English Catholics defy Vatican?

A Catholic Rebellion?

In contrast to the homophobia of the Pope, Catholic Bishops in England
and Wales are urging understanding and acceptance of gay people

By Peter Tatchell, human rights campaigner

The Guardian – Comment is Free - London – 11 December 2008

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/dec/11/gayrights-catholicism?commentpage=1&commentposted=1


A pastoral leaflet authorised by the Catholic Bishops Conference of
England and Wales is creating more than a few ripples throughout the
Catholic world.

http://www.everybodyswelcome.org.uk/docs/gay.pdf

In a marked departure from the constant stream of anti-gay
denunciations by the Vatican, it urges clergy and churchgoers to be
respectful and welcoming towards lesbian and gay people.

The leaflet, which is distributed to dioceses, is entitled:
"What is life like if you or someone in your family is gay or lesbian
in their sexual orientation?...and what can your parish family do to
make a difference?

Unusually for an official Catholic publication, it acknowledges the
"oppression" suffered by homosexuals:

"As a group that has suffered more than its share of oppression and
contempt, the homosexual community has a particular claim on the
concern of the church."

Indeed, the leaflet includes a disarmingly honest admission of the
role played by the Catholic Church in the victimisation and
marginalisation of lesbian and gay people. It quotes comments received
from lay Catholics during its Listening Day survey:

"The continual message from the church is that homosexuality is so, so
dreadful. Our gay son just hasn't stood a chance…My brother is gay;
the church has been very intolerant of him."

This frank admission of past failings is brave and honourable, as is
the suggestion that Catholics should "express appreciation for the
gifts that homosexual Catholics bring to their faith community."

Exuding love, compassion and empathy, the leaflet goes on to advise
priests and parishioners:

"Try not to assume that everyone is heterosexual….Avoid stereotyping
and condemning….Remember that homophobic jokes and asides can be cruel
and hurtful; a careless word can mean another experience of rejection
and pain."

The leaflet's suggested reading list of seminal Catholic statements on
homosexuality does not, notably, include any statements from the
Vatican. It omits all Papal documents denouncing homosexuality and
endorsing legal discrimination against lesbian and gay people.

Catholic traditionalists have, predictably, condemned the leaflet's
liberal message and accused the English and Welsh Church of defying
Vatican orthodoxy.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/nov/08112602.html

One English critic, Father Ray Blake, has described the leaflet as
"troubling" because it does not mention the traditional Catholic
teaching that homosexuals should live a life of chastity.

Although I am an atheist and a strong critic of Catholic homophobia
(and sexism), I applaud this leaflet. It is a welcome, positive
initiative which will bring great comfort to gay Catholics and their
families. Its sympathetic, understanding message is a huge improvement
on the stern, uncompromising homophobia of most Vatican pronouncements
on homosexuality.

Indeed, I hope the Catholic Church in England and Wales will encourage
the Vatican to adopt this leaflet for use by Catholic dioceses
worldwide. Its broader dissemination would help counteract the
ignorance and prejudice that exists among many clergy and laity.

But I would also add the following caveat: the loving, respectful tone
of this pastoral leaflet is undermined by the homophobic content of
the Catholic Catechism and by the Pope's frequent endorsement of
discriminatory, anti-gay laws. In particular, the Vatican policy of
condemning loving, stable same-sex relationships is not only ethically
wrong; it risks undoing the good, kind intentions of this leaflet.

The Catechism, which sets out the basic doctrines of the Roman Church,
reflects the pre-scientific ignorance and anti-homosexual prejudice of
the medieval era; describing same-sex acts as a "grave depravity" and
"intrinsically disordered." It states that lesbian and gay
relationships are "contrary to natural law ... and do not proceed from
genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances
can they be approved."

http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.html

The Vatican identifies homosexuality as a deep-seated personality
disorder and psychological flaw; variously condemning same-sex acts as
"grave sins….objectively disordered….(and) intrinsically immoral."
Even people who have a gay orientation but abstain totally from sex
are condemned by the Pope as possessing a "tendency towards an
intrinsic moral evil." In October, the Vatican ruled that chaste gay
men should be barred from the priesthood and this month it again
vilified same-sex marriages and announced its intention to oppose a UN
General Assembly statement calling for the decriminalisation of
homosexuality worldwide.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article5268745.ece

The English Church's pastoral leaflet challenges these outdated,
bigoted attitudes. It reflects the growing acceptance of loving,
loyal, long-term lesbian and gay relationships by grassroots
Catholics.

It is also a fitting tribute to the late Cardinal Basil Hume and a
continuation of his valiant, but often tortured and incomplete,
attempts to move English Catholicism towards the acceptance of gay
people and gay human rights.

I know from my personal dialogue with Cardinal Hume in the 1990s that
he was personally pained by the Vatican's intransigent, heartless
homophobia. He tried, as best he could, to distance the English Church
from Rome, with nuanced theological pronouncements that discreetly
differed from those of the Pope. Although his distancing was far too
subtle for my liking, I appreciated his efforts.

It is good to see Cardinal Hume's more gay-sympathetic theology
reflected in this pastoral leaflet. He would be happy and proud.
Congratulations and thanks to the Catholic Bishops Conference of
England and Wales. Now please reform the Catechsim - or publish your
own non-homophobic English version.

J-FLAG Tenth Anniversary Press Release

Kingston – December 10, 2008

December 10, 2008 marks ten years since the founding of the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG), Jamaica’s foremost lesbian, gay and transgender rights advocacy group. The anniversary will be commemorated with a church service on the weekend. As J-FLAG celebrates this milestone, it pauses to reflect on the challenges and successes that have shaped its journey thus far.

Started by a group of 12 business people, educators, lawyers, public relations practitioners, advertisers and human rights activists, J-FLAG was launched in the wee hours of December 10, 1998. The organisation was born out of the need to advocate for the protection of lesbians, gays and transgenders from state-sanctioned and community violence. In this regard, J-FLAG’s call was for the fair and equal treatment of gays and lesbians under the law and by the ordinary citizen.
The organisation’s birth was condemned and decried by most as a foolhardy venture that would result in a backlash against members of the country’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. On the other hand, it was welcomed by a few as a bold attempt to recognise lesbians, gays and transgenders as members of plural Jamaican society.

After ten years of existence, J-FLAG can boast of having survived in one of the most inhospitable environments for gays, lesbians and transgender people. Indeed, much of J-FLAG’s work has revolved around the rescuing of community members from violent situations or attempting to deal with the aftermath of such situations. In fact, the violent death of Brian Williamson, one of the co-founders of J-FLAG—and for years its voice and face—and the recent departure of Gareth Henry, a former programmes manager of the organisation, testify to the dangerous environment in which the organisation operates.

Yet J-FLAG has been able to do what was, ten years ago, unthinkable in Jamaica. It has visited and made presentations on sexuality and human rights to a variety of local and international organisations, including religious, civic and human rights groups as well as tertiary educational institutions and the police. It has also met with and given interviews with radio and newspaper reporters. But perhaps its most significant achievements have been the submission to parliament regarding the addition of sexual orientation as a category for which there should be constitutional protection against discrimination and the assistance, in 2006, to relaunch the Caribbean Forum for Lesbians, All-sexuals and Gays (C-FLAG).

Over the ten years of its existence, J-FLAG has stood as a singular voice in Jamaica calling for the respect of lesbians, gays and transgenders as citizens with the same rights and value as heterosexual Jamaicans. For the next phase of its journey, the organisation will continue calling Jamaicans to a deeper understanding of their plurality and their democracy; it will continue seeking to raise the level of debate in the society about the meaning of tolerance and the acceptance of difference. Accordingly, J-FLAG will attempt to forge new relationships with a wider cross-section of organisations committed to strengthening democracy and the promotion of respect for all Jamaicans, regardless of sexual orientation, gender, creed, religion or social status.
-30-

Obama urged to back UN LGBT rights statement

Decriminalisation statement now expected 15 to 20 December

Still time to lobby governments to support UN initiative

LATEST UPDATE on UN General Assembly statement

London UK - 11 December 2008

"I urge Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and the US Congress to speak out in support of the forthcoming UN statement on LGBT human rights," said Peter Tatchell of the British lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) human rights movement, OutRage!

"To draw a line under the homophobic policies of the Bush administration, they need to publicly endorse this UN initiative for LGBT human rights.

"If the US government does not sign up, it will be aligning itself with homophobic non-signing regimes like Iran, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, Uganda and Belarus," he said.

The presentation of the ground-breaking statement on LGBT issues to the UN General Assembly is now expected to take place between 15 and 20 December (not 10 December, as previously reported). The exact date is yet to be finalised. It partly depends on other UN business.

This means there is still time to lobby governments to sign up and support the UN LGBT rights statement (copy below).

It will be the first time in its history that the UN General Assembly has had before it a statement in support of LGBT human rights.

"The failure of President Bush to approve this UN statement is a shabby betrayal of the humanitarian values that the US claims to represent and defend," added Mr Tatchell.

"The US government often berates Zimbabwe, Burma and Sudan over their human rights violations. These condemnations will ring hollow if the US refuses to support the UN statement. This is a test of the US government's commitment to universal human rights.

"Washington will lose ever more respect and credibility if it fails to endorse this initiative for LGBT human rights," he said.

UPDATE:

UN statement on decriminalising homosexuality and supporting LGBT human rights

There are a number of new developments:

The UN "declaration" is being called a "statement" and technically (in UN terms) is it a statement not a declaration, so it is best to call it a statement in any publicity or media coverage.

The statement is finalised, so the US and other countries cannot claim that it is not finalised and use this as an excuse to explain their non-signature (a copy of the UN statement follows below).

Please note that the recommendations of the UN statement include more than the decriminalisation of homosexuality:

As well as seeking the decriminalisation of same-sex acts, the statement also condemns all human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity, urges countries to protect the human rights of LGBT people and to bring to justice those who violate these rights, and calls for human rights defenders who oppose homophobia and transphobia to be allowed to carry out their humanitarian work unimpeded.

A list of supporting countries (as of now) is below.

Contrary to earlier reports, Australia and Venezuela have signed. Guinea-Bissau was thought to have agreed but has, in fact, not yet signed up. It probably will sign but this is not 100% certain.

France may not now present and read the statement to the UN General Assembly. It might instead hand this task to a developing country (so the statement does not seem a purely western initiative).

CONFIRMED SIGNATORIES SO FAR - MORE PENDING

According to Human Rights Watch, these countries have signed so far:

Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Venezuela.

FULL TEXT OF THE UN STATEMENT

We have the honour to make this statement on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity on behalf of [.]

1 - We reaffirm the principle of universality of human rights, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights whose 60th anniversary is celebrated this year, Article 1 of which proclaims that "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights";

2 - We reaffirm that everyone is entitled to the enjoyment of human rights without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, as set out in Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 2 of the International Covenants on Civil and Political, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, as well as in article 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;

3 - We reaffirm the principle of non-discrimination which requires that human rights apply equally to every human being regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity;

4 - We are deeply concerned by violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms based on sexual orientation or gender identity;

5 - We are also disturbed that violence, harassment, discrimination, exclusion, stigmatisation and prejudice are directed against persons in all countries in the world because of sexual orientation or gender identity, and that these practices undermine the integrity and dignity of those subjected to these abuses;

6 - We condemn the human rights violations based on sexual orientation or gender identity wherever they occur, in particular the use of the death penalty on this ground, extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, the practice of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, arbitrary arrest or detention and deprivation of economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to health;

7 - We recall the statement in 2006 before the Human Rights Council by fifty four countries requesting the President of the Council to provide an opportunity, at an appropriate future session of the Council, for discussing these violations;

8 - We commend the attention paid to these issues by special procedures of the Human Rights Council and treaty bodies and encourage them to continue to integrate consideration of human rights violations based on sexual orientation or gender identity within their relevant mandates;

9 - We welcome the adoption of Resolution AG/RES. 2435 (XXXVIII-O/08) on "Human Rights, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity" by the General Assembly of the Organization of American States during its 38th session in 3 June 2008;

10 - We call upon all States and relevant international human rights mechanisms to commit to promote and protect human rights of all persons, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity;

11 - We urge States to take all the necessary measures, in particular legislative or administrative, to ensure that sexual orientation or gender identity may under no circumstances be the basis for criminal penalties, in particular executions, arrests or detention.

12 - We urge States to ensure that human rights violations based on sexual orientation or gender identity are investigated and perpetrators held accountable and brought to justice;

13 - We urge States to ensure adequate protection of human rights defenders, and remove obstacles which prevent them from carrying out their work on issues of human rights and sexual orientation and gender identity.

ACTION ALERT

The presentation of the statement for the worldwide decriminalisation of homosexuality and for the human rights of LGBT people is now expected to take place at the UN General Assembly between 15 and 20 December.

This means there is still time to lobby governments to sign up and support it.

The list of signatory countries is growing but it is still well short of a majority.

With coordinated, concerted lobbying efforts by LGBT and human rights organisations we can persuade more countries to endorse the UN statement.

Please redouble your efforts to get your local legislators and political leaders to press your government to declare its commitment to support the statement - if it has not done so.

If your government has already announced its support for the UN statement, please use whatever influence you can muster with neighbouring governments that have not yet signed up.

A short lobbying briefing on the UN statement follows below:

UN General Assembly to consider a joint statement urging the decriminalisation of homosexuality worldwide

By Peter Tatchell, human rights campaigner

It will be the first time in its history that the UN General Assembly has been presented with a statement in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) human rights.

Although not binding on the member states, the statement of principle will have immense symbolic value, given the six decades in which homophobic persecution has been ignored by the UN General Assembly.

Note: LGBT human rights have, however, been previously raised in other UN forums and commissions.

Even today, not a single international human rights convention explicitly acknowledges the human rights of LGBT people. The right to physically love the person of one's choice is nowhere directly enshrined in any global humanitarian law. No convention specifically recognises sexual rights as human rights. None offer explicit protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Yet 86 countries (nearly half the nations on Earth) still have a total ban on male homosexuality and a smaller number also ban sex between women. The penalties in these countries range from a few years jail to life imprisonment. In at least seven countries or regions of countries (all under Islamist jurisdiction), the sentence is death, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Yemen, Sudan, Mauritania and parts of Nigeria and Pakistan.

See the global survey of homophobia, published by the International Gay and Lesbian Association:
http://www.ilga.org/news_results.asp?LanguageID=1&FileCategoryID=9&FileID=1165&ZoneID=7
and
http://www.ilga.org/statehomophobia/ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2008.pdf

The UN decriminalisation statement will be tabled in the General Assembly with the backing of all 27 member states of the European Union and of other countries in Africa, Australasia and Latin America.

South Africa and the US are among the many countries that have not indicated their backing.

In the run up to the presentation of the statement in the UN General Assembly, more countries that have not signed up so far are likely to confirm their support.

An all-out lobbying effort in the next week will increase our chances of a large roll-call of UN member states in support of the statement.

See an bline,hear an deaf. (Not everything that is seen or heard must be shared with others.)

“Me, Miss, me Miss,” cries the student, excitedly seeking to give what he believes is the correct response, to show his knowledge. So often too, as adults, in our desire to demonstrate how much we know we are often quick to share stories that “I know...I was there, saw it with my own eyes.”

Fuelled by our desire to stand tall and look good in the eyes of the ones with whom we are sharing, we often forget the implications of the sometimes intensely personal information that we are so eager to share. Many times we forget that the information which we are so keen to pass on may hurt someone’s feelings, may jeopardize someone’s relationship, may cause disaffection with family and friends and may even endanger one’s life. Sadly, our motivation in such situations is to come across as being aware, knowledgeable...even superior.

The exhortation to exercise discretion, ‘See an bline, hear an deaf’ is one that we would do well to heed. Sometimes, there is virtue in being quiet, even feigning ignorance. It just may make the difference between life and death. ”

***

Help me remember that while speech may be silver, silence is considered golden. In the noise and the rush of life, let me recognize that in silence I can find peace.

30 –
Laje © 2008

Rev Says

Colleagues:

A blessed and holy week to you all.

Peace
During the season of advent, many Christian churches will light an advent candle each of the four Sundays preceding Christmas. This Sunday, the first advent candle will be lit and this first candle will remind believes of peace and how the coming of Jesus Christ was a statement about peace. Christ was offered to the world as the bearer of peace.

Any cursory analysis of the state of affairs in our nation and globally will reveal that human beings have been making futile attempts at peace. We talk about peace, but many of our activities bring wars. In Jamaica, the social condition of so many of our people is a major issue when we analyze the rising crime and violence in our society. Peace has indeed eluded us.

Could it be that we do not have the peace we are seeking because we think more about peace as an external reality rather than an internal one? Peace begins first as a state of mind and then as an outgrowth of our inner being. Peace must begin with our sense of contentment with the self, at least our recognition of who we are as a specially created human being. Are you living in peace with yourself, your neighbours and with your God? When we are able to get in touch with our inner selves and accept ourselves as made in the image of God and that we can accomplish much, then we can confess that we have been equipped with foundational apparatus hat can enable us to become the bearers of peace to a troubled world. This Christmas, let us remember that the Christ-child came to bring peace and let us seek to be bearers of peace.

Peace

Gay humanists condemn Vatican's stance on universal decriminalisation

The Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) has condemned the Vatican's opposition to a declaration against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The declaration, which is officially supported by the European Union, is due to be presented to the UN General Assembly later this month.

Monsignor Celestino Migliore, the Holy See's permanent observer at the UN, claims the declaration could be used to force countries to recognise same-sex marriage.

"If adopted, they would create new and implacable discriminations," he said.

"For example, states which do not recognise same-sex unions as 'matrimony' will be pilloried and made an object of pressure."

More than 80 countries outlaw same-sex relations in all circumstances.

The maximum punishments range from a few years jail to life imprisonment.

In nine countries, or regions of countries, the mandatory punishment for homosexuality is death by execution.

There is no mention of same-sex marriage in the UN declaration. Only a handful of countries recognise gay and lesbian marriages, among them Canada, Belgium and South Africa.

GALHA’s secretary, David Christmas said the Vatican's stance is ludicrous.

“The accusation that it is in some way discriminatory to attempt to counteract the prejudice and hatred which exists in over 80 countries that outlaw same sex relations, would appear to be yet another example of the Vatican turning logical thinking on its head," he said.

The Vatican has backed their UN observer.

"It's not for nothing that fewer than 50 member states of the United Nations have adhered to the proposal in question while more than 150 have not adhered. The Holy See is not alone," a spokesman said.