Catholic Church backtracks on pro-gay statement

Catholic bishops have rejected making positive changes towards the religion’s attitudes on homosexuality.

Over 200 bishops from around the world have spent the past two weeks at the Vatican debating the religion’s attitudes towards issues it finds problematic – such as divorce, contraception and gay marriage.

A paragraph discussing homosexuality that was included in a draft document posted to the Vatican Press Office’s website last week (October 12) said that “homosexuals have gifts and qualities to offer the Christian community”, and acknowledged that same-sex relationships can bring good.

However, it has now emerged that the pro-gay paragraph failed to receive the two-thirds majority vote that it needed to be included in the document. The phrasing of the paragraph has been revised for the final version of the document which was released this week, reports the Associated Press.

Read the new version below:

The Church teaches: “No grounds whatsoever exist for assimilating or drawing analogies, however remote, between homosexual unions and God’s design for matrimony and the family.” Nevertheless, men and women with homosexual tendencies should be accepted with respect and sensitivity. “Any sign of unjust discrimination in their regard is to be avoided.”

“Unfortunately, today, doctrine won out over pastoral need,” said gay Catholic group DignityUSA in response to the vote. “It is disappointing that those who recognised the need for a more inclusive Church were defeated.”