The way Catholic Church officials address the tension around LGBT relations may vary: most remain silent, few express support, and few – disapproval. The attitudes of judgment and rejection, in turn, only widen the gap between the LGBT community and the institutional Church. The opening, however, is not only artificially and needlessly enforced but is also harmful to both sides. As Martin (2017) contends, the Catholic mission will never be complete unless the separation between its people is left to be a thing of the past. In turn, a common sentiment that queer community members express is feeling excluded and marginalized by the Church (Martin, 2017). This rejection may cause mutual spite, frustration, and even trauma. Despite both groups suffering from the present divide, much hurt is inflicted on the LGBT members.
To overcome the gap, both parties should input some effort. Identifying the areas in the actions of the Church that could be critiqued and challenged is vital but should only be done to resolve the conflict and not perpetuate it (Martin, 2017). Martin (2017) acknowledges the damage done by the Catholic Church to the LGBT community but insists that both sides should find “respect, compassion, and sensitivity” in them to find common ground and achieve solutions (p. 9). The author offers a series of solutions related to these three concepts.
The first notion is respect, which should entail recognition and listen at a bare minimum. Specifically, the Church would recognize that the Catholic LGBT community exists and refer to it by the preferred term, while the LGBT community would listen to the episcopacy (Martin, 2017). Their religious journey has been complicated because of their relationship with the religious institutions. This pilgrimage should be made more accessible by unequivocal acceptance. Thus, the second element is compassion that Church leaders should show by inquiring about the personal experiences of LGBT individuals and then listening rather than imposing their norms, while the LGBT community should learn more about the duties Catholic leadership entails (Martin, 2017). Lastly, the Church and LGBT members should exhibit sensitivity – being aware of others’ feelings by fostering personal interactions and understanding of global contexts (Martin, 2017). Overall, the key to building the bridge between the two communities lies in kindness and an open heart.
These benefits are made up of mutual respect and recognition of views. Although at the moment, members of minorities entering into same-sex unions cannot receive the blessing of the Catholic Church. It is stated in the response of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which oversees the “purity and morality” of the doctrine. Its signatory is Pope Francis (Pullella, 2021). Several Western countries have long legalized same-sex marriage, and the Vatican’s decision could alienate young believers from the LGBT community, which cannot promote open dialogue. In other branches of Christianity, they take a different position regarding the wedding of representatives of the LGBT community. For example, same-sex marriages are blessed in North American Christian churches, European Lutheran churches in Finland, Sweden, Germany, and the United Church of Canada (Djupe & Neiheisel, 2022). This more open approach can promote dialogue and agreement with the values postulated by religion and emerge in the soul of these people.
Compassion and sensitivity in matters relating to communities should appear after realizing the depth of the spiritual conflict and the experiences of the flock. The situation in the world constantly forces LGBT communities to be subjected to discriminatory attacks, even from large state institutions. The Church, the refuge of restless souls, should enable a person to accept oneself and not join discrediting postulates. Although the service involves certain hardships on the part of members of the church community, these hardships cannot be equated with Christian love, which is the principal value of religion.
References
Djupe, P. A., & Neiheisel, J. (2022). Are shifts in same-sex marriage attitudes associated with declines in religious behavior and affiliation?. American Politics Research, 1532673X221106431. Web.
Martin, J. (2017). Building a bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT community can enter into a relationship of respect, compassion, and sensitivity (1st ed.). HarperOne.
Pullella, P. (2021). Vatican ruling on same-sex couples prompts defiance, pain, confusion. Reuters. Web.