In a dramatic shift in tone, Catholic bishops released a
document Monday saying that homos*xuals had “gifts and
qualities to offer” and asked if Catholicism could accept
gays and recognise positive aspects of same-s*x couples.
Roman Catholic gay rights groups have hailed the paper as
a breakthrough,but church conservatives called it a
betrayal of traditional family values. The document,
prepared after a week of discussions at an assembly of 200
bishops, said the Church should challenge itself to find “a
fraternal space” for homosexuals without compromising
Catholic doctrine on family and matrimony...
While the text did not signal any change in the Church’s
condemnation of homosexual acts or gay marriage, it used
less judgmental and more compassionate language than
that seen in Vatican statements prior to the 2013 election
of Pope Francis.
“Homosexuals have gifts and qualities to offer the Christian
community: are we capable of welcoming these people,
guaranteeing to them a further space in our communities?
Often they wish to encounter a Church that offers them a
welcoming home,” said the document, known by its Latin
name “relatio”. “
Are our communities capable of proving that, accepting and
valuing their s*xual orientation, without compromising
Catholic doctrine on the family and matrimony?” it asked.
New Ways Ministry, a leading US Catholic gay rights group,
called it a “major step forward”, praising it for being devoid
of the “major gloom and doom and apocalyptic horror” that
accompanied previous Vatican pronouncements on gay
people.
The London-based Catholic gay rights group QUEST called
parts of it “a breakthrough in that they acknowledge that
such unions have an intrinsic goodness and constitute a
valuable contribution to wider society and the common
good.”
‘Betrayal’
But John Smeaton, co-founder of the conservative group
Voice of the Family, was less than happy with the
Vatican’s apparent change in direction. “Those who are
controlling the synod have betrayed Catholic parents
worldwide,” he said, calling it “one of the worst official
documents drafted in Church history”.
The Vatican document will be the basis for discussion for
the second and final week of the bishops’ assembly, also
known as a synod. It will also serve for further reflection
among Catholics around the world ahead of another,
definitive synod next year.
A number of participants at the closed-door gathering have
said the Church should tone down its condemnatory
language when referring to gay couples and avoid phrases
such as “intrinsically disordered” when speaking of
homos*xuals.
That was the phrase used by former Pope Benedict in a
document written before his election, when he was still
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and head of the Vatican’s
doctrinal department.
The language and tone of Monday’s document, read to the
assembly in the presence of Pope Francis, appeared to
show that the advocates of a more inclusive tone towards
gays and Catholics in so-called “irregular situations”—such
as unmarried couples and those who have divorced—had
prevailed.
It said that the 1.2 billion- member Church should see the
development of its position on homos*xuals as “an
important educational challenge” for the global institution.
While the Church continued to affirm that same-s*x unions
“cannot be considered on the same footing as matrimony
between man and woman”, it should recognise that there
could be positive aspects to relationships in same-s*x
couples.
“Without denying the moral problems connected to
homos*xual unions it has to be noted that there are cases
in which mutual aid to the point of sacrifice constitutes a
precious support in the life of the partners,” the document
said.
The paper also said there were “constructive elements” to
heteros*xual couples who were married only in civil
services or who were living together, but stressed that
Church marriages were “the ideal”.
Pope Francis has said the Church must be more
compassionate with homos*xuals, saying last year, “If a
person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I
to judge.” Catholic Church is coming to a conclusion that
homos*xual tendencies are not sinful, but the acts are.

Nawa for u. U didn't say anything concerning the press release by the synod secretariat as concerns the relatio. The church cannot be influence by gay propaganda but the right thing must be done. I'll advise u follow the synod very well rather than passing half information here.