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Catholic World News News Feature

US bishops adopt guide for pastoral outreach to homosexuals November 15, 2006

By a large majority, the Catholic bishops of the United States voted on November 14 to approve a new document which would guide their care for homosexual men and women.

The document, entitled “Ministry to Persons with a Homosexual Inclination: Guidelines for Pastoral Care,” aims at placing an emphasis on welcoming and offering support for men and women who, due to homosexual inclinations, “feel themselves to be unwelcome and rejected,” by the Church.

Bishop Arthur Serratelli, who headed the committed which drafted the document said that the bishops hoped the new guidelines would, “help us as bishops to promote sound, effective ministry to persons with a homosexual inclination,” noting that, “In her message the Church offers a positive message in her teaching. The Church offers hope.”

“The tone of the document,” Bishop Serratelli said, “is positive, pastoral, and welcoming… Its starting point is the intrinsic human dignity of every person and God’s love for every person. Every person who ministers in the name of the Church must respect this human dignity.”

While the bishops did not shy away from using the often misunderstood term “disordered”-- saying, “the homosexual inclination is objectively disordered, i.e., it is an inclination that predisposes one toward what is truly not good for the human person”-- the bishops did make a concerted effort to clarify what a “disordered” view of human sexuality is.

The document also points out the importance of emphasizing the Christian understanding of virtue and the need for growth in virtue among all Catholics, especially the virtue of chastity. The Church, Bishop Serratelli noted, “tells each person to live out the universal call to holiness. This call often comes with struggle and self-denial.”

The bishops noted the possibility for those people who experience their homosexual attractions as an “unwanted burden,” to seek therapeutic help, but noted that “there is currently no scientific consensus on the cause of the homosexual inclination,” and, “no consensus on therapy.”

The document also dismisses the idea of homosexual “marriage,” in the context of placing the discussion of homosexuality within the greater context of God’s plan for sexuality. “The complementary sexuality of man and woman is part of God’s creative design,” Bishop Serratelli said, noting that human sexuality is naturally created for the bond of marriage that has two natural ends, the expression of marital love and the procreation and education of children.

A large portion of the document offers a more practical consideration of the pastoral care for those with homosexual inclinations, taking a look at their participation within the life and sacraments of the Church, particular catechesis for such people, and means of offering pastoral support.