What are your ideas for the LGBT person's vocation in the Church?

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Don’t have an answer, but I love the question. And I love that you asked it. I look forward to the suggestions.
 
And what I posted directly corresponded with what the article was talking about in regards to homosexuals feeling welcome

TBH I think we need to be harder on sin. If we were as hard on gluttony as we are on homosexuality we’d all be a lot skinnier and healthier. I look around at mass and see a lot of round bellies and a lot of overweight guys and gals complaining that they can’t find love.

Hmm wonder why
 
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It’s the endless self focus that is the problem…the “my sexuality is my identity…and ergo…I need a vocation for my sexuality” infinite loop.
 
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Sex isn’t that important. What matters is getting to heaven

You’re so right
 
OK. I read through the posts and now I do have a suggestion. I don’t know if it is possible…someone else may need to enlighten me on if I am suggesting a change to dogma, doctrine, or tradition.

Anyhow, my suggestion is that the Church may want to consider to re-evaluate the concept of “vocation”. It seems pretty exclusionary. Religious life or married life. My understanding is that there is no “single life” vocation (please correct me if that is wrong). If I am not mistaken, those are the two choices, yes? And yet, in today’s world, there are so many other ways to be of service to God and the Church. The current system seems a little antiquated to me.

I truly believe that we each have a “calling” in life. By that, I mean a purpose for our existence which includes serving fellow man, and (since we are speaking religiously here) a God of some sort (agnostic, so bear with me).

Of course the Church will always have religious life. And no doubt, we will always have married life. But how about all of the other ways to serve. In the secular world, we call a lot of those choices “occupatons” or “careers”. But if we believe that we are given absolute gifts which make us a good fit for a career or occupation that serves, why isn’t that the same as a vocation (we could use another word, if need-be). So, for example, a nurse could be considered someone with a medical vocation. A scientist who uses his talents to make the world a better place…that would be his vocation. Of course parenting would be part or whole of the vocation for so many.

I think the word “vocation” should focus on the gifts one uses to serve his brothers and sisters and God. If we do that, nobody is excluded from having a proper identification in their Church, regardless of what their gender or sexual orientation is.
 
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I think there is always room for those who have struggled with particular sins to minister to those who continue to struggle.

I definitely think in general the Church could work on emphasizing the love of friends or the necessity of genuine hospitality. I can see why single laypeople could be uniquely suited to that.
 
There is a single life vocation. Vocation is just whatever you’re called to do
 
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But how does that work. There are a whole lot of Catholics who aren’t called to be single. That is just their defacto state of life. Is that really a vocation?
 
So can you give me some examples of what people who are single (but not in a religious vocation) have as their vocation (assuming they date and are interested in persuing finding a spouse if they are so lucky). In the meantime, what is there vocation? What does “My vocation is the single life” mean?
 
The Church should preach the truth on celibacy, that it’s not just something a very select few can do, but mostly anyone can do with the grace of God. And that it’s a higher calling than married life and those who feel they can’t get married should feel honored God is calling them to it, not punished.

That doesn’t mean they’re necessarily called to religious life or to be a priest, but the Church should help make known other vocations that aren’t often talked about, like single consecrated life in the world. Or the hermit vocation.

Missionary work should also be encouraged for those who want to be in the world.
 
OK. Thanks.

That sounds too vague to me. Folks in religious vocation usually are able to identify by their title or some other descriptor that describes what they spend the bulk of their time doing (their occupation)…Married vocation folks also are defined similarly…in the Catholic Church it is assumed they work towards family most of the time. I can see why singles (gay and straight alike) might wish to be able to define themselves further by indicating a vocation with an understanding as to what it is by the name of it. I get it.

Don’t know what the answer is. But I get it.
 
For a gay person who cares about the teachings of the Catholic church, I would think there are a lot of things you could do. Perhaps join a support group for people like yourself who want to promote the gospel; also, perhaps serve an usher during mass; be part of a prayer group, etc.
Perhaps look online for parishes who welcome ministries for celibate gays.
 
A single life vocation must include a formal declaration to God, as far as I know. Someone who is single but looking to get married wouldn’t have a vocation yet because a vocation is what you become. Everyone is born single, but not everyone makes a firm decision to remain single for the rest of their lives, or to be a religious, a priest, a spouse. Just my understanding
 
I understand. So I am thinking maybe the Church could expand.

So for example, let’s take a nurse. A nurse could dedicate his life to nursing through a formal declaration to serving God through the nursing he performs. Then, when he says he has a nursing vocation, people would know what that meant. He has dedicated himself to serving God through his nursing. It would take some re-working, because one day he may get married and have kids. I am guessing someone could have two vocations as long as they are aligned well with eachother.
 
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This old article from my diocesan newspaper I think has some relevant thoughts re the OP.

Living with same-sex attraction: Five Catholics describe joys, struggles of embracing chastity

Especially under the questions “What have you received from the church that has been helpful or supportive in your effort to live a chaste life and be a faithful Catholic?” and “What can the church do to minister to those with same-sex attraction?”
SacredHeartBassist said:
Maybe if gay Catholics spoke about he positives of being a single chaste catholic rather than trying to change church doctrine that would be nice
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I think a lot of this is due to the secular media’s distortion of reality. They are always going to loudly amplify the voices you’re referring to and ignore the voices of those gay Catholics who are humbly living a chaste life. They certainly exist, but you’re not going to hear much about them (that’s why I wanted to post this article).
 
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catholic1seeks said:
Answering this question requires an honest and sensitive attempt to unders
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I think that people with same sex attraction need to stop announcing it to the world iand keep their sexual struggles private, just like anyone else who struggles with being chaste. also, the Church needs to speak loud and clear about the agenda-driven normalization of the gay lifestyle and its spiritual detriment on children, family and society…
 
Gab123 said:
I think that people with same sex attraction need to stop announcing it to the world iand keep their sexual struggles private, just like anyone else who struggles with being chaste.
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Really? What if they are suffering with the burden of SSA? Should they not have the right to ask for help? Just like those who are hetero and struggle?
 
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