Cardinal Nichols: synod’s final document insufficiently welcoming toward homosexuals
October 21, 2014
England’s leading prelate said that the final document of the recent Synod of Bishops on the family did not go “far enough” in its language on persons with same-sex attractions, according to a Telegraph report.
“There were three key words as far as I was concerned … ‘respect’, ‘welcome’ and ‘value,’” said Cardinal Vincent Nicholas. “I was looking for those words and they weren’t there, and so I didn’t think that was a good paragraph.”
“We don’t work by lobbying and pressure groups, we work by sitting down and honestly talking with each other, and that’s why these last two weeks have actually been a very good experience,” he added.
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Posted by: unum -
Oct. 22, 2014 9:25 AM ET USA
Why should the Church specially ‘respect’, ‘welcome’ and ‘value,’ homosexuals? The Church does ‘respect’, ‘welcome’ and ‘value,’” its members, who are all sinners, so I fail to see the need to single out any particular group for special ‘respect’, ‘welcome’ and ‘value'. But, I do agree that its individual clergy and laity need to offer more ‘respect’, ‘welcome’ and ‘value,’ to all who seek it, as Pope Francis has clearly stated in his apostolic exhortation, "The Joy of the Gospel".
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Posted by: bernie4871 -
Oct. 22, 2014 7:26 AM ET USA
"Respect, welcome, value" are probably the three worst words that might have appeared in the Synod's documents in regard to sexual deviance. How could an educated Englishman not know what they mean? Its their language. How can a Catholic esteem sin?
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Posted by: feedback -
Oct. 21, 2014 10:12 PM ET USA
There is something seriously wrong with a hierarch of the Catholic Church who classifies the people of God by their sexual appetites.
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Posted by: Jerz -
Oct. 21, 2014 8:09 PM ET USA
This is true. We the Church need to be more welcoming to homosexuals. How else will we be able to tell them the truth that an openly gay lifestyle won't bring fulfillment? To respect, welcome and value does not conflict with the truth. My impression is that many homosexuals are confused and lonely but do not feel like they can turn to the Church, their home. They probably feel this way because of unChristian attitudes like those shown in the other comments to this story.
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Posted by: Defender -
Oct. 21, 2014 7:40 PM ET USA
The link didn't work, but the Huff Post had an article, of course. In it the cardinal couldn't remember how he voted on the paragraph but he didn't like it (not welcoming, etc). This is the same archbishop that defended the gay masses in his Soho churches, too.
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Posted by: polish.pinecone4371 -
Oct. 21, 2014 7:32 PM ET USA
Are other categories of sinners sufficiently welcomed in that document?
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Posted by: -
Oct. 21, 2014 12:10 PM ET USA
Nichols is merely referring to Scripture. As it says in Leviticus 20:13: "If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them shall be put to death . . ., but first they are to be respected, welcomed and valued."
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Posted by: Lucius49 -
Oct. 21, 2014 9:32 AM ET USA
Insufficiently welcoming? What does that mean? What is the definition of welcoming?
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Posted by: jg23753479 -
Oct. 21, 2014 8:29 AM ET USA
Yes, of course, we know all about the impressive successes of the Church in England, the overflowing pews there similar to those in Germany. These astounding results are all due to policies of the kind recommended here by Card. Vincent Nichols.
