Global Network of Rainbow Catholics Provides Alternative to Vatican Document
A coalition-in-formation of organizations which promote equality in Catholic LGBT issues has responded to this week’s Vatican release of the Instrumentum Laboris, the working document of the October 2015 synod on marriage and family.
The Global Network of Rainbow Catholics (GNRC) issued a press statement, on the same day as the Vatican unveiled the Instrumentum, which provided an alternative Catholic perspective on lesbian and gay family issues, as well as the important topic of criminalizaiton of lesbian and gay people in nations around the globe.
The GNRC statement was critical of the Vatican’s suggested discussion of lesbian and gay issues at the synod, saying:
“Although ‘suitable attention to the pastoral accompaniment of families in which live persons with homosexual tendencies, and families of these same persons’ is recommended, Paragraphs 130-132 of the Working Document hardly reflect the rich discussions which have taken place, internationally and at all levels in the Church, on the welcome, respect, and value which should be afforded to lesbian and gay people in the Catholic community.
“The inclusion of the unfounded statement that international organisations are pressurising poorer countries to introduce same-sex marriage as a condition of receiving financial aid Para. 132) is scandalously dishonest. Far better for the Church to show its commitment to social justice through the condemnation of global criminalisation of LGBT people, including torture and the death penalty.”
The GNRC also proposed several concrete steps that the synod can take to provide more appropriate pastoral care for lesbian and gay people and families. One step was that the synod should call for:
“a structured discernment process be introduced, to involve homosexual people, including those living in long-term, stable relationships as well as those who are single or celibate, their children and parents, experienced pastoral ministers, and theologians, as well as relevant dicasteries of the Holy See. Such a process, reflecting upon examples of positive pastoral experience and ongoing theological, anthropological and scientific study, should be conducted at both global and local levels of the Church for a period of three to five years.”
The coalition also suggested that the synod use language which calls for further study and examination of the issues of sexual orientation and gender identity:
“The question of homosexuality leads to a serious reflection on how to elaborate realistic paths of affective growth and human and evangelical maturity integrating the sexual dimension: it appears therefore as an important educative challenge at all levels of the Church (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraphs 2357-2358, 2395). It has to be noted that there are cases in which mutual aid constitutes a precious support in the life of same-sex partners. Arising from the experience of positive pastoral ministry, this Synod encourages the whole Church to renew its theological reflections on human sexuality and gender identity, working towards the right integration of ortho-praxis and ortho-doxy.”
The statement also suggested that the synod speak out strongly against the criminalization of lesbian and gay people:
“At a global level, people with variant sexual orientation are unjustly criminalised, tortured, subjected to death penalties, and those offering pastoral and practical care in such circumstances are also often penalised. This Synod of Bishops unequivocally condemns such injustices perpetrated on people and firmly opposes such patterns of criminalisation. It urges governments and civil society to respect the human rights of each person regardless of their sexual orientation.”
They also addressed the specific topic of baptism for children of lesbian and gay couples:
“When people living in same-sex unions request a child’s baptism, the child must be received with the same care, tenderness and concern which is given to other children. Furthermore, the Church responds to the needs of children who live with couples of the same sex, emphasizing that the needs and rights of the little ones must always be given priority.”
Underlying all the GNRC’s concerns was a rationale for such actions based on Catholic documents and principles:
“Some families include homosexual members who, with their parents, families and children, have a right to informed pastoral care (The Code of Canon Law: Canons 208-231). As such, they ought to be received with respect and sensitivity. Every sign of discrimination in their regard should be avoided. The language used by the Church in describing its pastoral ministry in this area of human concern should reflect its principles of the precious dignity of the person and its commitment to social justice so that the gifts and qualities of homosexual people may be welcomed, valued, and respected (Paragraphs 10 & 16, Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, CDF, 1986). “
The Global Network of Rainbow Catholics descibes itself as
“an international network of organizations of/with LGBT Catholics which met for the first time during the Family Synod 2014 in Rome and has since worked together to initiate a global network of LGBTQI Catholics, their parents and families.”
The founding groups include: European Forum of LGBT Christian Groups, Associació Cristiana de Gais i Lesbianes de Catalunya (ACGIL) (Catalonia), Comitato promotore dell’associazione Cammini di Speranza – associazione nazionale cristiani lgbt (Italy), Dette Resources Foundation (Zambia), DignityUSA (USA), Drachma (Drachma LGBTI and Drachma Parents Group) (Malta), Ichthys christian@s lgtbh de Sevilla (Spain), LGBT Catholics Westminster Pastoral Council (UK), New Ways Ministry (USA), Nuova Proposta (Italy), Ökumenische Arbeitsgruppe Homosexuelle und Kirche (Germany), Wiara i Tęcza (Poland). [Many of these organizational links provided by Queering the Church.]
This global network will be officially launched in Rome on October 1-4, the opening weekend of the 2015 Synod of Bishops on the Family. The founding assembly will be entitled “LGBT Voices to the Synod,” and it will include a public conference “Ways of Love – Snapshots of Catholic Encounter with LGBT People and their Families,”presenting examples of positive LGBT pastoral activities from all over the world. New Ways Ministry’s co-founder, Sister Jeannine Gramick, will be a speaker at this event.
The GNRC’s alternative for the synod was included in news stories around the globe this past week. You can find links to some of those in the list under my signature.
–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry
Related articles
ABC News: “Vatican Sets Stage for Family Debate With Working Document”
Advocate.com: “LGBT Catholics Find Little Encouragement in Family Synod Document”
Reuters.com: “Outreach to gay couples not on agenda for Vatican meeting”
New York Times: “Vatican Lays Groundwork for Discussions on Family”
Queering the Church: “Family Synod Working Document Disappoints Global Rainbow Catholics”
Daily Mail: “Outreach to gay couples not on agenda for Vatican meeting”
Christian Today: “Synod on the Family will not be dominated by homosexuality, says Pope Francis”
Mamba Online: “LGBT Catholics disappointed by new church document on family”
Quest: “Family Synod Working Document Disappoints Global Rainbow Catholics”
Famwork: “Vatican Ready For Family Debate And Discussing Other Issues”
[List of articles courtesy of Martin Pendergast]
Reblogged this on Queering the Church.
By referring to LGBT people as having “homosexual tendencies” or “variant sexual orientation” this article/*Instrumentum *inaccurately characterizes their sexuality, suggests their sexuality is a mental condition and therefore changeable or something from which the rest of society should be protected, and implicitly condones the discrimination and ill-treatment imposed on the LGBT people by the Catholic Church and others. In essence all this article/*instrumentum* is suggesting is that while LGBT people are disordered they should nevertheless be treated nicer. And let’s not forget that “pastoral care” could include encouraging LGBT people to seek so-called conversion therapy, feeding young LGBT people after they have been ejected from their home by homophobic parents, providing inaccurate and discriminatory sex education in Catholic schools to perpetuate the mistreatment of and discrimination against LGBT people, or continuing to segregate LGBT people from full participation in the Catholic Church.
I agree with Peter. What planet are the Vatican folks living in? There is not such a thing as “homosexual tendency”. People are either homosexual or they are not. There is plenty of research disproving the idea of homosexuality being a choice and, by the way, efforts to “change” sexuality have been total failures. That attitude and argument were part of the reasons why I left the RC and joined the Old Catholic Church.
Denial of the reality of homosexuality is akin to the denial of climate change.
Pastoral care must include accepting all persons for whom they are.
Thank you, Francis, for such a hope-filled message. What a historic day this is–the US Supreme Court opening the way for Same sex marriage in the whole country. http://www.blackwallofsilence.com
The GNRC is such an important step toward gaining equality for our families in the church. Standing up for ourselves in families and communities led to the marriage equality decision in the US this week. It can do the same in the church. Even the conservative Cardinal Francis George expressed willingness to hear our stories (he read my book “Confessions of a Gay Married Priest” and offered dialogue in his letter to me, which was published in this blog a few days ago). Our standing up in the church and letting people know us and our spiritual journey can complement the necessary argumentation about moral positions. Coming out in the church is a powerful act. I applaud the closeted priests, nuns, and faithful Catholics who have stood up and told their stories.