Gay
and lesbian Catholic groups are holding an international congress in
Portugal this week as they seek to make their voices heard by the
Vatican.
Opening on Monday in the southern resort of Portimao, the
three-day event aims to formally federate some 30 associations
representing homosexual Catholics from around the world.
Together
they intend to press for an “urgent change of attitude from Catholic
authorities” towards gay parishioners, said Jose Leote whose group Rumos
Novos (New Directions) is organising the event.
Their congress
coincides with an extraordinary synod which began at the Vatican on
Sunday to review the Church’s attitude to marriage, cohabitation and
divorce.
Fifteen to 20 delegates will meet in person in Portugal,
with the same number joining in by videoconference, to draw up a
statement to send to Pope Francis and the nearly 200 bishops meeting for
two weeks in Rome.
“Jesus began with 12, and look at what that
has become,” said Francis DeBernardo, head of the US-based “News Ways
Ministry” which represents lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender (LGBT) Catholics.
DeBernardo intends to act as a
bridge between the congress and the synod that opened Sunday in Rome,
where he will also be holding a seminar on the place of gays in the
Church.
The US group wrote to the pope a few months ago, thanking
him for his openness to discussing LGBT issues and urging him to go
further.
“I think this will be a major question of the synod,”
said DeBernardo. “The topic of homosexuality is so widespread in so many
societies and it affects so many people, not only those who are LGBT,
but their families, friends, co-workers.”
The Catholic synod could
potentially lead to change in attitudes to marriage, cohabitation and
divorce. While the Roman Catholic Church is certainly not about to
embrace gay marriage, it could send out a signal of compassion by making
it clear priests should be ready to baptise the children of same-sex
couples
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