Here's how some Buffalo community members reacted to the Congregation For the Doctrine Of the Faith's statement that they 'can't bless sin'
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| Photo Credit: Pontifex / Twitter |
Addressing matters on same-sex marriage, The Congregation For the Doctrine Of the Faith stated that it “can’t bless sin” in the church on March 15.
The marriage sacrament in Catholicism has traditionally been between a man and a woman.
Pope Francis I is seen by many to be progressive and is the first pope to support civil unions for gay couples.
Pope Francis I is seen by many to be progressive and is the first pope to support civil unions for gay couples.
“Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God,” Francis said in the 2020 documentary “Franceso,” directed by Evgeny Affineevsky. “What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered.”
Despite Francis’ history of support for the LGBT+ community, however, he approved the C.D.F.’s ruling. Francis said that it was “not intended to be a form of unjust discrimination, but rather a reminder of the truth of the liturgical rite,” BBC reports.
Robert Roush, the executive director of GLYS Western New York, Inc: Growing LGBTQ+ Youth Support, an organization in Buffalo that provides a safe space for those aged 5-21, describes Pope Francis’ approval of the C.D.F. as cognitive dissonance, which is “a term for the state of discomfort felt when two or more modes of thought contradict each other,” according to Psychology Today.
Roush says that the Catholic Church had no business making statements in the first place and termed it as taking a step backward with the relationship with the LGBT+ community.
“I think the pope needs to step away from judgment. I think he and the Catholic Church in particular needs to step away from trying to, perhaps, cast dispersions upon LGBTQ and what they consider sinful when the Catholic Church itself is embroiled in this pedophilia and sexual mistreatment of members of the Church and all sorts of things,” they said. “The Catholic Church needs to get its own house in order and I think it needs to realize that it doesn’t speak for the LGBTQ community nor should it try to. It needs to rethink its approach before it tries to speak to the LGBTQ community.”
GLYS Western New York, Inc: Growing LGBTQ+ Youth Support, according to Roush, does not endorse any religion but finds that the spiritual growth and spiritual life of LGBTQ+ youth are important.
“[The pope’s statement] does not seem to offer anything except a judgment that these individuals are sinful and their relationship cannot be recognized,” Roush said. “That is the worst and most destruct[ive] thing that any religion can do.”
The Rev. Paul Cygan, a priest at St. Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Parish, said that the reason the Church released this statement is “because of the current climate” globally.
“Right now there is an increase in homosexual unions and marriages taking place and the Church, in its hierarchy, just wanted to put forth what [it] taught for 2,000 plus years,” Cygan said.
Despite it not being a new decree, Cygan says that he was surprised by “such strong language,” and although he agrees with the decision, he says, “that they could've used some language of compassion.”
The ruling wasn’t taken well by not only those in the LGBT+ community and other priests, but straight allies as well, including Connor Hebert, the vice president of Pride Alliance, a student organization at the State University of New York Buffalo State College, who calls the Catholic Church’s actions, “disgusting.”
“It’s such a miscarriage of the mission for peace and love and inclusivity into the kingdom of heaven. You say that people are made in God’s image and then you go ahead and dismiss them from receiving a sacrament within a religion that they hold dear to their heart and it’s a part of their identity. It’s terrible,” Hebert said.
Cygan says that he knows and talks to families who have members or are individuals themselves that are on the LGBT+ spectrum.
“It’s not us versus them. The Church wants to be welcome to those with homosexual tendencies. It's certainly a very delicate issue because the Church needs to be able to hold firm to its teachings, but at the same time lend a hand of compassion and understanding to [them],” Cygan said. “What’s most important is that we walk right beside them and along the way. Hopefully they can see why the Church holds that position.”
Despite Francis’ history of support for the LGBT+ community, however, he approved the C.D.F.’s ruling. Francis said that it was “not intended to be a form of unjust discrimination, but rather a reminder of the truth of the liturgical rite,” BBC reports.
Robert Roush, the executive director of GLYS Western New York, Inc: Growing LGBTQ+ Youth Support, an organization in Buffalo that provides a safe space for those aged 5-21, describes Pope Francis’ approval of the C.D.F. as cognitive dissonance, which is “a term for the state of discomfort felt when two or more modes of thought contradict each other,” according to Psychology Today.
Roush says that the Catholic Church had no business making statements in the first place and termed it as taking a step backward with the relationship with the LGBT+ community.
“I think the pope needs to step away from judgment. I think he and the Catholic Church in particular needs to step away from trying to, perhaps, cast dispersions upon LGBTQ and what they consider sinful when the Catholic Church itself is embroiled in this pedophilia and sexual mistreatment of members of the Church and all sorts of things,” they said. “The Catholic Church needs to get its own house in order and I think it needs to realize that it doesn’t speak for the LGBTQ community nor should it try to. It needs to rethink its approach before it tries to speak to the LGBTQ community.”
GLYS Western New York, Inc: Growing LGBTQ+ Youth Support, according to Roush, does not endorse any religion but finds that the spiritual growth and spiritual life of LGBTQ+ youth are important.
“[The pope’s statement] does not seem to offer anything except a judgment that these individuals are sinful and their relationship cannot be recognized,” Roush said. “That is the worst and most destruct[ive] thing that any religion can do.”
The Rev. Paul Cygan, a priest at St. Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Parish, said that the reason the Church released this statement is “because of the current climate” globally.
“Right now there is an increase in homosexual unions and marriages taking place and the Church, in its hierarchy, just wanted to put forth what [it] taught for 2,000 plus years,” Cygan said.
Despite it not being a new decree, Cygan says that he was surprised by “such strong language,” and although he agrees with the decision, he says, “that they could've used some language of compassion.”
The ruling wasn’t taken well by not only those in the LGBT+ community and other priests, but straight allies as well, including Connor Hebert, the vice president of Pride Alliance, a student organization at the State University of New York Buffalo State College, who calls the Catholic Church’s actions, “disgusting.”
“It’s such a miscarriage of the mission for peace and love and inclusivity into the kingdom of heaven. You say that people are made in God’s image and then you go ahead and dismiss them from receiving a sacrament within a religion that they hold dear to their heart and it’s a part of their identity. It’s terrible,” Hebert said.
Cygan says that he knows and talks to families who have members or are individuals themselves that are on the LGBT+ spectrum.
“It’s not us versus them. The Church wants to be welcome to those with homosexual tendencies. It's certainly a very delicate issue because the Church needs to be able to hold firm to its teachings, but at the same time lend a hand of compassion and understanding to [them],” Cygan said. “What’s most important is that we walk right beside them and along the way. Hopefully they can see why the Church holds that position.”
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