By Patrick B. Craine
LONDON, Ontario, November 8, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A leading American advocate for same-sex “marriage” and homosexual adoption last month called on a gathering at a Catholic university in Ontario to “build the bridges of inclusion” for homosexuals within the Church, making it clear that the Church’s teachings are themselves an affront to this “inclusion.”
“The somewhat charitable act of simply reminding gay and lesbian people that they are children of God is not the same as working to achieve justice and inclusion for them,” said Jody Huckaby, executive director of PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), in an address October 21 at King’s University-College, a Catholic institution based at the University of Western in London. “As children of God, they and we all deserve better.”
Huckaby, who was raised Catholic and attended Catholic colleges, appealed to the Church's insistence on the dignity of every person and the duty to serve the disadvantaged. He called for the Church to make the fight for homosexual rights a key component of its social justice work, on the same level as the fight against racism, sexism, and poverty.
PFLAG is an international homosexualist advocacy group, with over 500 chapters in a dozen countries, that serves as a leading proponent of same-sex “marriage” and homosexual adoption. It also opposes abstinence-only education. In his role with PFLAG, Huckaby has been a vocal opponent of the Church and has condemned Pope Benedict XVI as “vilifying GLBT people.”
In his talk at King’s, Huckaby quoted the Church’s teachings on homosexuality extensively, particularly the Catechism of the Catholic Church and various letters from Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) while he was head of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Discussing the Church’s call for homosexuals to practice chastity, Huckaby said that while the Church prohibits unjust discrimination, “the bottom line remains that for gay and lesbian people the only way to live in grace within the Catholic Church is to live celibately and with this as their cross to bear.”
“In fact, for those who choose not to be celibate, they are sinful and somehow playing a role in the discrimination that they receive,” he continued. “Almost to the point that it seems that they might deserve what happens.”
After reading one section of the catechism he stated, “So this time around, we were taught that gay and lesbian people are intrinsically disordered, and that their actions – which one may argue, in this case, are indivisible from the person – are not to be approved.”
“All of the credible research indicates that being gay is not a choice, nor can one successfully change his or her sexual orientation from gay to straight,” said Huckaby. “Therefore, no one should be made to feel that they have been forsaken by God because of one part of who they are.”
He condemned the Church's vocal stand against “the battle for marriage equality,” citing various letters and campaigns from the U.S. Bishops’ Conference and various U.S. dioceses. Further, he praised certain groups that have already been “building bridges of inclusion” within the Church, in his view, such as Dignity, the New Ways Ministry, and the newly-formed Catholics for Equality.
Huckaby was introduced by Fr. Michael Bechard, the college’s chaplain. King’s principal, Dr. David Sylvester, defended the address when questioned by LifeSiteNews early last month.
Critics, however, argued that the college was giving in to “false compassion.” Regina Griggs, executive director of Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays (PFOX), warned that PFLAG is not concerned with “acceptance” so much as “get[ting] the Church to approve same-sex relationships within the Church.”
“We should focus on providing support for these people, letting them know that God loves them, and we their families unconditionally love them,” she said. “Perhaps offer hope rather than attempting to subvert the Church, science, medicine.”
Contact Information:
Most Rev. Ronald P. Fabbro, C.S.B.
Diocese of London
1070 Waterloo Street
London, Ontario, N6A 3Y2
Phone: 519-433-0658
E-mail: Complete the form here.
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