The Vatican on Tuesday, May 5, released a report criticizing conversion therapy and acknowledging the church’s role in “the solitude, anguish and stigma that accompany persons with same-sex attractions and their families,” according to reports at ReligionNews.com.
The Rev. James Martin, founder of the LGBTQ+ Catholic ministry Outreach, said the report is “a big deal” because it includes testimonies from two married LGBTQ+ people, which is a first for “any official publication of the Vatican.”
The report, ReligionNews.com notes, “comes from a group of theologians, including bishops, priests, a sister and a layperson, convened by the Vatican to study ‘controversial’ issues raised by the Synod on Synodality, Pope Francis’ signature listening initiative.”
The report does not announce any major changes to church doctrine but does suggest that the Catholic Church needs to “address the impasse between ‘doctrinal firmness’ and ‘pastoral welcome’ by listening and using a transdisciplinary approach.”
The report discusses the “the devastating effects of reparative therapies aimed at recovering heterosexuality,” and Martin told ReligionNews.com that this is the first time he remembers seeing conversion therapy “critiqued that strongly” in a Vatican document.”
“There have been certain bishops who have been very muted in their critique of conversion therapy, but then there have also been bishops who have used organizations whose techniques really verge on conversion therapy,” he added.
— Tammye Nash