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From
The Tidings, the weekly newspaper of the Archdiocese of Los
Angeles, August 21, 1998
Debunking
the Myth of a "Cure" for Homosexuality
Why the church does not encourage a homosexual person to change
their orientation
By Rev. Peter J.
Liuzzi, O. Carm.
Editor’s note: Carmelite Father Peter J. Liuzzi is the director
of the Los
Angeles Archdiocese’s Office of Lesbian and Gay Ministry.
A noted speaker, he is the author of a forthcoming book from Paulist
Press titled, "With Listening Hearts." This is part two
of a two-part series. Part
one appeared last week.
Just a few weeks ago you may have seen or heard about a full-page
ad in the Los Angeles Times that promised "a way out"
of homosexuality. More amazing, the same ad offered a way into heterosexuality,
raising hopes for marriage, a spouse and children. Similar ads were
printed in major newspapers across the nation.
Such ads and the people and groups who pay dearly for such space,
reveal a driving fear and ignorance that adds to the confusion and
misconceptions we may have. In the midst of such outrageous and
unfounded promises, the Catholic church offers a sane response to
homosexuality that comes out of the richness of its clear and consistent
teaching, pastoral wisdom and just plain Catholic common sense.
Church documents do not encourage a homosexual person to change
their orientation. Perhaps the reason is that such change is truly
rare. But it is important to note that such change - particularly
in the psychological area of therapy - is highly controversial,
requires the highest motivation, is costly and its outcome might
very well fail.
If a homosexual person wants to seek change, we should support him
or her. But to advocate such an approach is not warranted by official
teaching. (So-called change therapies are highly controversial and
do not guarantee change. An apparent "cure" often leads
homosexual persons into marriage and family life. When the homosexuality
"comes back" it can be a tragedy for the heterosexual
person and his or her spouse and children.)
The church does not claim to know the origins of homosexuality.
The church’s province is to address the moral and doctrinal
issues relating to homosexual orientation. She depends on the sciences
to explain the origins. At the present time the sciences offer various
theories. And while there is a certain amount of evidence supporting
each theory, that evidence remains inconclusive and in each case
demands much more in the way of further evidence and research and
the testing of research. No one, including church authorities, knows
with certitude the origins of homosexuality.
This said, it seems to me that we tend to embrace a theory that
supports our own particular bias regarding homosexuality rather
than being convinced by intrinsic evidence. Unfortunately, various
theories are now highly politicized by the left and the right. Amazingly
enough, people tend to speak of their pet theory as if it were some
infallible truth. So, some liberal minded people are wont to claim
that homosexual persons are born that way, that the origins can
be found in the genes. There are some very conservative people who
will want to convince everyone that homosexuality can be attributed
to an arrested stage of growth, or if a male, a poor relationship
with a distant father.
Remember, such positions are only theories. While there is a certain
amount of evidence to support each theory, the evidence on either
side is hardly conclusive. Much research still needs to be done.
Church documents wisely say that in all probability, homosexuality
may be attributed to a combination of factors. Assuming a particular
approach as being "Catholic" is not supported by church
documents. As Catholics, I would urge caution in getting caught
up in the politico-religious positions from the right or left. Doing
so only adds to polarization and furthers our distance from our
gay and lesbian Catholics.
A way through, not out
Catholic spirituality rarely offers a way out of anything. Life
provides paradox, contradictions, interruptions and surprises and
some horrendous moments that try our patience and stretch us beyond
our limits. Our tradition has taught us that we can find God in
such darkness. So the church offers a way through, not a way out.
Certainly, it can be understood that a whole group of gay or lesbian
men and women are so frightened by their inclinations that they
are desperate to simply rid themselves of any signs of such a orientation.
Such persons are easily vulnerable to a promise of a "change."
The church does speak strongly to gay people on acting on their
sexual urges as disordered and objectively sinful. Any discussion
of this subject should be made in the context of the sexual morality
of all the members of the church. For example, genital activity
is limited to marriage. Yet, contrary to popular belief and practice,
marriage permits only genital activity that leaves the shared sexual
act absolutely in its natural state of being open to the transmission
of life, and more recently, as expressive of a complementarity between
male and female. Anything that stands in the way - including how
the act is performed, or is inhibited by some agent, drug or device
- is a serious violation of nature and God’s plan. In view
of this teaching, the sexual acts of two men or two women are also
sinful and disordered.
What do the Scriptures tell us? Genesis, Leviticus, First Corinthians,
Romans and Timothy all contain condemnation s of same-sex genital
activity and the church finds a foundation for its teaching in these
Scriptures. But Scripture alone (sola Scriptura) is never the final
word about homosexuality in the Catholic church. What Catholics
believe about anything is found in two sources: Scripture and Tradition.
A Scripture-only approach can too easily lead to declarations like:
"abomination" and "excluded from salvation."
Those few words, unaccompanied by Tradition or the magisterium of
the church, can easily lead to excluding and treating homosexual
persons unjustly.
Tradition teaches us to nuance and make distinctions that are typical
of Roman Catholicism. Tradition allows room for compassion, justice,
human dignity, etc. It is Tradition that leads us to realize that
while same-sex relations are condemned in the Bible, homosexual
orientation is a very recent concept unknown and not addressed in
the Bible. We are assured that the church will continue to study
and develop its understanding of orientation and its pastoral concerns,
while safeguarding its teachings.
The church strongly condemns all forms of violence and prejudice
directed toward homosexual persons. What is important to note here
is that respect, justice and friendship owed to homosexual people
do not derive from their homosexual orientation. The term "gay
rights" is meaningless in the church. Rather such rights are
more surely founded on the inherent dignity of the human person.
Reducing a person to their sexual orientation is also a distortion
of the whole person who is created in the image and likeness of
God.
I hope this summary of key points in official teaching will made
us realize the complexity of homosexuality. The position of our
Church certainly differentiates us from fundamentalist Christian
Church that limits its understanding to a literal interpretation
of Scripture. I also hope that it becomes obvious that our Church
has a serious obligation to reach out to anyone who is lesbian or
gay in orientation.
Challenges and opportunities
Official church documents that treat of homosexuality, take for
granted the presence of homosexual persons in our church. What is
significant is that our documents have no interest in percentages
of gay people who are members of the church. Is it 2 percent or
10 percent? Apparently numbers is not what motivates the concern
of the church. The catechism simply reads: "..the number of
men and women is not negligible." It is with such a sentiment
that the church indicates that persons take precedent over numbers.
Some documents like "Always
Our Children," issued by the U.S. bishops’ Committee
on Marriage and Family Life, speak about homosexual youth and their
struggle to accept their homosexual orientation. The documents tell
us that such a matter cannot go unmentioned anymore in the school
setting. What a challenge. And what an advantage we have as Catholics,
because we can deal with this issue in terms of solid doctrine and
morality, unlike the public schools. Are we equal to the challenge
of dealing with gay youth?
What challenges does a homosexual Catholic face? I would mention
only a few. Each of us is called to be chaste according to our state
in life. The church avoids patronizing homosexual members when it
does not excuse them from a chaste life. Besides, it would be offensive
and is certainly unwarranted to believe that because of a homosexual
orientation, one is compelled to seek out sexual encounters during
every waking moment.
We dare not think of chastity as a requirement or an imposition
or an avoidance of sin. No, chastity and celibate living are a participation
in the great celibacy of Jesus. Jesus did not renounce the gift
of sexuality. He gave it a radical interpretation. He embraced the
drive, the attraction, the passion, the ecstasy- all that tremendous
energy that has to do with creating new life and made of himself
a living sacrifice to the entire world, present and to come. "This
is my body broken for you. This is my blood poured out for you."
That sacrifice is not unlike that self-giving that husband and wife
give to one another, but it far surpasses it. Jesus re-birthed the
entire human race. No one was more radically sexual than he. No
one was more intimate than he. No one was more generative than he.
We saved, not by a married man, but by a celibate lover.
The celibacy of Jesus must be rediscovered and appreciated by people
in all walks of life within our church. None of us may ever fully
reach its fullness. Reaching may be impossible for some, being on
the journey is what is important- i.e. moving toward a different
kind of love that foretells the future. In the reign of God, they
will not marry or give in marriage, but will be like the angels.
The Church needs celibate lovers.
What other challenges are there for the gay or lesbian Catholic?
He or she remains a sexual being and needs to discover what that
means. He or she must recognize and celebrate legitimate intimacy
needs. Everyone was created for communion, we are dismade by isolation.
Not to be in some union with at least one other human being is a
violation of our very nature. Keeping one’s orientation a secret
is not always a healthy thing to do. But whom does one tell? Where
does a gay Catholic find models? The gay Catholic is called to a
chaste life in a basically unchaste church. Seventy to eighty per
cent of heterosexual Catholics practice some kind of artificial
birth control. Many Catholics practice in vitro fertilization and
live without benefit of marriage. The divorce rate soars. All this
poor example is not missed on our gay Catholics who feel let down.
And there are times when they are reprimanded in confession or refused
absolution when going to confession.
Increasingly, lesbian and gay Catholics are no longer leaving their
church. Laying rightful claim to rights guaranteed by their baptism
to participate fully in the life of their church, they struggle
like the rest of the church to let the Gospel and the teachings
of our church to shape, not just their sexuality, but their entire
lives of disciple ship. It is such Catholics that our ministry reaches
out to through its ministry. This archdiocese has tried to reach
out and welcome back those gay people who yearn for their life in
the church. Our ministry offers great respect for the genuine efforts
and struggles that our gay people have. Our primary concern is:
How can we make sure that our gay and lesbian Catholics find their
way into the fullest life possible within our church?
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