In a dramatic shift in tone, Catholic bishops released a document Monday saying that homosexuals had “gifts and qualities to offer” and asked if Catholicism could accept gays and recognise positive aspects of same-sex couples.
Roman Catholic gay rights groups around the world hailed the paper as a breakthrough, but Church conservatives called it a betrayal of traditional family values.
The document, prepared after a week of discussions at an assembly of 200 bishops on the family, said the Church should challenge itself to find “a fraternal space” for homosexuals without compromising Catholic doctrine on family and matrimony.
While the text did not signal any change in the Church’s condemnation of homosexual acts or gay marriage, it used less judgmental and more compassionate language than that seen in Vatican statements prior to the 2013 election of Pope Francis.
“Homosexuals have gifts and qualities to offer the Christian community: are 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,” said the document, known by its Latin name “relatio”.
“Are our communities capable of proving that, accepting and valuing their sexual orientation, without compromising Catholic doctrine on the family and matrimony?” it asked.
New Ways Ministry, a leading US Catholic gay rights group, called it a “major step forward”, praising it for being devoid of the “major gloom and doom and apocalyptic horror” that accompanied previous Vatican pronouncements on gay people.
The London-based Catholic gay rights group QUEST called parts of it “a breakthrough in that they acknowledge that such unions have an intrinsic goodness and constitute a valuable contribution to wider society and the common good.”
‘Betrayal’
But John Smeaton, co-founder of the conservative group Voice of the Family, was less than happy with the Vatican’s apparent change in direction.
“Those who are controlling the synod have betrayed Catholic parents worldwide,” he said, calling it “one of the worst official documents drafted in Church history”.
The Vatican document will be the basis for discussion for the second and final week of the bishops’ assembly, also known as a synod. It will also serve for further reflection among Catholics around the world ahead of another, definitive synod next year.
A number of participants at the closed-door gathering have said the Church should tone down its condemnatory language when referring to gay couples and avoid phrases such as “intrinsically disordered” when speaking of homosexuals.
That was the phrase used by former Pope Benedict in a document written before his election, when he was still Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and head of the Vatican’s doctrinal department.
The language and tone of Monday’s document, read to the assembly in the presence of Pope Francis, appeared to show that the advocates of a more inclusive tone towards gays and Catholics in so-called “irregular situations”—such as unmarried couples and those who have divorced—had prevailed.
It said that the 1.2 billion-member Church should see the development of its position on homosexuals as “an important educational challenge” for the global institution.
While the Church continued to affirm that same-sex unions “cannot be considered on the same footing as matrimony between man and woman”, it should recognise that there could be positive aspects to relationships in same-sex couples.
“Without denying the moral problems connected to homosexual unions it has to be noted that there are cases in which mutual aid to the point of sacrifice constitutes a precious support in the life of the partners,” the document said.
The paper also said there were “constructive elements” to heterosexual couples who were married only in civil services or who were living together, but stressed that Church marriages were “the ideal”.
Pope Francis has said the Church must be more compassionate with homosexuals, saying last year, “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge.”
The Church teaches that while homosexual tendencies are not sinful, homosexual acts are.
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I feel I should just come there and kill you for this.
ReplyDeleteI 100% believe this is NOT right, and it's not in line with the will of God for human. Please change that comment to many will not be missled and also for the continual presence in the chatholic church.
ReplyDeleteNo body has seen God. but is my believe to give thanks and praises to God Almighty per second basis.
ReplyDeleteThe ROMAN CAHOLIC CHURCH, this moves will definately be the last STRAW that breaks the camels back as for all the ATROCITIES committed by these CULT group that hid their true motives in religion.
ReplyDeleteAs for GULIBLE converts in NIGERIA I think now U will all know U had be deceived by these AGENTS of SATAN.
Though I as a catholic I am not happy with this development but the truth is that the Church is simply doing what Christ demands of us which is to accomodate sinners but not to encourage the act of sin. Christ said He came for sinners not for the rigteous as examplified in many text of the bible. If the church does not accomodate and draw them closer, how then will it change them from afar? I believe the church should be praised for this bold step looking at it spiritually. However, the danger lies in not allowing them to pollute the others though I trust the church to ensure that the merit outweighs the demerits.
DeleteAs for those wishing the church dooms day, sorry it won't happen, U are not God and God does not answer evil prayers. 2000+ and the church is still kicking and will continue to be a model for others to follow. Afterall other churches have been allowing gays to lead the flock, which is worst and unGodly. All who are talking nagatively should first ask themselves first what they have done to on a personal basis to convert gays before trying to bring down a church which has reviewed the situation and has almost come to the conclusion that its present stance of not accomodating them is not the best way to draw them to Christ.
And for our information, Martin Luther after all said and done actully died as a Catholic as he called for, did his confession and received holy communion from a priest before he died. (please do a research on this)
End time doctrine according to the bible prophesies
ReplyDeleteMartin Luther said it b4 now that a Black man must be president of America one day and here is Obama.....He also Prophesied that ANTI- CHRIST will come out from VATICAN CITY and the sign is around the Conner........we are still watching .........
ReplyDeleteI think you mean Nostrademus cos he is the one who predicted that.
Deleteall these happenings are a testament of the END TIME. I pray for the church and all around it. it started from Anglican Church about 10 years ago, now Catholic of all people, i pray that God will help His children to overcome all these.
ReplyDeleteThough I as a catholic I am not happy with this development but the truth is that the Church is simply doing what Christ demands of us which is to accomodate sinners but not to encourage the act of sin. Christ said He came for sinners not for the rigteous as examplified in many text of the bible. If the church does not accomodate and draw them closer, how then will it change them from afar? I believe the church should be praised for this bold step looking at it spiritually. However, the danger lies in not allowing them to pollute the others though I trust the church to ensure that the merit outweighs the demerits.
DeleteAs for those wishing the church dooms day, sorry it won't happen, U are not God and God does not answer evil prayers. 2000+ and the church is still kicking and will continue to be a model for others to follow. Afterall other churches have been allowing gays to lead the flock (pentecostal churches very much a part of it), which is worst and unGodly. All who are talking nagatively should first ask themselves first what they have done to on a personal basis to convert gays before trying to bring down a church which has reviewed the situation and has almost come to the conclusion that its present stance of not accomodating them is not the best way to draw them to Christ.
And for our information, Martin Luther after all said and done actully died as a Catholic as he called for, did his confession and received holy communion from a priest before he died. (please do a research on this)
It's quite unfortunate.may God help us.
ReplyDeleteHow can one say this, we can't catholic stick to what the bible teaches and abhor what it doesn't teach. God is watching those that are trying to rubbish christianity.
ReplyDeleteThough I as a catholic I am not happy with this development but the truth is that the Church is simply doing what Christ demands of us which is to accomodate sinners but not to encourage the act of sin. Christ said He came for sinners not for the rigteous as examplified in many text of the bible. If the church does not accomodate and draw them closer, how then will it change them from afar? I believe the church should be praised for this bold step looking at it spiritually. However, the danger lies in not allowing them to pollute the others though I trust the church to ensure that the merit outweighs the demerits.
DeleteAs for those wishing the church dooms day, sorry it won't happen, U are not God and God does not answer evil prayers. 2000+ and the church is still kicking and will continue to be a model for others to follow. Afterall other churches have been allowing gays to lead the flock, which is worst and unGodly. All who are talking nagatively should first ask themselves first what they have done to on a personal basis to convert gays before trying to bring down a church which has reviewed the situation and has almost come to the conclusion that its present stance of not accomodating them is not the best way to draw them to Christ.
And for our information, Martin Luther after all said and done actully died as a Catholic as he called for, did his confession and received holy communion from a priest before he died. (please do a research on this)
ok. catholic church of nigeria is coming
ReplyDeleteUrmmmmm. All i see when i read gifts and qualities is tithe and offering. #okbye
ReplyDeleteBecome Muslim and read the last and un-edited testament; THE HOLY QURAN and be saved.
ReplyDeleteBecome Muslim and become a Terrorist according to ur Evil Quran...........
DeleteQu'ran (61:9): "He it is who has sent His Messenger (Mohammed) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islam) to make it victorious over all religions even though the infidels may resist."
Qu'ran (48:29) - "Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. And those with him are hard (ruthless) against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves"
Bukhari (52:73) - "Allah's Apostle said, 'Know that Paradise is under the shades of swords'."
Qu'ran (4:76) - "Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah…”
Qu'ran (61:4) - "Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way."
Qu'ran (4:74) - "Let those fight in the way of Allah who sell the life of this world for the other. Whoso fighteth in the way of Allah, be he slain or be he victorious, on him We shall bestow a vast reward."
Bukhari (52:220) - Allah's Apostle said... 'I have been made victorious with terror'
(Surah 8) “I will throw fear into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Then smite the necks and smite of them each finger.”
Qu'ran (3:151) - "Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority".
Qu'ran (8:12) - "…Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them"
Qu'ran (8:39) - "And fight with them [unbelievers] until there is no more fitna (disorder, unbelief) and religion should be only for Allah"
Muslim (1:33) - the Messenger of Allah said: “I have been commanded to fight against people till they testify that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah”.
Qu'ran (9:29) - "Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued."
U've said it all. ISLAM a religion of EVIL!
Deletei just pity ur life nd condition.but my advise for is to go out nd buy original Quran and read very wel instead of the fake one give by ur pastor...foool...
DeleteAre u saying those words in those passages do not exist in the quran?
DeleteMan, this quran is spooky, God forbid this religion.
DeleteKindly read between lines. Please ask yourself, what would Jesus say to a gay person? I believe that Jesus would not turn them away, He loves us irrespective of our short comings. He dined with the sinners like prostitutes, cheaters (tax collectors) and many people like that.
ReplyDeleteWe cannot afford to push the gays away, lets welcome them and let them feel the Love of God.
You hypocrites, what is wrong about gays?
ReplyDeleteIf someone can stay away from getting married; if some born by a human being can abstains himself from reproduction and choose to be father, priest, minister, sister, mother, or whatever so what is the difference with that person and the one chosen to marry he or her fellow sex?
For the fact that a certain doctrine permits someone to abstain he or self from marrying and produce the young ones means marrying same sex must be respected by such quarter therefore, catholic are very correct by this declarations considering their doctrines.
You don't need to kill yourself perhaps, you don't belief in them so what is your business and if you are one of them and disagreed with this innovation then you opt out simple.
Life is a choice; try to choose the right one because we shall all die and give account of what we did while on planet earth.
Time will come when people will worship and praise God in the comfort of their homes. God is everywhere!
ReplyDeleteThat time is here already.
DeleteGays are unrepentant sinners. Christ can only accept anyone who WAS a gay. Not those campaigning for more members
ReplyDeleteThe church naturally have new members coming in on a daily basis much more than you can imagine and a lot of them are infact from the pentecostal churches and in any case I do not know of any church which is more populated in the world than the catholic church (pls prove me wrong on this if you can), so your allussion as to the church seeking for members do not hold water.
Delete200 Catholic Bishops and lay delegates are debating on dff issues about family as the theme of the synod is "synod on the family". Some gave opinion of a warmer embrace of gays,lesbians and divorced,wch others rejected. B4 the synod ,the Holy father asked all to be open and free in their views. The synod is still on and dff opinions will be debated on b4 the final word be made.The outcome of this week synod is simply a prelude to a follow-up synod in oct 2015. The media got a biased view of the bishops debates. Catholic church did not and will not accept gay and lesbians.pls alway get your info right b4 commenting.
ReplyDeletesounds like 1Cor 5:11, 6:9-11, and 1Tim 1:9-11 is missing from the Vatican Bible. in strong terms ut condemns eating with such persons. and that they will nit inherit God's Kingdom. I guess the next will be an open door acceptance of unrepentant criminals nd prostitutes. Christians are to help these one to repent not fraternizing with them. have they asked themselves y Satan nd his angels were hauled out of heaven?
ReplyDeleteNo surprise. The tares among the wheat are being manifest by the day. Be they clergy or lay in Anglican, Presbyterian, Catholic, Methodist, Assemblies of God, Deeper Life, Living Faith, Redeemed, Pentecostal, Evangelical, Orthodox, just anything. We are living in the endtime, and we'll see more of the damnable heresies of hell rear their ugly head. But let they who belong to God keep themselves pure, and not be carried away by the evil tide of the day. May God help us all.
ReplyDeleteIts only Jehovah's Witnesses that do not in anyway compromise God's standards as found in His word the Bible. I keep wondering why people are not listening to this group. They simply teach the truth not minding about populating their places of worship with unrepentant pervasive life of so called gays
ReplyDelete