Homosexuality

What does the Church ask of someone who is gay?

Chastity, which it asks of everyone: “Christians who are homosexual are called, as all of us are, to a chaste life.” Homosexualitatis Problema 12 Because the Church holds that sexual relations have their “natural, proper, and fully human meaning” only within marriage between a man and a woman, for a gay person that means not having them. Fiducia Supplicans 4 Homosexual acts it calls “intrinsically disordered”, and “under no circumstances can they be approved”. CCC 2357 By self-mastery, “at times by the support of disinterested friendship”, by prayer and the sacraments, homosexual persons “can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection”. CCC 2359

The orientation is not the sin. “Although the particular inclination of the homosexual person is not a sin”, the Church calls it “an objective disorder”, a tendency toward acts it judges wrong. Homosexualitatis Problema 3 The inclination “constitutes for most of them a trial”, and they “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity”; “every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided”. CCC 2358 Nor is anyone to be reduced to it: a person “can hardly be adequately described by a reductionist reference to his or her sexual orientation”. Homosexualitatis Problema 16

Of others, it asks that violence against gay people “in speech or in action” be condemned by pastors “wherever it occurs”, and that each person’s dignity “be respected in word, in action and in law”. Homosexualitatis Problema 10 On guilt, it warns “against generalizations in judging individual cases”: circumstances may reduce culpability, or increase it. Homosexualitatis Problema 11

Since 2023 a same-sex couple may ask a priest for a simple blessing, provided it is not a rite and claims no “legitimation of their own status”; it asks that what is “true, good, and humanly valid” in their lives and relationships be healed and raised by the Holy Spirit. Fiducia Supplicans 31 It is never given alongside a civil union, nor “with any clothing, gestures, or words that are proper to a wedding”. Fiducia Supplicans 39

These paragraphs are not in the Catechism’s own order. The one that answers the question directly is placed first; none has been left out.

2358

The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

2357

Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, Cf. Gen 191-29; Rom 124-27; 1 Cor 6:10; 1 Tim 1:10. tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered." CDF — Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Persona humana 8. They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

2359

Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.

Fiducia Supplicans Dec 18, 2023
Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons Jul 31, 2003
Homosexualitatis Problema Oct 1, 1986
Persona Humana Dec 29, 1975

From the Catechism

From the Magisterium