Posts

At Synod on Youth, French Bishop Says, “We mustn’t be afraid of sexuality!”

A French bishop participating at the Synod on Youth has called on the church to not be afraid of sexuality, but to instead begin an honest conversation about it and engage LGBT youth and their allies with a new pastoral model. Read More

Group Investigating Cardinals Says Rumors of Homosexuality Will Be “Noted Very Carefully”

A rightwing Catholic group has announced its intention to investigate Catholic cardinals ahead of the next papal conclave, saying it will be "noted very carefully" in reports if a cardinal is considered to be gay. Read More

What’s in a Name? “LGBT” in Church Document Stirs Synod Controversy

Earlier this week, Bondings 2.0 reported on Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia's comment during the Synod on Youth that LGBT people do not exist. A back and forth about terminology as it relates to gender and sexuality proceeded on Twitter, as it likely has elsewhere. Read More

Who’s Who? A Look at the LGBT Records of Global Bishops at the Synod on Youth

With the Synod on Youth now underway in Rome, Bondings 2.0 explores the LGBT records of a sampling of delegates from outside the U.S. The following bishops are just some of the 300-plus delegates participating in the Synod (a full list available here). It is unclear if and how LGBT issues will be addressed, who might be the key bishops involved in any discussion, and whether there will be positive outcomes.  Read More

Archbishop Stands By Fr. James Martin and LGBT-Friendly Pastor Against Conservative Protestors

Georgia's top bishop has reaffirmed his support for Fr. James Martin, SJ, and a local pastor at an LGBT-friendly parish after protestors spread misinformation about Martin's talk and sought to have the pastor removed. Read More

Archbishop: Decriminalizing Homosexuality Would Cause “Dreadful Consequences”

Singapore's archbishop has released a pastoral letter strongly opposing the repeal of a law in that nation which criminalizes homosexuality, claiming at one point that such an action would have "long-term and irreversible" consequences which are "dreadful." Read More

Named Witness to Brett Kavanaugh’s Alleged Attack Blames Gay Priests for Sexual Abuse

A conservative writer named as a witness to allegations of rape by U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has previously blamed gay priests for clergy sexual abuse, an issue about which there are still many opinions among Catholics. Read More

Reviewers Offer More Varied Reactions to Fr. James Martin’s Book, “Building a Bridge”

More than a year after first publishing Building a Bridge on LGBT issues in the Catholic Church, Fr. James Martin, SJ's book has continued to stir conversation. Today's post highlights a few more reactions with links provided for further reading. Read More

Catholics Reject Bishops’ Claim that Gay Priests a Cause of Sexual Abuse

Yesterday, Bondings 2.0 covered recent comments by several U.S. bishops that strove to link homosexuality with clergy sexual abuse. Today's post offers commentaries from Catholics who either pushed back against such bishops or who have offered a more positive assessment about gay priests and the abuse crisis. Read More

Bishop: Gay Priests “Wreaking Great Devastation” in Church and Cause of Sexual Abuse

Right wing Church leaders are again trying to blame sexual abuse by clergy on gay priests and religious. One bishop has even suggested a 'homosexual subculture" is "wreaking great devastation in the vineyard of the Lord." But many Catholics have pushed back, rightfully acknowledging the positive role gay priests and religious have played in the Church while identifying real causes of abuse as crimes of power not sex. Today's post reports on the bishops' gay-negative statements while tomorrow's post shares several analyses. Read More