The Vatican and Catholic clergy have backed a gay-friendly publication that looks at what the Catholic Church’s relationship with the “LGBT community” should be like.
“Building A Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity”, was written by James Martin.
Martin is a Jesuit priest and best-selling author.
“The Church needs a book like this,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell wrote in its blurb.
Farrell leads the Vatican office on laity, family, and life issues.
He says it will “help bishops, priests, pastoral associates and all church leaders more compassionately minister to the LGBT community”.
“It will also help LGBT Catholics feel more at home in what is, after all, their church,” he added.
Although the book calls on the Church to be more respectful and compassionate towards gay people, it does not advocate for any changes to doctrine.
Nor does it discuss same-sex marriage.
A number of senior clergy have shown support for the book in its blurb.
As an example, Newark Cardinal Joseph Tobin, wrote:
The “… book marks an essential step in inviting church leaders to minister with more compassionand in reminding LGBT Catholics that they are as much a part of our church as any other.”
Bishop Robert McElory of San Diego also supports the book.
He wrote: “The gospel demands that LGBT Catholics must be genuinely loved and treasured in the life of the church. They are not.”
Martin has often written about the role of gays and lesbians in the church, and about the need for the church to do more to welcome them.
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