You may have noticed from the preceding article that, for possibly the first time in history, homosexual issues will be on the agenda of the World Meeting of Families (WMOF) organized by the Catholic Church.
And the Priest giving the talk, Father James Martin, says it was proposed by the Vatican.
This would marks an historic step by the Catholic Church regarding the homosexual community.
His lecture, about welcoming homosexual couples and their families into parishes, will take place between August 21 and 24, according to the WMOF’s official program. It will be held before Pope Francis’ visit on the final two days of the event.
Nearly 10,000 people have called for the removal of Father Martin from the program. The petition was created by the Tradition Family Property (TFP), which opposes abortion and same-sex marriage.
The World Meeting of Families is a major event in the Roman Catholic calendar, and is attended by a number of senior figures from the Catholic Church. It focuses on the importance of Marriage and family life.
“I’m not bothered much by protests or petitions motivated by hatred and homophobia,” Father Martin said, “because the hatred and homophobia are rooted mainly in fear. Fear of the LGBT person as the ‘other.’ Fear of what might happen if we listen to the experience of LGBT Catholics. And, often, fear of one’s own complicated sexuality,” he added.
He continued: “In the New Testament we read that perfect love drives out fear. Absolutely. But I would also add that perfect fear drives out love. That’s what we’re seeing here – because nothing in my book goes against any church teaching. But what kind of person would I be if I let fear dissuade me from loving? So I’m looking forward to my talk at the World Meeting of Families, and I’m grateful for the Vatican for inviting me.”
Father Martin said he is impassioned about about including homosexuals and transgender people in the Church.
“The main reason that I’ve become involved in LGBT issues is because LGBT people are part of the Church, and so they deserve to be cared for,” he said. “They are also the most marginalised group in the Catholic Church and for that reason they deserve special care and attention.”
The homosexual community believes that progress on LGBT+ issues within the Catholic Church has been slow, but there has recently been some indication that the Church, under Pope Francis, is, in their opinion, “modernizing”.
I suppose they mean the Church is on the path (they hope for and demand) to affirming homosexuality as just one many authentic expressions of human sexuality.
If Father Martin’s presence at the WMOF is any indication, the homosexual community may just be correct.
To that extent, I find his presence at a conference established to reinforce Church teaching regarding the sanctity of Marriage and the family just a bit more than confusing and disturbing.
Of course, there is a pastoral dimension to what Father Martin is proposing but what same-sex relationships have to do with Marriage is certainly perplexing, to me at least.
Of course, the Church needs to address the circumstances of people active in the homosexual lifestyle.
But why address that issue in the context of Marriage? Doesn't this imply a moral equivalency in the nature of the marital and same-sex relationship?
I find Father Martin's presence and the themes of his presentations at the WMOF perplexing, if not disturbing.
What thinkest you?
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