The bishop's prayer against homophobia
Article by Paolo Rodari in the newspaper Republic of 16 May 2018, p.14
A prayer for overcoming homophobia, signed by a prelate. He writes it Monsignor Corrado Lorefice, in the hours when an ILGA-European report highlights the enormous delay of Italy (32nd place in Europe) on the subject of the fight ali'omophobia. The Metropolitan Archbishop of Palermo invites you to read the text in the parishes and recite it tomorrow during the twelfth edition of the ecumenical vigil "No to discrimination".
While there are, in Italy and beyond the boundaries, far -right groups - among them also people who declare themselves believers - who organize repairing processions against the spread of homosexuality, the gesture of the bishop wanted in Palermo by Francesco remains a courageous sign in a church at times shyly on the matter. Formed on the texts of Cardinal Lercaro and Dossetti, collaborator of Don Pino Puglisi, Lorefice shares the belief that for the Church the predilection of poor and the discarded must be theological before even social and cultural. Lorefice himself writes: "While we depart with firmness that homosexual people have been and are still the subject of malicious expressions and violent actions, we pray for Christians, drawing on the grace of the evangel, testifying and announced, with prophetic audacity, the unconditional respect due to each person and denounces any form of discrimination and marginalization".
Lorefice's position finds estimate and support in many of his confreres. "We have to stop pre-elect the people to go to which to go"Monsignor Domenico Battaglia, bishop of Cerreto Sannita, Telese, Sant'Agata de 'Goti, said yesterday in Rome, during a meeting dedicated to fragility and organized with the presence of Don Luigi Civili by the Cavalieri Association of San Martino del Monte delle Beatitudi. And again: «We must not look for who our neighbor is, the need is to make ourselves close to anyone".
Also in Reggio Emilia La Vaglia will be chaired by Bishop Massimo Camisasca, an important sign. Open in a parish of Bologna, the vigils will touch various dioceses, including the premises of the Caritas of Lucca And they will end in Cremona. «It is important - Ha Written Don Gianluca Carga, who takes care of the pastoral care for the homosexual people of the diocese of Turin - that these days of vigil are not only a complaint, but also an opportunity to return to ourselves and make us illuminate from the truth of the Gospel".
