Two things are plainly clear about St. John Paul’s view of homosexuality: 1.) His teachings were both grounded solidly on Holy Scripture and Tradition and his own philosophy popularly known as “The Theology of the Body;” the best example is from The Catechism, which states: “Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that ‘homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.’” 2.) He was also pointedly charitable and loving towards those afflicted with the homosexual “disorder.” For, he did not just offer insight, but a solution to the problem; also from The Catechism: “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.” This duel sensitivity was similarly reflected in the personality of John Paul himself, as, he was secure enough in his manhood to unashamedly take part in theater productions as a young man – donning fancy dress, but, at the same time, he was supremely masculine with his great interest in sporting activities and the outdoors. He was truly a heroic figure, with the sensitivity of an artist. And, for those reasons, he is the ideal intercessor for all of us who are burdened with same-sex- attractions. Turn to St. John Paul.
Congregation For The Doctrine Of The Faith: “Letter To The Bishops Of The Catholic Church On The Pastoral Care of Homosexual Person” (1986).
The Church, obedient to the Lord who founded her and gave to her the sacramental life, celebrates the divine plan of the loving and live-giving union of men and women in the sacrament of marriage. It is only in the marital relationship that the use of the sexual faculty can be morally good. A person engaging in homosexual behaviour therefore acts immorally.
To choose someone of the same sex for one’s sexual activity is to annul the rich symbolism and meaning, not to mention the goals, of the Creator’s sexual design. Homosexual activity is not a complementary union, able to transmit life; and so it thwarts the call to a life of that form of self-giving which the Gospel says is the essence of Christian living. This does not mean that homosexual persons are not often generous and giving of themselves; but when they engage in homosexual activity they confirm within themselves a disordered sexual inclination which is essentially self-indulgent.
Congregation For The Doctrine Of The Faith: “Considerations Regarding Proposals To Give Legal Recognition To Unions Between Homosexual Persons” (2003).
The Church teaches that respect for homosexual persons cannot lead in any way to approval of homosexual behaviour or to legal recognition of homosexual unions. The common good requires that laws recognize, promote and protect marriage as the basis of the family, the primary unit of society. Legal recognition of homosexual unions or placing them on the same level as marriage would mean not only the approval of deviant behaviour, with the consequence of making it a model in present-day society, but would also obscure basic values which belong to the common inheritance of humanity. The Church cannot fail to defend these values, for the good of men and women and for the good of society itself.
“Memory and Identity” (2005).
The history of Western culture’s long, inglorious departure from these Jewish, classical, and Christian models of freedom came with an astonishing tsunami-like speed at the end of the century and the wave of diabolist “freedom” as measured by the flotsam and raw sewage of pornography and exploitation of women and children in the world-wide human sex trade; the legal extermination of human beings conceived but unborn, the so-called “unwanted” child, and what has now emerged as the standard medical treatment for children prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome and a host of other diseases under a system of eugenics the Nazis could have only dreamed of; the establishment of homosexual unions as an alternative type of family, with the “right,” no less, to adopt children, subverting the very idea of human sexuality and Christian marriage; the emergence of False Gods Of Expedient Mercy, the outrage, the scandal the sin of euthanasia – or what the diabolists among us call “assisted suicide” or do you prefer, ahem, “end of life choices?” So many horrors, so many choices — what’s a free man to do these days?
At this point, we cannot remain silent regarding a tragic question that is more pressing today than ever. The fall of the regimes built on ideologies of evil put an end to the forms of extermination just mentioned in the countries concerned. However, there remains the legal extermination of human beings conceived but unborn. And in this case, that extermination is decreed by democratically elected parliaments, which invoke the notion of civil progress for society and for all humanity. Nor are other grave violations of God’s law lacking. I am thinking, for example, of the strong pressure from the European Parliament to recognize homosexual unions as an alternative type of family, with the right to adopt children, It is legitimate and even necessary to ask whether this is not the work of another ideology of evil, more subtle and hidden, perhaps, intent upon exploiting human rights themselves against man and against the family.
Dear Joe,
Once again you have given a thoughtful reflection regarding what a wonderful example and intercessor St.PP. John Paul the Great is for the homosexual community and for all who are slaves of pornography,masturbation, fornication ,adultery,prostitution and all affected by them. The Great work of St. John Paul II regarding the Theology of the Body really says it all, and it beautiful to read. For those that have a hard time understanding his work, I suggest Christopher West's books on the Theology of the body too.
When one truly recognizes the loneliness, despair and happiness that goes with the gay lifestyle, only then can they call upon the Lord Jesus Christ and repent, like the woman caught in adultery, whom the Jews wished to stone, Jesus told her, go and sin no more.
It has been my experience in the Church that either we are told that the church embraces all homosexuals, “come celebrate your gayness and you don't need to stop your acting out and sinning” or the God hates all gays. Neither is correct is puts souls in jeopardy of eternity in hell. But the Lord's way is to love and show compassion to those that suffer same sex attraction, and welcome to church, and expect them to change like anyone else in bondage to sexual sins.
I pray the Lord blesses your work for him and your testimony. You are a good and faithful servant and an example to the Catholic Church of how to minister to the Homosexual person, created in the likeness and image of God, who is spirit.
I tried to contact you today via your cell. I will try again latter. I wish to offer my Diaconal services to you to assist you in your ministry. Love and Blessings, Deacon Joseph Antonio Pasquella
” He was truly a heroic figure, with the sensitivity of an artist. And, for those reasons, he is the ideal intercessor for all of us who are burdened with same-sex- attractions. Turn to St. John Paul.”
“…what a wonderful example and intercessor St.PP. John Paul the Great is for the homosexual community and for all who are slaves of pornography,masturbation, fornication ,adultery,prostitution and all affected by them.”
Never thought about that, thank you both.