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**But the truth, in accord with Scripture and natural law, is that human sexuality is ordered to the good of procreation, and by extension, to the good of the husband and wife so that they may be strengthened for their role as parents through the bonds of sexual intimacy and the stable love and loyalty cultivated there. This benefits not only them, but even more so their children, who need a loving and stable family in which to be best raised. It is to this that human sexuality is properly ordered and why its legitimate expression is only within the bonds of marriage. All other types of sexual expression are, in one degree or another, disordered (i.e., not properly ordered to the proper ends of sexuality). Thus sex as recreation, fornication (pre-marital sex), adultery, pornography, masturbation, and homosexual acts are disordered.**

Bravo, Monsignor Pope!

"Gay Christians choosing celibacy emerge from the shadows."

I have no thing but the utmost respect and admiration for one who has the strength of faith to choose and live this path. It is an example for us all with regard to our own sinful inclinations, whatever our pet sin happens to be. Christianity is not a religion for weaklings, yet in our weakness God shows his strength.

I think we tell them the homosexual lifestyle is an abomination, a sin against God.

If they are celibate and not trying to rationalize their past behavior, they need to know that they are listening to lies from the devil, especially if they have a need to refer to themselves as gay or homosexual.

What is the Church doing for those that are sexually attracted to children, nothing I hope.

If they feel that gay marriage is acceptable in any way shape or form, or if they try and rationalize it as being no different from other sins, that is troubling.

The word abomination isn`t used very often in the Bible.

I think they need to be told that Homosexuals will not inherit eternal life.

I say tough love is the most loving, it`s a sin against God, and they need to have this made clear to them.

A good Pentecostal Church (meaning not a ALL Black one) has it right, The Salvation Army etc. Tough Love is the only way to go, pray over them, but becoming liberal to accomodate them is to turn our backs on God

I commend Msgr. Pope for reminding his readers that all unmarried persons are called to complete sexual continence, not just those with same-sex attraction. Many seem to take the position that heterosexual sins, including sodomy, are “merely” bad, while homosexual activity is “really most sincerely” bad.

Simply from a sociological standpoint, without reference to religion or morality, we can observe that the turmoil afflicting families and the resultant individual and social harm is almost entirely attributable to unrestrained heterosexual activity. The current prominence of homosexual activism is a trailing indicator, what you get when you’ve abandoned all previous standards of normalcy.

This was exactly the logic used in the late '50s and '60s, when vocations were at a low ebb. That is, the hierarchy decided that celibate homosexuals ought not to be barred from the seminaries and ordination.

"After all," the reasoning went, "there have been homosexuals in The Church ... priests, bishops ... cardinals ... perhaps Popes. As long as they are celibate, or chaste (not the same thing), no foul. A sin is a sin, a matter for the confessional."

Foolish. Because when a candidate renounces heterosexual attraction, he or she is sacrificing a positive good, that is giving up the right to take a spouse and have a family. A Homosexual (same sex attraction) vowing to be celibate (or chaste) does not offer the Church anything but the promise to avoid an abomination to which a disordered nature leads.

IMNVHO, this naïve belief in, and at least semi-official acceptance of, the equality of heterosexuality and homosexuality is exactly what has led to the rash of scandalous boy buggering amongst the clergy of all denominations, but focused upon the Catholic Churches where vows of celibacy (and chastity) are taken. Celibate homosexuals should be barred from office in the church, but somehow welcomed as members of congregations, where perhaps they will be less likely to be put in the occasion of temptation and sin. It would at the very least prevent abuse of office!

Perhaps this sort of policy would be impossible to completely enforce. However, it ought to be stated for the good of any established church striving to be rid of this homosexual activity which has become a public scandal and the source of great harm.