(LifeSiteNews) –– A number of bishops and priests are taking part in an annual series of ecumenical, pro-LGBT events across Europe, to mark the “International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia,” which will also see participants meet with Pope Francis.
From May 5 through June 7, a number of Catholic churches in countries across Europe will be host to numerous events, promoting the LGBT lifestyle and in opposition to “homophobia and transphobia.”
With most events taking place in Italy, churches in Amsterdam, Spain, Poland, France, and Malta will also take part in the ceremonies, many of which have been organized as ecumenical ventures with Waldensians, Methodists, Baptists and Catholics all joining together.
READ: Pope Francis addresses ‘LGBT Catholics’ via Fr. James Martin: A ‘selective’ Church is a ‘sect’
The four-week long project is under the overall organizational control of La Tenda di Gionata – a group “aimed at making ‘known the path that LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Christians) take every day in their communities and in the various Churches.”
The group looks to present tales of LGBT “experiences” so that they “can help society and the Churches to open up to the understanding and reception of homosexual people.”
They have taken Scriptural passages as an aide in promoting the LGBT events, drawing from Matthew 10:40: “Whoever welcomes you, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.”
Indeed, some of the events will be joined by Catholic prelates, with at least two Catholic bishops advertized as taking part already.
On May 16 in Genoa, the archdiocesan episcopal vicar will join ecumenical counterparts for a prayer vigil in the church of San Pietro in Banchi. Then Parma’s Bishop Enrico Solmi will lead a diocesan vigil on the evening of May 17, while on June 7 the Archbishop of Cosenza-Bisignano will lead a vigil in one of the parishes of his archdiocese.
On May 18 in Palermo, a torchlight procession will take place, followed by a prayer vigil at a Catholic parish which is organized by “many Catholic, Evangelical and secular associations from Palermo with the patronage of the Municipality of Palermo.”
Many of the other listed events are based out of Catholic parish churches and also include torchlight processions.
However, the most notable event of the four-week period is on May 17, when participants in the project will meet Pope Francis after his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square. The Mosaiko group – a group of “LGBT+ Christians” based in Rome – said its meeting with the pope “will be a way for the group to celebrate this event, symbolically presenting itself to the Church of Jesus.”
The intent is to contribute, as other groups of Rainbow Christians have already done, to urge our Church to be more inclusive, because ‘Whoever welcomes you welcomes me’ (Mt 10.40).
In a separate press release prior to the Papal audience, the Mosaiko group wrote they “will present ourselves with feelings of conciliation, urging more meetings for a dedicated, inclusive journey so that everyone can feel like a child of a Church that welcomes not for what we should be, but for what we really are: Christians and witnesses of the same Gospel, in which everyone with their own identity, orientation and individuality can live in transparency and truth.”
They also called for an increased role of LGBT ideology in the Catholic Church’s daily life:
Our desire is to make the Church take a more official and truly tangible stand in favor of a clear and inclusive ministry with no more description.
We would like that in all corners of the world the dignity of LGBT + people can be recognized with respect and sensitivity even in those places where it is still a crime to make oneself visible to affirm one’s orientation and one’s gender identity.
Messa in Latino – who highlighted this year’s series of events – described the audience with the pope as “real icing on the cake.” The blog questioned whether Francis would repeat his condemnation of gender ideology which he made in Hungary, or if he would “in pure Jesuit style – adapt to the desires and expectations of its interlocutors?”
READ: Italian diocese green-lights Confirmation of ‘trans’ woman with male name
As the official day against homophobia and transphobia, May 17 is also to be marked by special “liturgies” at the various LGBT events. An order of service contains a mixture of readings, songs and Psalms.
It also twice refers to God as “Father and Mother of us all.” Another “prayer” asks for divine help for all those called to assist God in “the work of transforming the world, that girls and boys, women, men, and non-binary people might live, work, and learn together with respect and dignity.”
“For health workers and social workers, that accompany body transformations: God, in your mercy, hear our prayer,” it continues. After a litany of such intercessions, the Protestant version of the Our Father is recited.
READ: Italian bishops join dissident ‘Catholic’ groups for ecumenical LGBT ‘prayer vigils’
This year’s series of pro-LGBT events is by no means the first of its kind. Numerous Catholic dioceses in Italy took part in the vigils last year, as noted by LifeSiteNews at the time. Among the various prelates who participated was Archbishop Charles Scicluna, the pro-LGBT Archbishop of Malta and the adjunct secretary at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF).
Just as with previous years, this year’s events are being promoted by way of blasphemous, rainbow themed images, including rainbow-colored images of the Sacred Heart.
Despite this Catholic promotion of LGBT arguments, Catholic teaching on transgender issues remains unchanging, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “Everyone, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity.” (CCC # 2333)
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s 1975 document, Persona Humana, also echoed this with the words, “There can be no true promotion of man’s dignity unless the essential order of his nature is respected.”
In his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul states that homosexual actions are sinful, explaining that “neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers” will “inherit the kingdom of God,” but rather, according to his letter to the Romans, those who practice homosexuality will receive “in their own persons the due penalty for their error.”