65. Homosexual people must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity.

Homosexual people must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity.

YOUCAT Catechism + Catechism of the Catholic Church Lesson 65

Ave Maria series

Man the Creature (continued)

65.  What about people who feel they are homosexual?

The Church believes that, in the order of creation, man and woman are designed to need each other’s complementary traits and to enter into a mutual relationship so as to give life to children.  That is why homosexual practices cannot be approved by the Church.  Christians owe all persons respect and love, however, regardless of the sexual orientation, because all people are respected and loved by God. [2357-2359]

My son John said, ”Dad, I am the same John you have always known,” was the consideration sought of me when John (left) told me of his homosexual preference.  John Bragg and Jim Houzner (right) are partners married under the laws of New Jersey.  John is a tenured professor with a doctorate degree at Jersey City University.  Jim is employed by K-Mart in Jersey City, NJ. It is this father’s opinion that God does not make mistakes. …..65

[2357-2359]

Chastity and homosexuality

2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity,( Compare *Genesis 19:1-29; **Romans 1:24-27; ***1 Corinthians 6:10; ****1 Timothy 1:10.)¹⁴¹ tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered."( Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Persona Humana 8.)¹⁴² They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved. –Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition

 2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition. --CCC

2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection. --CCC