The Catholic church seems to be soften its anti-gay stance, as a paper released by a synod of Bishops meeting in the Vatican on Monday says gays have gift for the church .
Catholic Bishops also said gays should be accepted and that there were “positive” aspects to a couple living together without being married.
Though no decisions were announced, the tone of the report was one of almost-revolutionary acceptance, rather than condemnation, with the aim of guiding Catholics toward the ideal of a lasting marriage.
“This is a stunning change in the way the Catholic church speaks of gay people,” said the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit author. “The Synod is clearly listening to the complex, real-life experiences of Catholics around the world, and seeking to address them with mercy, as Jesus did.”
The bishops repeated that gay marriage was off the table. But it acknowledged that gay partnerships had merit.
Conservative groups rejected the report as a “betrayal” and even heresy.
“What will Catholics parents now have to tell their children about contraception, cohabiting with partners or living homosexual lifestyles?” asked Maria Madise, co-ordinator of the Voice of the Family, which counts pro-life and conservative groups as members.
“Will those parents now have to tell their children that the Vatican teaches that there are positive and constructive aspects to these mortal sins? This approach destroys grace in souls.”
For heterosexuals, the bishops said the church must grasp the “positive reality of civil weddings” and even cohabitation, with the aim of helping the couple commit eventually to a church wedding.