'The Church recognises the dignity of all people and does not define or label them in terms of their sexual orientation...
The particular orientation or inclination of the homosexual person is not a moral failing. An inclination is not a sin...it is homosexual genital acts that are morally wrong...
Friendship is a gift from God...a way of loving. Friendship is necessary for every person...
Sexual loving presupposes friendship but friendship does not require...sexual involvement...
The word 'love' must never be thought of as synonymous with the word 'sex'. Love can take many forms...love between two persons, whether of the same sex or of a different sex, is to be treasured and respected.
...that experience of love is spoiled, whether it is in marriage or in friendship, when we do not think and act as God wills us to think and act...
The Church is...aware that people may fail to live consistently what she teaches...the Church does not reject such people but wishes to walk with them in order to guide them to a fuller understanding and realisation of the teaching she holds to be God-given.'
Did you hear that? The teaching she holds is 'God-given'.
If Archbishop Vincent Nichols is looking for help in explaining the Church's position, he could do worse than reaffirm the position of one of his predecessors. In the meantime, I'll be sending the musical letter to His Grace tomorrow and, given His Grace's 'clarification', will consider sending it to the CDF as well.
As a lay Catholic man, who has every sympathy and more for those carrying the Cross of homosexuality, I know that as well as the many men and women who find that they have the condition of homosexuality and who look for guidance from Holy Mother Church (guidance which in England and Wales appears to be rather confusing), there are countless men and women who strive to live the teachings of the Church in spite of our weaknesses, temptations and failings. His Grace's recent remarks are, frankly, a slap in the face for those who, knowing their own weaknesses, have placed their hope and their trust in Christ and His Church.
As far as I can see it, that hope and that trust is being betrayed by members of the Hierarchy who do not consider the truth to be worth proclaiming, who do not consider the souls of their own flocks to be worth saving. I have confessed mortal sin in this very area of my life to holy, good and merciful priests. Never, not once, in all my time as a Cathoic, have I ever felt rejected or scorned or derided for bringing my sin before Our Lord Jesus Christ, to receive His forgiveness, mercy and grace. That is what it means to be 'pastorally sensitive' - it means not to crush the broken reed. It does not mean that immoral behaviour or sinful activity is condoned. To do such a thing is to spit upon the very Cross that Our Lord died upon to save us from our sins. To do such a thing is to deny even that the Lord came or that He died for us. To do such a thing is to deny to men the one thing that the Church can give us that no other power on Earth can: Salvation.
For those reasons, I encourage readers to write to the CDF and draw their attention to the recent statements of His Grace on this matter.
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