Joseph Prayers to St. Bible -- What is the Best Bible for Catholics? Gays and Lesbians in the Catholic Church Many Catholics, including gay and lesbian Catholics themselves, are confused or misinformed about the status of gay and lesbian persons in the Catholic Church.
As a result, many gay and lesbian Catholics fail to participate as fully as they can in the spiritual and sacramental life of the Church, and many Catholic communities fail to welcome and embrace gay and lesbian Catholics as fully as they should.
If you are a gay or lesbian Catholic, the first thing you should know is that gay and lesbian persons are always welcome in the Catholic faith community. Catholic teaching makes important distinctions between a homosexual person, a same-sex attraction, and homosexual actions. The Church believes that gay and lesbian Catholics can and should continue to grow in Christian perfection by the practice of the Christian virtues, chaste friendships, prayer and the reception of the sacraments.
In their pastoral letter Always Our Children, the U. Though at times you may feel discouraged, hurt or angry, do not walk away from your families, from the Christian community, from all of those who love you. You are always our children. In a documentary film released in October, Pope Francis made statements about same-sex civil unions which were widely reported and sometimes misinterpreted.
Learn more about what the Pope said, and the significance of his comments, here. The following guidelines apply as a general rule. You should visit with a pastor, pastoral minister or confessor about your personal circumstances. Gay or lesbian Catholics who are not engaging in sexual relations are living a chaste life and are members in good standing of the Catholic Church.
