Why has it been so difficult for the Catholic church to reach out to LGBTQ people?
Text by James Martin* SJ taken from Recognition of LGBTIQ+ Persons in the Church, Booklets, no.185, Cristianisme i Justícia, Barcelona, September 2022, pp. 2-5.
Why has it been so difficult for the Catholic church to reach out to LGBTQ people? Why does the church lag so far behind secular organizations, and even other churches, who have made this community feel more welcome?
And why is the church so slow to try to help and protect a group of people who are often at risk of harassment, beatings and violence? Why is it so hard for Catholics to see LGBTQ people as beloved children of God?
Now, this is not the case everywhere in the world. Some Catholic dioceses, parishes and schools sponsor vibrant ministries to LGBTQ people, where they feel welcome in what is, after all,…