Translation of the Pope's Sunday Angelus from July 9, 2000
Entitled "An offence to Rome's Christian values!"

I feel obliged, now, to mention the well-known demonstrations held in Rome in the past few days.

In the name of the Church of Rome I can only express my deep sadness at the affront to the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 and the offence to the Christian values of a city that is so dear to the hearts of Catholics throughout the world.

The Church cannot be silent about the truth, because she would fail in her fidelity to God the Creator and would not help to distinguish good from evil.

In this regard, I wish merely to read what is said in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which, after noting that homosexual acts are contrary to the natural law, then states: "The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfil God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition" (CCC, n. 2358).

May the heavenly Mother assist us with her protection.

from the Vatican web site

We asked Father Gianni, our favourite Roman Catholic priest to shed some divine light on the Vatican's stance on WorldPride.

WorldPride2000 in Rome? I feel strongly that there should be no need for such an event. No people should feel compelled to show their 'real' existence to the world. If they do, it's probably because they feel oppressed or negated. And if that is how they feel, it's not necessarily their problem.

But let me offer you a different perspective on this controversy. We talk too much, even within the Catholic Church, about sex in a superficial way. We too often focus on the manipulation of the genitals and nothing else. And most of our media contributes to this shallowness.

Sex is more than simply the contact of genitals. The sexual encounter of two persons should be a greater experience, fulfilling an innate need to become one - the 'One' that we probably were in the beginning…

And this 'Oneness' is not even the arithmetic sum of a penis plus a vagina. It is time to be more advanced in our understanding of humanity and the evolution of it. Again, a human being is more than a penis or vagina, or the encounter of two like genitals.

When anyone tells me that they are heterosexual, homosexual, or whatever… I do not, and I should not think about what they do in bed or which games they play together. I just think that it is not at all necessary that I know or that they tell me… unless they need my help to understand 'who' they are.

Sexuality is still a great mystery to be discovered, and there is much to be understood. Not only for those who are hostile to those they judge different, but also for those who have to suffer when discriminated against because of their orientation.

And from the point of view of the Church?

Well. I don't think I am showing disrespect for anyone when I say that within the Church, we have a lot of listening to do and much to learn. But not only within the Church, to be honest.

As a simple practical suggestion, I would suggest that we go to read the Gospel, since we always say that we are the people of the Gospel.

Below is Chapter 25 (verses: 31-46) of the Gospel written by St. Matthew. It is called: 'The Final Judgement' and it is a symbolic presentation of what is really important in our life.

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.  -Matthew 25: 31-46

In this passage, there is no mention of sexual life or sexual orientation at all. I am quite sure that we will not be judged for what we do in bed, or for the way we do it. And, by the way, the Evangelists never mention any intervention by Jesus in this regard.

Instead, we will be judged for what we are ready to do to help people, for the respect we show people, and on how we love people.

And now something a bit lighter...
Some pics from WorldPride's Roma Fashion Show