The bridges to be built in the Catholic Church with LGBT people

Document sent to the synodal commission of the archdiocese of Naples from Ponti to be built group, Christians LGBT+ of Campania

Dear brothers and sisters, "Bridges to be built"It is a group of Catholic Christian people of the LGBT reality. The name"Bridges to be built"Derives from the title of the book"A bridge to be built - between the Church and the Christian people LGBT”Of the Jesuit James Martin.

The group "Bridges to be built" It was born to listen and word to Christian people, who feel the need to express their faith within a church that is not always inclusive. The community "Bridges to be built", Led by Sister Anna Maria Vitagliani, to whom Don Ciro Cozzolino has joined, has grown over time and has mostly expanded on the Campania territory, then finding a headquarters, for the periodic meetings, at the convent of the Franciscan friars attached to the Basilica of San Pietro ad Aram in Naples.

As part of the synodal path, we let ourselves be asked by the following questions:

1. What are the obstacles that prevent a real integration of the LGBT world within the Church;
2. What ways and tools can help accompany the experiences of LGBT people so that they can be integrated into the Church's journey;
3. What are the hopes that live our hearts.
4. The Church is called to be Open house of the father, but it has not always been and in substance it is not yet. In fact, LGBT people warn the ecclesial approach to them many times discriminatory and therefore not inclusive. Feeling on the margins is not the result of the invisibility or not exposing itself, but also depends on the shame of being considered wrong. This feeling has been fueled in the minds and hearts of many LGBT people for years, creating a sense of suffering and humiliation and in some cases deep wounds.

In this regard, among the most recent examples, think of the Responsum of 2021 of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, in which the blessings of homosexual couples are prohibited, as it is considered that homosexual love is intrinsically disordered and not contemplated in the design of God. Or, think of the document of the Congregation for the Clergy of 2016, where it is reiterated that homosexual people cannot be admitted to the seminar and the sacred orders, they are in a situation that are in a situation correct to relate. The thoughts and behaviors taken over the years reveal the image of a church that struggles to question themselves, revealing a strong resistance to change. The moralistic attitude, often also from the lay faithful, is a sign of this closure and produces a position of judgment which is often difficult to stem.

Another sore point concerns the information and formation of the clergy on this issue and consequently the lack of a unique LGBT pastoral and shared widely in each diocese.

The result of this lack therefore causes a leopard spot phenomenon in the various dioceses, which entrusts everything to the sensitivity and opening of the individual pastoral operator. It is important that in the ecclesial community there is therefore uniformity and integrity to allow the religious community itself to grow.

• We strongly believe that this is the favorable time in which the Church is asking questions about LGBT reality and to bring to maturation those seeds that have been scattered in the past: it is an extraordinary opportunity that the Church must not waste!

We therefore ask the Church to recognize the naturalness of the homosexual being, re -evaluating its dignity starting from her humanity and sensitivity, from her mind and her heart, given the world body of health (WHO) already back in 1990 has demerged homosexuality from the list of pathologies and to date a doctor who tends to take care of the homosexuality risks being radiated.

In this perspective, the Church is invited to forbid any form of reparative therapy in an absolute way. The Church should also recognize the authenticity of love in its deepest meaning, as people of LGBT reality also have the right to be free to love; Love is everyone and for everyone, none excluded, love has the same origin: God!

In this context, the Church is called to conform to the Gospel and to take on the same attitudes of Jesus of Nazareth, enhancing, welcoming, supporting and guiding both individual people and LGBT couples, inserting them in the pastoral path of each diocese.

In this perspective, welcome and integration should also be revised and modified. It is important for us, as believers, First of all That the Church acts, keeping in mind that God loves everyone indiscriminately and that our feeling is also contemplated in the project of God. Secondly, the Church reflects on what God asks us for the good of all: how our testimony can benefit within the community and how to insert our gifts and our attitudes in the service of charity, word and liturgy.

In light of what is illustrated, one would therefore expect small concrete steps: tangible signs of a difficult path, but made together. Therefore, a renewed and expanded perspective would be needed. Therefore, the homosexual person should no longer be identified only and only with the sexual act, but seen as a whole: a person who loves, thinks, lives and prays in the same way as other people. It is also necessary to look at homosexuality starting from the eyes of God. Therefore, it is essential to return to the Gospel.

Starting from the inclusive attitude of the Church, a new formation should arise. In some parts of Italy, for example, it already happens that the seminarians before the ordination meet LGBT groups and in particular: those who have couple relationships, parents of children who have done coming out, or the divorceds that coexist. If this good practice were extended, it would allow all seminarians to get in touch and know the real life of people. Not only the seminarians, but also the clergy needed permanent formation on the topic. Only in this way would it be possible to educate and form pastoral operators and help the ecclesial community towards this opening.

The opening attitude, therefore, should be woven by a continuous and fraternal dialogue with LGBT realities to establish a listening process and recognize how the Holy Spirit is acting in the real life of people and the Church. The seeds that arise from the common feeling of the people of God would therefore be read, themed and made to become the object of change, starting with pastoral care.

LGBT pastoral is officially setting up, both at the parish and diocesan level in such a way that LGBT pastoral through it can be a point of reference for many people and especially for young people. Therefore the formation of pastoral operators is hoped for which can give help, orientation, support and spiritual guide.

To make this shared journey more efficient, beyond the synodal path, it would be appropriate to establish in the immediate channel of continuous communication between the believing LGBT groups and the ecclesiastical hierarchies, based on mutual understanding and trust: "Help us - let's help".

In addition, we ask the synodal commission and the CEI also the establishment of a discussion and dialogue table between the groups of LGBT Christians and the Church.

Finally, since there are many LGBT people abandoned to themselves, sometimes without reference points, we ask that an organism is established in every diocese that reflects, listens and accompanies the aforementioned people, as stated by Pope Francis in the post -synodal apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia.

• A first wish is that the Church no longer does a distinction between people based on their sexual orientation or their kind and consider each person in his uniqueness.

We would also like the expression 'we are church' is an effective reality and not a slogan.

We also hope for the modification of that part of the doctrine that excludes, in accordance with the true essence of the Gospel, which instead includes and free.

Another heartfelt desire is that one day we can get to the blessing of LGBT couples following a preparation path in the parish.

Further hope is that the LGBT pastoral care, which is currently "border pastoral", Can enter ordinary pastoral care and that LGBT people can participate in ordinary pastoral care according to their gifts and charisms, like all other believers.

Finally, we hope that the Church can intervene firmly for the abolition of the crime of homosexuality present in 69 countries of the world and above all in the 7 countries where the death penalty is foreseen.

To conclude, we refer to the biblical icon chosen in the preparatory document of the Synod as an image of the path of dialogue and listening in the spirit desired for this first year of synodal path: the meeting between Pietro and Cornelio (Act 10, 34-43), which takes place starting from their common humanity and spirit, which already lived both and in which they recognize themselves.

We feel a lot in tune with this dynamism: today we feel the importance of listening to the reality together to grasp the unpublished of the spirit. We trust this path of the Church of Naples and the Church all to the Lord and his Spirit with confidence!

Group Bridges to be built of Campania