April 25, 2012
Most Rev. Richard Smith
Archbishop of Edmonton
President
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
2500 Don Reid Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1H 2J2
Dear Archbishop Smith:
On behalf of Dignity Canada Dignité (DCD),
I wanted to notify you of a document which we posted on our website a few months
back. It is entitled “Pastoral Ministry to Young Persons: Two Perspectives”
and can be found at
http://dignitycanada.org/
In the paper, we present excerpts from
the “'Pastoral Ministry to Young People with Same-sex Attraction” letter
published last June by the CCCB. (We also provide links to the complete
document.) We then present our considered views on the topic.
We commend the CCCB for pointing out the
inherent dignity of all persons, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) persons. We agree that "… those exercising a ministry in the
Church or working in the pastoral care of young persons shall be especially
careful not to perpetuate injustice, hatred or malice in speech or action –
unfortunately still too common among us - against [LGBT] persons." (page 2).
At the same time, we respectfully
disagree with the teachings presented in the CCCB letter concerning homosexual
behaviours. They are not properly nuanced and do not differentiate between
loving relationships vs. manipulative ones, between consensual vs. violent acts,
between emotionally enhancing vs. destructive acts, and other differences of
intention and behaviour. For a description of our thoughts, please see the
document at
http://dignitycanada.org/pastoral-ministry-to-young-people.html. It is
based largely on the lives and loves of many LGBT persons, as well as the views
of reputable theologians.
Finally, one thing that is not discussed
on the website but which I would like to draw to your attention is the “Study
Guide: Pastoral Ministry to Young People with Same-sex Attraction” prepared with
the assistance of Salt + Light Television. A useful section is the list of
questions for reflection under “Words of Encouragement to Young People” on page
14 of the Study Guide.
However, several other sections of the
Guide are troubling. To suggest that “Persons who engage in homosexual activity
need to feel guilty …” (page 12) is objectionable because it does not recognize
or encourage the emotional, psychological and spiritual growth of the person
that can occur in a consensual, loving sexual relationship. That is the precise
situation in which we often discover and know the Love of God. For educators,
counsellors or pastoral workers to try to get young persons to associate guilt
or shame with all homosexual activity – including that in an intimate, loving
relationship – is a denial of the Love of God.
Another weak section in the Guide is
“Gay Rights” (page 14) and its equivocation on the etiology of sexual
orientation. In one sentence it notes that “Some people experience an exclusive
or predominant sexual attraction to members of their own sex through no choice
of their own.” Later in the same paragraph, we read that “… one does not
necessarily choose same-sex attraction ….” In fact, studies have concluded that
sexual orientation is inborn and relationships with the opposite sex do not
significantly impact it. Stated theologically, sexual orientation is
God-given. It is now up to the individual and the Church to decide how to
handle this realization.
A DCD member has recently brought
something to my attention which is relevant to this discussion and that I would
like to share with you. He points out that when Christ lived on earth, the
Jewish people were occupied by the Romans among whom homosexuality was quite
open regardless of how it was understood or experienced. When Jesus preached to
the crowds and multitudes, did he warn them against such behaviour by the
Romans? Not at all. So, if Jesus did not raise the issue of homosexual
behaviour, why do our Catholic leaders repeatedly do so? And why don't they
understand that neither in the Old or New Testament is there any commandment
whatsoever that sex is meant for procreation only. Of course, many of us
already know that sex can be used for procreation under the proper
circumstances, but not limited to it. When Jesus invited us to “...Love one
another", He simply left it up to us to discover for ourselves where that love
might lead us.
In closing, I extend the invitation to
the CCCB and its member bishops to dialogue with its LGBT members in the
development of a sound theology and pastoral guidelines based on the life of
Jesus, and the lives and loves of its LGBT members. Perhaps we could meet for
lunch.
Yours truly,
[original signed and
mailed on April 25th ,2012]
Frank Testin
President
Dignity Canada Dignité
president@dignitycanada.org
http://dignitycanada.org/
cc Msgr. Patrick Powers
General Secretary, CCCB
Dignity Canada Dignité is
Canada's organization of Roman Catholics who are concerned about our
church's sexual theology, particularly as it pertains to gay, lesbian,
bisexual, and transgendered persons. We work in collaboration with other
Catholic organizations seeking reform in our church's leadership and
teachings.