This is my friend Pietro's letter, published in The Tablet (24 March 2012). Following the resignation of Cardinal O'Brian, I thought it pertinent to reproduce it. Here is sense, charity and compassion, expressed for more eloquently than I could have put it myself:
Marriage a la Mode
I am a heterosexual, retired psychiatrist and a Catholic. During my years of pracising, I never ceased to be shocked when I heard homosexuals' understanding of their natural longing for physical and emotional connection with a partner described as sinful . Frequently this led to the denial of their real nature and their self-acceptance, often resulting in severe depression and suicide attempts. I also observed a conspiracy of silence that some churches implemented, which produced a sense of isolation and very low self-esteem.
As I understand it, marriage is about a relationship of love, commitment and grace, not only a vehicle for procreation, as the Catholic Church emphasises. Lifelong commitment provides the best context for the flourishing of healthy relationships and human growth. and if this is not the locus of Christ at work in our world, then what is? Surely it is a means for providing the strength/grace to live out that commitment.
in my opinion, what is being expressed comes from ignorance (homosexuality occurs in the natural world) and arrogance (people who play God by purporting to have answers for the problems of other human beings). If all the Catholic bishops and clergy who are homosexual were to "come out", might it not help the Catholic Church to be a little more compassionate?
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