Being Gay in the Catholic Church

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The Church will accept anyone and help them to the extent they can be helped.

One who is attraced to alcohol can be a good Catholic – but if he gets drunk and abusive, he sins.

One who has a hot temper can be a good Catholic – but if he attacks others, he sins.

One who is strongly attracted to the opposite sex can be a good Catholic – but if he has sex out of wedlock, he sins.

One who is attracted to his own sex can be a good Catholic – but like the examples above, he must control his desires.
 
I just read somewhere (don’t remember exactly where) that the stronger the temptation, the greater the merit that is gained by overcoming it.

Just something to think about.
 
Welcome to the Church !!! “let he who is without sin, cast the first stone”
 
Shadee216 said:
God does not create gay human beings. He would never do such a thing.
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God creates persons with a homosexual orientation. But he doesn’t create persons who are gay. The Church teaches that homosexual orientation is a cross to be beared, much like other temptations.

Aristotle, you came to the right place if you want to learn orthodox Church teaching. Some people will point in directions which offer a watered down teaching, but the majority here will affirm what Rome has confirmed.

That said, I think the persons who offer the watered-down version do so because they think the teaching is too hard. And it is hard - that doesn’t make it impossible.

Courage is the group you want to contact if you want to stay true to Church teaching.
 
I do not understand why it is that so many in this thread have thus far discouraged the OP from the possibility of correcting his same-sex desires. Once his sexuality is properly ordered in a manner that befits the natural design of his body, we may then be able to have a realistic discussion of the OP pursuing the virtue of chastity. Until that time, the sexual suppression we mean to foist upon him is nothing more than a crude counterfeit of the virtue and can contain no merit.
 
Shadee216 said:
I’m sorry, but I have to disagree with the comment, “I was born gay.” This is a common misconception that people have. God does not create gay human beings. He would never do such a thing.
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Can you link your statements to some facts??? I think you are wrong.
 
Bella3502 said:
Can you link your statements to some facts??? I think you are wrong.
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How about Saint Paul who, in his letter to the Romans, definitively links the etiology of same-sex attractions to the individual’s willful rejection of God? (1) How about the valid interpretation of this Scripture given by the Magisterium here:
Instead of the original harmony between Creator and creatures, the acute distortion of idolatry has led to all kinds of moral excess. Paul is at a loss to find a clearer example of this disharmony than homosexual relations. (2)
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and again here:
In Sacred Scripture [homosexual acts] are condemned as a serious depravity and even presented as the sad consequence of rejecting God. (3)
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The teaching of the Church on this issue is clear. Man acquires same-sex attractions through his own moral failures, not by some accident of genetics or development.

(1) New American Bible. Washington D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2002. Rom 1:22-27. Available online at: usccb.org/nab/bible/romans/romans1.htm

(2) Ratzinger, Joseph. Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons. Rome: Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, October 1, 1986. §6. Available online at: vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19861001_homosexual-persons_en.html

(3) Seper, Fanjo. Persona Humana: Declaration on Certain Questions Concerning Sexual Ethics. Vatican City: Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1975. VIII. Available online at: vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19751229_persona-humana_en.html
 
Other_Eric said:
How about Saint Paul who, in his letter to the Romans, definitively links the etiology of same-sex attractions to the individual’s willful rejection of God? (1) How about the valid interpretation of this Scripture given by the Magisterium here:and again here: The teaching of the Church on this issue is clear. Man acquires same-sex attractions through his own moral failures, not by some accident of genetics or development.

(1) New American Bible. Washington D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2002. Rom 1:22-27. Available online at: usccb.org/nab/bible/romans/romans1.htm

(2) Ratzinger, Joseph. Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons. Rome: Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, October 1, 1986. §6. Available online at: vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19861001_homosexual-persons_en.html

(3) Seper, Fanjo. Persona Humana: Declaration on Certain Questions Concerning Sexual Ethics. Vatican City: Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1975. VIII. Available online at: [vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19751229_persona-humana_en.html](http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/c...on_cfaith_doc_19751229_persona-humana_en.html)
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Then apparently even Courage can not be approved. Well it is. You’ll have to bring that one up with the Church itself. Unless you feel the Church is leading some to hell. I highly doubt that.
 
Aristotle,

Come to the Catholic Church. It is the Lord drawing you. Don’t let any human keep you away for any reason.
 
Dale_M said:
God creates persons with a homosexual orientation. But he doesn’t create persons who are gay. The Church teaches that homosexual orientation is a cross to be beared, much like other temptations.
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Perfectly said, Dale_M!

Personally, I steer clear of courage because there will always be those who become the condemners instead of the condemnee. No group is without its agitaters and judgemental people. On the whole courage would be a good place to start, just mind who you listen to.

Just stay focused on the target, *Jesus, and don’t let others judge you. To be perfectly honest, I keep silent because I have found a small percentage of congregations and even priests make more trouble than one would expect. That is why I drive 60 miles instead of attending my own parish.

I personally disagree with those who think a homosexual can be “fixed” and I don’t mean spayed!! :eek:
 
With all due respect to my bretheren on this board, I think the thread is getting off topic.

The OP is interested in organizations that can help him become Catholic despite his homosexuality.

To that, I would say this: any organization (Courage, for example, though I’m not acquainted with it) that promotes chastity is acceptable.

Furthermore, I think it’s counterproductive at this stage to debate the OP’s assertion that he was “born gay” – let’s help him to come home first, and then let God lead him.

Aristotle, to become Catholic, you must embrace Catholic teaching on the matter: to live a homosexual lifestyle is mortally sinful, just as heterosexual fornication is, because the sexual act is reserved for marriage – which, of course, can only exist between a man and woman.

If you are willing to maintain a celibate lifestyle, it’s not necessary to become heterosexual; if you desire or feel called to marriage, it is. Either way, we must live a chaste lifestyle as faithful Catholics.

I hope this helps.

Peace,
Dante
 
As the Chruch teaches it doesnt matter where your SSA came from . You are welcome in the Church as long as you embrace the teachings about sex outside of mariage that all Catholics are bound by. I am sorry you came here seeking information and instead got a glimpse of the ongoing CAF debate about the origin of same sex attraction.

Beware of those who tell you you can cure your SSA and beware of those who tell you homosexual behavior is compatible with the Church. The former is irelevant to your Faioth journey, the latter is flat out wrong.
 
Thank you to all who have participated. This thread is now closed.
 
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