Homosexuality and Roman Catholicism
Encyclopedia
In Roman Catholicism, homosexual acts are considered contrary to natural law
and sin
ful, while homosexual desires are considered "disordered" but not themselves sinful. The Catholic Church considers human sexual behavior
to be sacred, when properly expressed. The Church considers homosexual behavior to be sinful because sexual acts, by their nature, are divinely intended to be both unitive and procreative (mirroring God
's inner Trinitarian
life). The Church also believes the complementarity of the sexes to be part of God's plan. The Church holds same-gender sexual activities to be incompatible with this framework:
These teachings are not limited to the issue of homosexuality, but form the philosophical underpinning for the Catholic teachings against, for example, fornication
, all other forms of sodomy
(such as anal sex), as well as contraception
, pornography
, and masturbation
.
Many Catholics oppose the official teachings of the Church on homosexuality, and in some locations, such as the United States, show stronger support for gay rights than the general population.
The church has also issued a statement that "urges States to do away with criminal penalties against [homosexual persons]," calling it "grave violations of human rights." It opposes all forms of violence against homosexual people and believes it should be confronted at all levels, but especially at the state level.
For those who do experience same-sex attractions and identify themselves with a homosexual orientation, the Catholic Church offers the following counsel:
saw a need for a ministry which would assist Catholics with a same-sex attraction
to adhere to Catholic teaching on sexual behaviour. Cooke invited John Harvey to New York to begin the work of Courage International
with Benedict Groeschel, of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
. The first meeting was held in September 1980 at the Shrine of Mother Seton in South Ferry
.
The Catholic Medical Association
has stated that same-sex attractions are preventable and a symptom of other issues. The goal of therapy should be "freedom to live chastely according to one's state in life."
of the Church. In an official brief called Rescriptum ex audientia of May 19, 2008 made by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone the Cardinal Secretary of State reaffirmed the norms established by the Congregation for Catholic Education in the 2005 document entitled "Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocation with regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in view of their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders," as being of universal value and without exceptions.
Notable examples of theologians who have been sharply critical of the Church's proclamations regarding homosexuality include Professor Charles Curran
, who was subsequently removed from the faculty at the Catholic University of America. Curran contended in 1971 that homosexual acts, in the context of a committed relationship, fell short of the ideal but were to be considered good for homosexual people; he stated that "I had come to accept the moral legitimacy of a union of two gay men or lesbian
s." However, he has since recognized shortcomings in this argument, and in 1992, though without explicitly stating a change of position, he said that "the official hierarchical Roman Catholic teaching should accept the moral value and goodness" of same-sex relationships, not excepting those that include sex. Curran has stated that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
systematically attempted to silence authors critical of teachings on homosexuality, citing the "highlighting" of errors in Dr. John J. McNeill's
The Church and the Homosexual.
Roman Catholic priest Dr. James Alison
argues that the understanding proposed by (then) Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger in On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons
is "incompatible with the Gospel" and summarizes that "it cannot in fact be the teaching of the Church." Furthermore, in a Question of Truth, the Dominican
priest Gareth Moore
concludes that: "... there are no good arguments, from either Scripture or natural law, against what have come to be known as homosexual relationships. The arguments put forward to show that such relationships are immoral are bad."
In addition to academic disagreement within the Church, there have also been practical and ministerial disagreements within the clergy and hierarchy of the Church. Two notable examples of ordained Catholics who have attracted controversy because of their actions and ministry to homosexuals are Fr. Robert Nugent and Dr. Jeannine Grammick
, who established New Ways Ministry
, and were both disciplined by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
because of their dissent from magisterial Church teaching regarding this issue. Similarly, the American Bishops Thomas Gumbleton
of Detroit
and Matthew Clark of Rochester, New York
were criticized for their association with New Ways Ministry, and their distortion of the theological concept of the Primacy of Conscience as an alternative to the actual teaching of the Church. Furthermore, the insistence of Bishop Jacques Gaillot to preach a message about homosexuality contrary to that of the official stance of the Church is largely considered to be one of the factors that led to him being removed from his See.
Over 260 catholic theologians, particularly from Germany
, Switzerland
and Austria
signed in January/February 2011 a memorandum
Church 2011
. They want more ecclesiastical respect for gay couples, who live in civil union
s
A 2011 report based on telephone surveys of American Catholics conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute found that 43% support same-sex marriage
, 31% support civil union
s, and 22% oppose any legal recognition of a same-sex relationship. 56% believe that sexual relations between two people of the same sex are not sinful. 73% favor anti-discrimination laws, 63% support the right of gay people to serve openly in the military, and 60% favor allowing same-sex couples to adopt children. Catholic support of gay rights is thus higher than that of other Christian groups and of the general population.
and Francis Cardinal Arinze, who have insisted that the family as a unit is "mocked by homosexuality" and "sabotaged by irregular unions".
After Pope Benedict XVI
was elected pope, the Congregation for Catholic Education
issued an "instruction" prohibiting any individuals who "present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called 'gay culture'", or any individuals having had such "tendencies" within the past three years, from entry to seminary
, and from joining the priesthood.
Natural law
Natural law, or the law of nature , is any system of law which is purportedly determined by nature, and thus universal. Classically, natural law refers to the use of reason to analyze human nature and deduce binding rules of moral behavior. Natural law is contrasted with the positive law Natural...
and sin
Sin
In religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...
ful, while homosexual desires are considered "disordered" but not themselves sinful. The Catholic Church considers human sexual behavior
Human sexual behavior
Human sexual activities or human sexual practices or human sexual behavior refers to the manner in which humans experience and express their sexuality. People engage in a variety of sexual acts from time to time, and for a wide variety of reasons...
to be sacred, when properly expressed. The Church considers homosexual behavior to be sinful because sexual acts, by their nature, are divinely intended to be both unitive and procreative (mirroring God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
's inner Trinitarian
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
life). The Church also believes the complementarity of the sexes to be part of God's plan. The Church holds same-gender sexual activities to be incompatible with this framework:
[H]omosexual acts 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.
These teachings are not limited to the issue of homosexuality, but form the philosophical underpinning for the Catholic teachings against, for example, fornication
Fornication
Fornication typically refers to consensual sexual intercourse between two people not married to each other. For many people, the term carries a moral or religious association, but the significance of sexual acts to which the term is applied varies between religions, societies and cultures. The...
, all other forms of sodomy
Sodomy
Sodomy is an anal or other copulation-like act, especially between male persons or between a man and animal, and one who practices sodomy is a "sodomite"...
(such as anal sex), as well as contraception
Contraception
Contraception is the prevention of the fusion of gametes during or after sexual activity. The term contraception is a contraction of contra, which means against, and the word conception, meaning fertilization...
, pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
, and masturbation
Masturbation
Masturbation refers to sexual stimulation of a person's own genitals, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation can be performed manually, by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of these methods. Masturbation is a common form of autoeroticism...
.
Many Catholics oppose the official teachings of the Church on homosexuality, and in some locations, such as the United States, show stronger support for gay rights than the general population.
Compassion for those with "disordered" attractions
The Church has stated that homosexual desires or attractions themselves are not necessarily sinful. They are said to be "disordered" in the sense that they tempt one to do something that is sinful (i.e., the homosexual act), but temptations beyond one's control are not considered sinful in and of themselves. For this reason, while the Church does oppose attempts to legitimize same-gender sexual acts, it also urges respect and love for those who do experience same-sex attractions; thus the Catholic Church is also opposed to persecutions and violence against persons with same-sex attractions:The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them 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.
The church has also issued a statement that "urges States to do away with criminal penalties against [homosexual persons]," calling it "grave violations of human rights." It opposes all forms of violence against homosexual people and believes it should be confronted at all levels, but especially at the state level.
For those who do experience same-sex attractions and identify themselves with a homosexual orientation, the Catholic Church offers the following counsel:
Homosexual persons are called to chastityChastityChastity refers to the sexual behavior of a man or woman acceptable to the moral standards and guidelines of a culture, civilization, or religion....
. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramentSacramentA sacrament is a sacred rite recognized as of particular importance and significance. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites.-General definitions and terms:...
al grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach ChristianChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
perfection.
Chastity-promoting ministries
Terence Cardinal Cooke of New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
saw a need for a ministry which would assist Catholics with a same-sex attraction
Same-sex attraction
Same-sex attraction is a term occasionally used instead of the more common term homosexuality to refer to a person's feelings of sexual attraction toward members of the same gender identity....
to adhere to Catholic teaching on sexual behaviour. Cooke invited John Harvey to New York to begin the work of Courage International
Courage International
Courage International is an apostolate and Christian ministry of the Roman Catholic Church, which "ministers to those with same-sex attractions,"...
with Benedict Groeschel, of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
The Community of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal is a mendicant congregation in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church...
. The first meeting was held in September 1980 at the Shrine of Mother Seton in South Ferry
South Ferry
South Ferry may refer to:*South Ferry, Manhattan, the location at the southern tip of Manhattan where the Staten Island Ferry Whitehall Terminal is located.*South Ferry, Brooklyn, the former ferry landing at the foot of Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn...
.
The Catholic Medical Association
Catholic Medical Association
The Catholic Medical Association is an organization of Catholic physician, dentists and health care professionals in the United States and Canada.The organization studies and holds conferences on topics that relate spirituality and health...
has stated that same-sex attractions are preventable and a symptom of other issues. The goal of therapy should be "freedom to live chastely according to one's state in life."
Dissent from official Church position
There is considerable debate within the Roman Catholic Church regarding the Church's teaching on homosexuality; while some dissent from it or seek to change it, others regard it as definitive, infallible, and unchangeable as a magisterial dogmaDogma
Dogma is the established belief or doctrine held by a religion, or a particular group or organization. It is authoritative and not to be disputed, doubted, or diverged from, by the practitioners or believers...
of the Church. In an official brief called Rescriptum ex audientia of May 19, 2008 made by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone the Cardinal Secretary of State reaffirmed the norms established by the Congregation for Catholic Education in the 2005 document entitled "Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocation with regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in view of their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders," as being of universal value and without exceptions.
Notable examples of theologians who have been sharply critical of the Church's proclamations regarding homosexuality include Professor Charles Curran
Charles Curran (theologian)
The Rev. Charles E. Curran is a moral theologian. He currently serves at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, as the Elizabeth Scurlock University Professor of Human Values.-Biography:...
, who was subsequently removed from the faculty at the Catholic University of America. Curran contended in 1971 that homosexual acts, in the context of a committed relationship, fell short of the ideal but were to be considered good for homosexual people; he stated that "I had come to accept the moral legitimacy of a union of two gay men or lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
s." However, he has since recognized shortcomings in this argument, and in 1992, though without explicitly stating a change of position, he said that "the official hierarchical Roman Catholic teaching should accept the moral value and goodness" of same-sex relationships, not excepting those that include sex. Curran has stated that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition , and after 1904 called the Supreme...
systematically attempted to silence authors critical of teachings on homosexuality, citing the "highlighting" of errors in Dr. John J. McNeill's
John J. McNeill
John J. McNeill was ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1959 and now is a psychotherapist and an academic theologian, with a particular reputation within the field of Queer Theology.-Academic career:...
The Church and the Homosexual.
Roman Catholic priest Dr. James Alison
James Alison
James Alison is a Catholic theologian and author. He is noted for his work on gay issues and the application of René Girard's anthropological theory in theology....
argues that the understanding proposed by (then) Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger in On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons
On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons
The Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, is a letter to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith of the Roman Catholic Church written in 1985 and delivered in Rome on 1 October 1986 by then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and...
is "incompatible with the Gospel" and summarizes that "it cannot in fact be the teaching of the Church." Furthermore, in a Question of Truth, the Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
priest Gareth Moore
Gareth Moore
Gareth Moore is a Scottish rugby league player for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in the Engage Super League. He plays as a scrum-half. He is a current Scotland international.-External links:*...
concludes that: "... there are no good arguments, from either Scripture or natural law, against what have come to be known as homosexual relationships. The arguments put forward to show that such relationships are immoral are bad."
In addition to academic disagreement within the Church, there have also been practical and ministerial disagreements within the clergy and hierarchy of the Church. Two notable examples of ordained Catholics who have attracted controversy because of their actions and ministry to homosexuals are Fr. Robert Nugent and Dr. Jeannine Grammick
Jeannine Gramick
Jeannine Gramick, S.L., is a Roman Catholic religious sister and a co-founder of the activist organization New Ways Ministry.-Career and work:...
, who established New Ways Ministry
New Ways Ministry
New Ways Ministry is an organization providing positive ministry and support to gay and lesbian Catholics in the United States of America. The organization is primarily based in Maryland.-History and purpose:...
, and were both disciplined by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition , and after 1904 called the Supreme...
because of their dissent from magisterial Church teaching regarding this issue. Similarly, the American Bishops Thomas Gumbleton
Thomas Gumbleton
Thomas John Gumbleton is a retired Roman Catholic auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit.-Education and career:...
of Detroit
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church covering the Michigan counties of Lapeer, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, and Wayne...
and Matthew Clark of Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
were criticized for their association with New Ways Ministry, and their distortion of the theological concept of the Primacy of Conscience as an alternative to the actual teaching of the Church. Furthermore, the insistence of Bishop Jacques Gaillot to preach a message about homosexuality contrary to that of the official stance of the Church is largely considered to be one of the factors that led to him being removed from his See.
Over 260 catholic theologians, particularly from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
signed in January/February 2011 a memorandum
Memorandum
A memorandum is from the Latin verbal phrase memorandum est, the gerundive form of the verb memoro, "to mention, call to mind, recount, relate", which means "It must be remembered ..."...
Church 2011
Church 2011
Church 2011 is a memorandum promulgated by Catholic theology professors, primarily from Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The memorandum, whose full German title is Kirche 2011: Ein notwendiger Aufbruch, was started in Germany in January 2011...
. They want more ecclesiastical respect for gay couples, who live in civil union
Civil union
A civil union, also referred to as a civil partnership, is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. Beginning with Denmark in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in many developed countries in order to provide same-sex couples rights,...
s
A 2011 report based on telephone surveys of American Catholics conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute found that 43% support same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage in the United States
The federal government does not recognize same-sex marriage in the United States, but such marriages are recognized by some individual states. The lack of federal recognition was codified in 1996 by the Defense of Marriage Act, before Massachusetts became the first state to grant marriage licenses...
, 31% support civil union
Civil union
A civil union, also referred to as a civil partnership, is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. Beginning with Denmark in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in many developed countries in order to provide same-sex couples rights,...
s, and 22% oppose any legal recognition of a same-sex relationship. 56% believe that sexual relations between two people of the same sex are not sinful. 73% favor anti-discrimination laws, 63% support the right of gay people to serve openly in the military, and 60% favor allowing same-sex couples to adopt children. Catholic support of gay rights is thus higher than that of other Christian groups and of the general population.
Defense of official Church position
Some bishops have obtained a reputation for an impassioned defence of Church teaching regarding homosexuality. Notable examples include George Cardinal PellGeorge Pell
George Pell AC is an Australian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the eighth and current Archbishop of Sydney, serving since 2001. He previously served as auxiliary bishop and archbishop of the Archdiocese of Melbourne...
and Francis Cardinal Arinze, who have insisted that the family as a unit is "mocked by homosexuality" and "sabotaged by irregular unions".
After Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
was elected pope, the Congregation for Catholic Education
Congregation for Catholic Education
The Congregation for Catholic Education is the Pontifical congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for: seminaries and houses of formation of...
issued an "instruction" prohibiting any individuals who "present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called 'gay culture'", or any individuals having had such "tendencies" within the past three years, from entry to seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
, and from joining the priesthood.
See also
- DignityUSADignityUSADignityUSA is a U.S. organization with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts that "works for respect and justice" for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons in the Roman Catholic Church and the world through education, advocacy and support...
- Gay bishopsGay bishopsThe existence of homosexual bishops in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, and other traditions is a matter of historical record, though never, until recently, considered licit by any of the main Christian denominations. Homosexual activity was engaged in secretly. When it was made public, official...
- Homosexuality and ChristianityHomosexuality and ChristianityChristian denominations hold a variety of views on the issues of sexual orientation and homosexuality, ranging from outright condemnation to complete acceptance. In accordance with the traditional values of Abrahamic religions, most Christian denominations welcome people attracted to the same sex,...
- Ministry to Persons with a Homosexual InclinationMinistry to Persons with a Homosexual InclinationMinistry to Persons with a Homosexual Inclination is a document which was issued on November 14, 2006 by the bishops of the Roman Catholic Church...
- Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations with regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in view of their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders
- Homosexuality in the Roman Catholic priesthoodHomosexuality in the Roman Catholic priesthoodThis article is about individuals in the Roman Catholic Church. For a general discussion see Homosexuality and Roman CatholicismStudies into homosexuality and Roman Catholic priests find it difficult to quantify specific percentages of gay clergy as Roman Catholic priests who minister in Catholic...