Replies

20 ... However, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops took that a step farther and told CP (Christian Post) that it has offered no such support. ...

5/24/2013
http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/boys-scouts-of-america-lifts-ban-on-= homosexual-scouts

Bishop Robert Guglielmone, the USCCB episcopal liaison for the National Catholic Committee on Scouting (NCCS), attended the meeting and wasn’t surprised by the result of the vote. “I kind of expected that this is the way the vote would go,” Bishop Guglielmone told the Register. I’m not particularly encouraged by it, but I knew it would happen eventually. As the policy change is right now promoted, we can live with it.. Unfortunately, there are many people who are interpreting this policy to go much further than it actually does, particularly in the secular press.”

Bishop Guglielmone believes that the revision is acceptable to Catholics because, in accord with Church teaching, it makes a distinction between same-sex attraction and same-sex actions. “Church teaching is very clear that the homosexual inclination is not sinful and that same-sex attraction is not immoral,” he says, “but that what we’re dealing with here is the distinction between the inclination and the conduct. The standards remain the same as they always have for scouts. Homosexual activity will not be condoned.”

Bishop Guglielmone, who served as the Holy See’s world chaplain to Catholic scouting for 2, 4-year terms (2000-2008), believes Catholic flight would be a mistake. “My concern is that we have well over half a million young people in the program,” he said, “and most of those kids are going to stay no matter what happens. We have a real obligation to stay in dialogue and to stay connected to the program.” Added the bishop, “The leadership of the BSA has made it very clear that they intend to hold the line on adult leaders, but they also said they would hold the line on this issue, so where this could go, I don’t know. That’s why I feel it’s imperative for the Church to continue to be involved. And if it gets to the point where some of our basic issues our threatened such as being able to pick leaders for Catholic chartered groups or in diminishing the role of religion and God, then we will have to re-evaluate our participation in the program at that time.”