{"id":3695,"date":"2011-08-05T15:34:09","date_gmt":"2011-08-05T20:34:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.austincnm.com\/?p=3695"},"modified":"2011-08-05T15:57:57","modified_gmt":"2011-08-05T20:57:57","slug":"everyone-has-a-right-to-homosexuality-the-catholic-church","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2011\/08\/everyone-has-a-right-to-homosexuality-the-catholic-church\/","title":{"rendered":"Everyone has a Right to… : Homosexuality & the Catholic Church"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>
\n\u201cUnfortunately, in our efforts to teach the wrongness of homosexual acts, at times all that has been \u2018heard\u2019 is the sound of condemnation and rejection. What is missed, then, what is not heard, is the Church\u2019s teaching that people with a homosexual orientation, like everyone else, are created in God\u2019s image and possess a human dignity which must be respected and protected.\u201d \u2013 Cardinal Bernardin<\/em><\/p>\n

A couple of weeks ago I had lunch with a teen. Curious about their take on the recent passage of the Same-Sex Marriage Legislation in New York, I ask them what they thought. Their response was basically, \u201cThey have the right to love and marry who they love, so it\u2019s okay. I know what the Catholic Church teaches, but they\u2019re good people and have the right to do what they want.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sigh. It was a response that was not entirely surprising, though it was slightly disheartening to hear from a teen that I know so well and that has a deep love for and understanding of the Catholic Church.<\/p>\n

After the teen shared their opinion, I paused for a moment in silent prayer and to take in what they had said. I wanted this teen to continue to trust me and make sure that the dialogue between us on this, and many other future topics would always be open, as they have been in the past concerning both personal and faith matters. And then I responded with a gentle, charitable conviction for the Catholic faith, treading lightly but firmly. (At least I hope and pray I did.) Here is some of what I said\u2026<\/p>\n

We, as man and woman, were created in the image and likeness of God, purposefully made male and female (Genesis 1:27). All of us, because we are created in God\u2019s image, have dignity and worth, regardless of who we are, what we do and how we live. And that in that dignity and worth God has created special purposes, vocations, for us all.<\/p>\n

For some, it is to be a priest, for some, to be married, for others, to be single. And that within this vocation is the universal vocation, a call that we have all been given, to be holy. It is in this call to holiness that we recognize that God has declared us sacred by his authority, with a special and dedicated purpose. Everyone as a right to live out that call to holiness.<\/p>\n

Someone who is gay has dignity and worth because they are created in God\u2019s image and likeness. And God has a special vocation for them, and a special trial and struggle for them. Theirs is a vocation that is clearer than for those who are heterosexual (straight): to live single, chaste and celibate lives. God has set people who are homosexual together with a clear vocational path and calling to holiness and living for God. This calling is particularly difficult to follow and adhere to because we live in a society that is constantly telling us to do things that \u2018feel right to us\u2019 and follow God only in ways that are right for us personally. This often results in disregarding parts of the God\u2019s purpose for us and not completely following the faith that He has set out for us. Everyone has a right to live out what God\u2019s purpose is for us, and everyone as a right to not live it out.<\/p>\n

We have to remember that God doesn\u2019t make mistakes with anyone because we are made in His image and likeness and that He has a specific plan for us, as we are reminded in Jeremiah, \u201cBefore I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you\u201d Jeremiah 1:5).<\/p>\n

Also, we are called to love everyone, including anyone who is homosexual because they have dignity and worth, however, we don\u2019t have to agree with their lifestyle if they chose to live outside of the plan that God has set out for them. We\u2019re called to love the sinner, not the sin they are committing by not following God\u2019s call for them. Just as someone who is straight might pursue sex outside of marriage in an adulterous relationship, or someone might be a perpetual thief, or someone might struggle with pride, we all have our trials and crosses to bear in living our lives for God. Some of them might seem more difficult than others, but each is still a cross and trial to the individual person that will have their own struggle with it, whether it\u2019s homosexuality, pornography, lying, gossiping, etc. Everyone has a right to take up their crosses and live for Christ through their trials.<\/p>\n

After I shared this with the teen, they gave me a \u201cI\u2019m processing what you have shared with me\u201d look. They had to leave to go home at that moment, but said as they were leaving \u201cLet\u2019s talk about this again later.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, in this blog (and in my conversation with the teen) I just barely skimmed the surface of this controversial and often divisive topic. But especially living in Austin with a large homosexual population and living in a country where the definition of marriage is being re-defined, it is important for us to understand what the Church teaching and be able to share it in a charitable manner. So please, consider looking at some of the resources I\u2019ve provided below to answer questions you may have. Everyone has a right and responsibility to share and live our Catholic faith, which means we need to know and be able to share what the Church truly teaches about homosexuality and marriage.<\/p>\n

What, then, are homosexual persons to do who seek to follow the Lord? Fundamentally, they are called to enact the will of God in their life by joining whatever sufferings and difficulties they experience in virtue of their condition to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross. That Cross, for the believer, is a fruitful sacrifice since from that death come life and redemption. While any call to carry the cross or to understand a Christian’s suffering in this way will predictably be met with bitter ridicule by some, it should be remembered that this is the way to eternal life for all who follow Christ. \u2013Blessed Pope John Paul II<\/em><\/p>\n

Resources:
\nSummary of the Catholic Church\u2019s Teaching on Marriage and Same-Sex Unions<\/a> from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)<\/p>\n

Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons<\/a><\/p>\n

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB):
\nSubcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage<\/a><\/p>\n

Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), especially:
\nCCC #1601<\/a>
\nCCC #2333, #2337-2349 and #2357-2359<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cUnfortunately, in our efforts to teach the wrongness of homosexual acts, at times all that has been \u2018heard\u2019 is the sound of condemnation and rejection. What is missed, then, what is not heard, is the Church\u2019s teaching that people with a homosexual orientation, like everyone else, are created in God\u2019s image and possess a human… [Read More]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"{title}\n\n{excerpt}\n\n{url}","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4],"tags":[206,207,81],"class_list":["post-3695","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-blog","tag-charity","tag-lgbt","tag-marriage","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":16254,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2012\/05\/marriage-saltwater\/","url_meta":{"origin":3695,"position":0},"title":"Marriage & Saltwater","author":"Casey Truelove","date":"May 23, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Catholics believe that it is impossible for people of the same sex to marry each other. This particular Church teaching is one of the most often attacked from without (and, unfortunately, dissented from within). In order to better understand this doctrine, I would like to focus on one particular aspect\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Column"","block_context":{"text":"Column","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/column\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Salt-Water-01-630x206.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":97472,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2015\/03\/an-open-letter-to-angry-christians-against-gay-persons\/","url_meta":{"origin":3695,"position":1},"title":"An Open Letter to Angry Christians Against Gay Persons","author":"Britt Echtenkamp","date":"March 16, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Dear Reader, Before I begin, let me start off by explaining what this letter\u00a0is NOT: It is not meant to be a theology lesson. (For info on the Catholic church's teaching on gay \"marriage\", look here\u00a0and here.) It\u00a0is not about the politics around being gay\u00a0in the US. This letter is\u00a0simply\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pope Francis","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/popefrancis-253x190.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":175085,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2015\/11\/organized-religion-good-humanity\/","url_meta":{"origin":3695,"position":2},"title":"Is Organized Religion Good For Humanity?","author":"Matthew Hartwick","date":"November 19, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I recently came across a website of an organization called \u201cFreedom from Religion\u201d which had a very specific goal: to help all people purge religion from their lives so that they could be \u201cfree.\u201d This view on religion is nothing new, and it isn\u2019t surprising that a movement is currently\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Faith"","block_context":{"text":"Faith","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/faith-blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pointing to Scripture","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/lightstock_167786_medium_cris_a-285x190.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":26726,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2012\/12\/why-i-believe-in-gay-equality\/","url_meta":{"origin":3695,"position":3},"title":"Why I Believe in Gay Equality","author":"David Casper","date":"December 15, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"First things first: I apologize for my extended hiatus from posting blogs. Let's just say a lot of very significant and life-changing things happened to me one after another. Second things second: I'd like to return to my regularly scheduled programming by speaking about a rather snaggly issue in our\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Obama-facepalm-300x210.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":780,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2011\/03\/two-guys-a-girl-and-a-catholic-podcast-episode-3\/","url_meta":{"origin":3695,"position":4},"title":"Two Guys, a Girl and a Catholic Podcast Episode 3","author":"Jason Elizondo","date":"March 6, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"[powerpress] Segment #1 - Current Events - Jason http:\/\/www.ewtnnews.com\/catholic-news\/US.php?id=2708#ixzz1EwE6V7jU U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced Feb. 23 that the administration now believes the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act \u2013 which defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman and denies marital benefits to homosexual partnerships \u2013 is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Two Guys, a Girl and a Catholic Podcast"","block_context":{"text":"Two Guys, a Girl and a Catholic Podcast","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/podcast\/2guysagirl\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":98659,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2015\/03\/addendum-an-open-letter-to-angry-christians-against-gay-persons\/","url_meta":{"origin":3695,"position":5},"title":"Addendum: “An Open Letter to Angry Christians Against Gay Persons”","author":"Britt Echtenkamp","date":"March 23, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I owe my readers an apology and some clarification. My last post is\u00a0in need of expounding - I would blame the whole working-mom-no-sleep thing, but that's just an excuse. The truth is I've got a lot to learn as both a writer and Catholic, and I am blessed to have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3695","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3695"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3695\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3695"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3695"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3695"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}