Posted on 06/27/2014 10:34:25 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
A major document by the Vatican has said that unjust discrimination against gay people needs to be avoided and that children of same-sex unions must be cared for as any other, but it still maintains opposition to same-sex couples adopting children and has affirmed traditional teachings on marriage.
The Instrumentum Laboris is a result of Pope Francis' call in October 2013 for Roman Catholic bishops around the world to convene and discuss matters of family and the Christian faith.
"On unions of persons of the same sex, the responses of the bishops' conferences refer to Church teaching. 'There are absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions to be in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God's plan for marriage and family. [...] Nonetheless, according to the teaching of the Church, men and women with homosexual tendencies 'must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided,'" the lengthy document reads.
It adds that every bishops' conference spoke out against redefining marriage between a man and a woman.
"The episcopal conferences amply demonstrate that they are trying to find a balance between the Church's teaching on the family and a respectful, non-judgmental attitude towards people living in such unions," the document continues.
"On the whole, the extreme reactions to these unions, whether compromising or uncompromising, do not seem to have facilitated the development of an effective pastoral programme which is consistent with the Magisterium and compassionate towards the persons concerned."
The bishops have also said that they are "clearly opposed to legislation which would allow the adoption of children by persons in a same-sex union, because they see a risk to the integral good of the child, who has the right to have a mother and father."
However, the responses to the conferences emphasized that when such couples request their child to be baptized, the child must be "received with the same care, tenderness and concern which is given to other children."
"Many responses indicate that it would be helpful to receive more concrete pastoral directives in these situations. Clearly, the Church has the duty to ascertain the actual elements involved in transmitting the faith to the child. Should a reasonable doubt exist in the capability of persons in a same sex union to instruct the child in the Christian faith, proper support is to be secured in the same manner as for any other couple seeking the baptism of their children," the Instrumentum Laboris states.
In October's Extraordinary General Assembly in 2014, the synod fathers will analyze the information presented in the document and respond to the new challenges before families. Later, the Ordinary General Assembly in 2015 will reflect further on the points discussed and formulate appropriate pastoral guidelines.
In many ways the document echoes statements Pope Francis has made in the past, such as ub an in-depth interview in September 2013 where he backed Church teachings on traditional marriage, but said that LGBT people "must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity."
The National Catholic Reporter suggested on Thursday that the new document is "uneven" and said that it will require in depth analysis.
"Parts are provocative, parts are stale, and much of it could have benefited from greater input from the people being discussed," the publication wrote.
"This document attests to the fact that the synod will have a lot on its plate when it meets this autumn. The issue of family life is central and integral to the proclamation of the Gospel and family life, as we Catholics understand it, has been permitted to deteriorate in many cultures in the West and now faces different challenges in those parts of the world where the Church is growing fastest, such as Africa and parts of Asia."
Just want to note that this is a working draft and not the final document.
Major Vatican Document Says Unjust Discrimination Against Gay People Should Be Avoided
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So. If we are to adhere to the Bible and follow what it says; we will be guilty of Unjust Discrimination.
If God does indeed send filthy Sodomites to Hell; He too is guilty of Unjust Discrimination.
Got it.
I have nothing against a talented gay artist painting the Sistine Chapel, as an example, just as long as he has no contact with children.
PFL
The CCC has always said this. Does not mean the Catholic Church condones the act of homosexuality and or will endorse homo “marriage”. That will never happen as long as there’s a Bible. The word of God does not change.
Trying to figure what this really means. Wouldn't the most compassionate response be to tell these couples that they need to separate and follow Church teaching and remain celibate?
Or are we talking about more of this post VII "pastoral and compassionate" BS?
The Roman "church" does not represent YHvH's WORD !shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
I have no problem with this. Gay people should not be executed, or beaten or jailed for being gay. Whatever they do with another consenting adult in their bedroom is their business — I’m not their priest or minister so their souls are not my responsibility. But, of course, that’s not where we are today in America. Today, we have a gay agenda that forces acceptance on everyone at the risk of financial ruin. That I disagree with.
...Do they mean other than the “discrimination” that Scripture condemns them to hell unless they repent??? God has already discriminated against them. Big time.
I am so mad I could spit.
We are going through a worldwide systematic campaign of legitimacy of the sin of Sodom, and the response to it is.....warning people against “unjust” discriminating against the Sodomites. LIKE THAT’S THE BIG FLIPPING PROBLEM HERE.
VATICANISTI.....siete tutti scemi. SCEMI. Se non volete difendere la fede, ANDATE TUTTI A CASA e non ci cimentare con queste scemenze. Porco!
I’ll apologize to you English speakers for the yelling. The Italian speakers deserve every bit of it.
You mean when the gays' avoid their unjust defiance of God?
Don't spout that libertarian nonsense. That is the first step to all the rest.
On second reading looks like that line that was pulled out of a wider ranging document, and that the actual document did indeed teach what it was supposed to.
Ok Claud...you got worked up over some idiot American’s spin. calm down.
Happy feast of the Sacred Heart all! :)
B.S. The recent statements are leaning so far in the direction of accommodation and acceptance the ship is going to capsize. By capsize I mean the post-conciliar newchurch will be exposed as the fraud it is for everyone to see.
I agree with excluding the execution part, and severe beatings. But incarceration and extended water board sessions: highly recommended (for homo behavior, not orientation).
Homosexual unions will never be accepted by the church. This will be made specifically clear in October. Homosexual adoptions will never be accepted. This will also be made clear. As a matter of fact discussions of homosexuals will be a very small part of the council on the family. In the questionare that was sent to my parish the end of last year, and the one my wife and I filled out, was very generic, and didn’t mention homosexuals one way of the other.
This looks like another straddle from the Vatican.
Why doesn’t the Vatican simply say what Jesus said to the prostitute?
Bishop against bishop, priest against priest. You will see a split whereby liberal parishes become extremely accommodating to homosexual couples, distributing Communion without a hint of disapproval. They will be told not to worry, that the Mercy of Christ is so great that this merely technical departure from Church teaching will be forgiven; rainbow party at 6 Tuesday bring your friends.
What is so sacrosanct about "consent"? It is, you realize, a Western, Judeo-Christian social construct promulgated by privileged white men, as easily (and inevitably!) discarded as all other such reactionary inhibitions, such as chastity, fidelity, marriage, heteronormativity, etc.
Consenting, indeed.
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