Catholic Church discourages LGBT relationships but decries discrimination

SINGAPORE - The Catholic Church has issued a statement on the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transexual (LGBT) movement, joining the ranks of other religious groups that have spoken up on the issue.

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Here is the statement released by Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore:

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

The LGBT movement is gaining momentum. Some of you are confused and are asking what the Church's position is with regard to the family.

The Catholic Church has always maintained, and continues to maintain, that the family, comprising a father, mother and children, remains the basic building block of society.

She recognises that there are individuals who are attracted to people of the same sex. Regardless of their sexual orientation, the Church has always looked on each individual as being a child of God, made in His image and likeness and is therefore worthy of love and respect.

Discrimination of any kind is thus neither pleasing in the eyes of God, nor that of man.

However, the Church also believes that when God created man (and woman), He had intended for them to "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it". (Genesis 1:28) For this reason, although the Church treats each individual, regardless of his/her sexual orientation, with sensitivity and respect for his/her dignity, she upholds the view that LGBT sexual relationships are not in accordance with the plan of God.

This kind of lifestyle should not be promoted by Catholics as it is detrimental to society, is not helpful to integral human development and contrary to Christian values.

Thus, whilst the Church urges compassion, acceptance, patient understanding and mutual respect for these individuals, she believes that there are ways to ensure justice and the protection of their dignity without the risk of endangering the future of the marriage institution, family and society.

She empathizes with those individuals who are struggling to integrate their faith with such orientation and urges them to seek Christian counselling and spiritual support.

May the Holy Spirit restore them to wholeness, and may He also enlighten our minds and guide us in the path of truth and justice, tempered by compassion.

Yours devotedly in Christ, Archbishop William Goh