
Among the sins gravely contrary to chastity are masturbation, fornication, pornography, and homosexual practices.
2. THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE FAMILY THE TRUTH AND MEANING OF HUMAN SEXUALITY
Guidelines for Education within the Family 1995
3. SACRED CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH: PERSONA HUMANA, 1975
#8: Pastorally, these homosexuals must be received with understanding and supported in the hope of overcoming their personal difficulties and their social maladaptation. Their culpability will be judges with prudence, but no pastoral method can be used which, holding that these acts conform to the condition of these persons, accord them a moral justification.
#10: According to Christian tradition and as right reason also recognizes, the moral order of sexuality involves such high values of human life that every direct violation of this order is objectively serious.
4. CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH
On The Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons
Para 1, #7:
It is only in the marital relationship that the use of the sexual faculty can be morally good. A person engaging in homosexual behavior therefore acts immorally.
Para 2, #7
This does not mean that homosexual persons are not often generous and giving of themselves; but when they engage in homosexual activity they confirm within themselves a disordered sexual inclination which is essentially self-indulgent.
Para 3, #3:
Therefore special concern and pastoral attention should be directed toward those who have this condition, lest they be led to believe that the living out of this orientation in homosexual activity is a morally acceptable option. It is not.
Para 3, #7:
“As in every moral disorder, homosexual activity prevents one’s own fulfillment and happiness by acting contrary to the creative wisdom of God. The Church, in rejecting erroneous opinions regarding homosexuality, does not limit but rather defends personal freedom and dignity realistically and authentically understood.”
RE: Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorites (CPCSM)
Para 2, #8:
“Nevertheless, increasing numbers of people today, even within the Church are bringing enormous pressure to bear on the Church to accept the homosexual condition as though it were not disordered and to condone homosexual activity. Those within the Church who argue in this fashion often have close ties with those with similar views outside it (or inside it). These latter groups are guided by a vision opposed to the truth about the human person, which is fully disclosed in the mystery of Christ. They reflect, even if not entirely consciously, a materialistic ideology which denies the transcendent nature of the human persons as well as the supernatural vocation of every individual.”
RE: avoid supporting self-indulgence
Para 2, #12
It is, in effect, none other than the teaching of Paul the apostle to the Galatians when he says that the Spirit produces in the lives of the faithful “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self control (Gal 5:22) and futher (v.24), “You cannot belong to Christ unless you crucify all self-indulgent passions and desires.”
RE: is called “Catholic”
Para 3, #13
With this in mind, this Congregation wished to ask the bishops to be especially cautious of any programs which may seek to pressure the Church to change her teaching, even while claiming not do so. A careful examination of their public statements and the activities they promote reveals a studied ambiguity by which they attempt to mislead the pastors and the faithful….Some of the groups will use the word “Catholic” to describe either the organization or its intended members, yet they do not defend and promote the teaching of the Magisterium; indeed, they even openly attack it. While their members may claim a desire to conform their lives to the teaching of Jesus, in fact they abandon the teaching of His Church. This contradictory action should not have the support of the bishops in any way.
RE: CATHOLIC pastoral care
Para 1, #15
We encourage the bishops, then, to provide pastoral care in full accord with the teaching of the Church for homosexual persons of their dioceses. No authentic pastoral program will include organization with which homosexual persons associate with each other without clearly stating that homosexual active is immoral. A truly pastoral approach will appreciate the need for homosexual persons to avoid the near occasions of sin.
RE: negligence in leadership
Para 2
We would heartily encourage programs in which these dangers are avoided. But we wish to make it clear that departure from the Church’s teachings, or silence about it, in an effort to provide pastoral care is neither caring nor pastoral. Only what is true can ultimately be pastoral. The neglect of the Church’s position prevents homosexual men and women from receiving the care they need and deserve.
RE: how-to
Para 3
An authentic pastoral program will assist homosexual persons at all levels of the spiritual life: through the sacraments, and in particular through the frequent and sincere use of the sacrament of Reconciliation, through prayer, witness, counsel and individual care. In such a way, the entire Christian community can come to recognize its own call to assist its brothers and sisters, without deluding them or isolating them.
RE: GLBT terms
Para 2 # 16
The human person, made in the image and likeness of God, can hardly be adequately described by a reductionist reference to his or her sexual orientation. Every one living on the face of the earth has personal problems and difficulties , but challenges to growth, strengths, talents and gifts as well. Today, the Church provides a badly needed context for the care of the human person when she refuses to consider the person as a “heterosexual” or a “homosexual” and insists that every person has a fundamental identity: the creature of God, and by grace, His child and heir to eternal life.
RE: accuracy
Para 3, # 17
These (forms of pastoral care for homosexual persons) would include the assistance of the psychological, sociological and medical sciences, in full accord with the teaching of the Church.
RE: resources
Para 4
They are encouraged to call on the assistance of all Catholic theologians who, by teaching what the church teaches, and by deepening their reflections on the true meaning of human sexuality and Christian marriage with the virtues it engenders, will make an important contribution in this particular area of pastoral care.
RE: pastoral ministers
Para 5
The bishops are asked to exercise special care in the selection of pastoral ministers so that by their own high degree of spiritual and personal maturity and by their fidelity to the Magisterium, they many be of real service to homosexual persons, promoting their health and well–being in the fullest sense. Such ministers will reject theological opinions which dissent from the teaching of the Church and which, therefore, cannot be used as guidelines for pastoral care.
RE: Catechesis
Para 6
We encourage the bishops to promote appropriate catechetical programs based on the truth about human sexuality in its relationship to the family as taught by the Church. Such programs should provide a good context within which to deal with the question of homosexuality.
Para 7
This catechesis would also assist those families of homosexual persons to deal with this problem which affects them so deeply.
RE: support of programs
Para 8
All support should be withdrawn from any organization which seek to undermine the teaching of the Church, which are ambiguous about it, or which neglect it entirely.
Proverbs 21:30
There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.
5. THE TRUTH AND MEANING OF HUMAN EQUALITY – 1995
#104:
A particular problem that can appear during the process of sexual maturation is homosexuality, which is also spreading more and more in urbanized societies. This phenomenon must be presented with balanced judgment, in the light of the documents of the Church. Young people need to be helped to distinguish between the concepts of what is normal and abnormal, between subjective guilt and objective disorder, avoiding what would arouse hostility. On the other hand, the structural and complementary orientation of sexuality must be well clarified in relation to marriage, procreation and Christian chastity.
Romans 2:1-5
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
{2} Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth.
{3} So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?
{4} Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?
{5} But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.
Using signage in the halls of our school is a form of SEX EDUCATION and is UNACCEPTABLE.
6. THE SACRED CONGREGATION FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION EDUCATION GUIDANCE IN HUMAN LOVE
Outline for Sex Education 1983
RE: Christian Principles
I, #30
In light of the mystery of Christ, sexuality appears to us as a vocation to realize that love which the Holy Spirit instills in the hearts of the redeemed. Jesus Christ has enriched such a vocation with the Sacrament of marriage.
RE: Sex Education (including hallways)
#71
*..In fact, as will be specified in what follows, as well as right judgment, sense of responsibility, professional competence, affective and decent maturity, this education requires from the teacher outstanding sensitivity in initiating the child and adolescent in the problems of love and life without disturbing their psychological development.
#72
Also, though the teacher posses the necessary qualities for sex education in groups, it is necessary always to consider the concrete situation of such groups. This applies above all in mixed groups, since these require special precautions. In each case, the responsible authorities must examine with parents the propriety of proceeding in such a manner.
RE: Appropriate Teaching Materials
#76
Particular attention is to be paid to the materials to be used by the pupils themselves. Some textbooks on sexuality…are harmful to the child and the adolescent. Graphic and audio-visual materials are more harmful when they crudely present sexual realities for which the pupil is not prepared, and thus create traumatic impression or raise an unhealthy curiosity which lead to evil. Let teachers think seriously of the grave harm that an irresponsible attitude in such delicate matters can cause in pupils.
RE: youth (support) groups and need of human involvement
#77
.. The human sciences hold that “groups” are a positive condition for formation, because the maturation of the personality is not possible without efficacious personal relationships.
7. THE CHAPTER OF THE RIGHTS OF THE FAMILY
(presented by the Holy See, October 22, 1983)
Article 5
Since they have conferred life on their children, parents have the original, primary and inalienable right to educate them; hence they must be acknowledged as the first and foremost educators of their children.
a) Parents have the right to educate their children in conformity with their moral and religious convictions…
b) Parents have the right to freely choose schools or other means necessary to educate their children in keeping with their convictions…
c) Parents have the right to ensure that their children are not compelled to attend classes which are not in agreement with their own moral and religious convictions. In particular, sex education is a basic right of the parents and must always be carried out under their close supervision, whether at home or in educational centers chosen and controlled by them.
d) The rights of parents are violated when a compulsory system of education is imposed by the State from which all religious formation is excluded.
e) The primary right of parents to educate their children must be upheld in all forms of collaboration between parents, teachers and school authorities, and particularly in forms of participation designed to give citizens a voice in the functioning of schools and in the formulation and implementation of educational policies.
f) The family has the right to expect that the means of social communication will be positive instruments for the building up of society, and will reinforce the fundamental values of the family. At the same time the family has the right to be adequately protected, especially with regard to its youngest members, from the negative effects and misuse of the mass media.
RE: networking
Article 8
a) Families have the right to form associations with other families and institutions, in order to fulfill the family’s role suitable and effectively, as well as to protect the rights, foster the good and represent the interests of the family.
