A Jihad for Love (2007) - Movie Trailer

Since My Last Confession - a Gay Catholic Memoir by Scott Pomfret

www.sincemylastconfession.com.

Set primarily in Boston, Massachusetts, USA during the revelations of the Scandal and the battle over same-sex marriage and gay adoptions, Confession is a funny and irreverent-but-faithful account of my stalking Cardinal Sean O'Malley of the Archdiocese of Boston. As a federal prosecutor and practicing Catholic, I was attempting to use lawyerly persuasion to change the cardinal's tune concerning same-sex civil marriage.

What I found along the way was a passionately atheist boyfriend, a host of motorcycle lesbians, gay priests, flaming friars, pious prelates, would-be Opus Dei monks, three "Hale" Marys, Harry Potter's Satanism, ten surefire ways to detect a fellow gay Catholic – and political victory for equal marriage.

You can think of Confession as a gay Catholic literary version of Michael Moore's Roger and Me, with the Cardinal playing the part of "Roger." But Confession expresses a deeply felt love for the small "c" church and delivers a message shared by those involved in reform groups from Corpus to Call To Action, Romancatholic Womenpriests to Voice of the Faithful: that the important and beautiful work of the Church may only be saved if its members exercise their baptismal rights to work from within to save the Church from its inept leadership and restore our pride in the institution.
And what sets Confession apart is that the passion and anger are conveyed primarily through humor. This is a funny book, because – as the writer Annie Lamott once said – "humor is carbonated holiness."

At the very least, I am confident Confession will afford you a few consoling laughs.
For more information, email publicity@arcadepub.com, or go to www.sincemylastconfession.com.

www.sincemylastconfession.com

God in the bigger picture

Bieb magħluq, L-Orizzont

minn Diane Xuereb

Ftit tal-jiem ilu “Drachma”, għaqda ta’ talb ifformata minn grupp ta’ Kattoliċi ‘gay’, organizzat laqgħa ta’ talb biex tfakkar il-Jum Dinji kontra l-Omofobija. GAETANO MICALLEF tkellem ma’ DIANE XUEREB, waħda mill-membri ta’ l-għaqda, dwar kif persuni ‘gay’ iħossuhom fil-Knisja Kattolika.

Għaliex twaqqfet id-Drachma?L-idea nibtet minn wieħed li ħareġ bl-idea li jifforma grupp ta’ persuni ‘gay’ u Kattoliċi li jkunu jistgħu jiltaqgħu biex jitolbu flimkien ħalli b’hekk jintegraw is-sesswalità tagħhom ma’ l-ispiritwalità.

L-isem “Drachma” ġej mill-parabbola “Id-Drachma Mitlufa” li tittratta t-telf u s-sejba ta’ munita. Għax Drachma kienet munita Griega ta’ l-antik. Ħassejna lilna nfusna mitlufin fl-ispiritwalità tagħna ma’ Ġesù imma nemmnu li issa sibna rwieħna.

Għaliex waqqaftu dan il-grupp ta’ talb meta gruppi ta’ talb diġà jeżistu?

Għax l-għan tal-gruppi l-oħrajn m’huwiex li jintegraw l-ispiritwalità mas-sesswalità tagħhom. Ma kellhomx ‘issue’ … ma kellhomx domandi … ma kinux iħarsu lejn Krisu jew il-Knisja b’domanda … m’humiex meqjusin bħala bnedmin.

Imma intom tħossukom midinbin?

Jien le imma hemm Kattoliċi ‘gay’ li iva. L-ewwelnett il-Knisja, bl-istand tagħha vis-à-vis il-‘gays’, tagħti x’tifhem li l-omosesswali għandhom xi ħaġa ħażina fihom. Qisha xi diżordni. Mela min hu Kattoliku jista’ jħoss li l-omosesswalità, jew att sesswali bejn tnejn ‘gay’, hija dnub.

Ma nafx kemm hawn nies li jħossuhom hekk, imma ftit ilu kont qiegħda nitkellem ma’ wieħed u qalli proprju dan id-diskors: li jħossu li qed jagħmel dnub. L-għaqda tagħna mhux qiegħda hemm biex tipprova tbiddel il-mentalità ta’ l-individwu, imma biex nifhmuh u nispjegawlu dak li nħossu.

Imma tista’ tkun Kattoliku u ‘gay’?

Fuq livell personali ngħid li iva b’ittri kapitali.

Anke meta għandek il-Knisja li ma taċċettakomx kif intom?Kont ixxurtjata biżżejjed li ltqajt ma’ soru barranija, Sister Jeanine, li għenitni nafferma s-sesswalità tiegħu vis-à-vis Ġesù u tatni ċerta paċi …

X’jiġifieri “tafferama s-sesswalità tiegħek vis-à-vis Ġesù”?

Għax urietni t-triq u anke tatni kotba dwar l-omosesswalià u l-Knisja. Hemm teoloġi kbar Kattoliċi li ma jaqblux bejniethom fuq dan is-suġġett. Hemm dokument maħruġ mill-Vatikan fejn jgħid li l-Kattoliku jista’ jaġixxi skond il-kuxjenza tiegħu. Mela l-Knisja Kattolika qiegħda tgħid: “Agħmel dak li tħoss dak li huwa tajjeb skond il-kuxjenza tiegħek.” Jiġifieri l-Knisja wkoll tagħtik il-‘loopholes’.

Imma l-Knisja tfisser l-omosesswali bħala “eterosesswali difettużi”. Ma ddejqekx din il-frażi? Ma ddejqekx li l-Knisja ma taċċettax żwieġ bejn l-omosesswali u li jrabbu t-tfal?

Il-Knisja taċċetta lill-omosesswali. Taċċettah f’darha u ma taċċettax min jiddiskrimina fil-konfront tagħhom. Imma mingħajr ma riedet, ħolqot ħafna mibegħda. Għax bl-ittri li kitbet ħolqot pożizzjoni fejn nies fundamentalisti Kattoliċi qegħdin jużaw il-kliem tagħha litteralment. U qegħdin jużaw kwotazzjonijiet mill-Bibbja litteralment. Allura ikun hawn anke qtil u ‘bullying’ fl-iskejjel kontra l-omosesswali.

Jiena parti mill-Knisja u nħobb lill-Knisja. Imma għamlet ċerti affarijiet li ħolqot dawn l-affarijiet. Mhux għax riedet. Ovvjament kellha tpoġġi lilha nnifisha f’pożizzjoni fejn tieħu ċerti ‘stands’ għax jekk temmen f’ħaġa, ma tistax tippriedka xi ħaġa oħra.

Ma nħossnix midinba għax barra li t-teoloġi ma jaqblux ma’ xulxin, fuq il-pulptu qassis jgħidlek mod u wiċċ imb’wiċċ jgħidlek mod ieħor.

X’jiġifieri?

Fuq il-pulptu jippriedkalek li huwa ħażin u li ma jistax ikollok att sesswali bejn persuni ta’ l-istess sess, għax mhux naturali jew għax huwa barra miż-żwieġ u ż-żwieġ huma magħmul għal nies tas-sess oppost. Mentri barra, qalu mod ieħor. Personalment iltqajt ma’ qassisin li fuq il-pulptu qalu mod u f’wiċċi qaluli mod ieħor.

X’qalulek wiċċ imb’wiċċ?

Li kważi kważi mhux qiegħda nidneb … li qiegħda nagħmel dak li huwa naturali għalija.

Anke li tgħix ma’ persuna ta’ l-istess sess u tagħmel is-sess ma’ persuna ta’ l-istess sess?

Iva. Ovvjament m'iniex se nsemmi l-ismijiet tal-qassisin.

Imma kif tista’ tħossok parti minn għaqda li bil-kliem tagħha tweġġa' lil nies bħalek? Tħossok imweġġgħa mill-Knisja?

Dażgur li nħossni mweġġgħa mill-Knisja. Għax jiena parti minnha. Il-Vatikan dejjem poġġa lilu nnifsu ’l fuq u aħna ’l isfel. Jiġifieri d-djalogu u l-konversazzjoni dejjem minn fuq għal isfel. Aħna u huma. U dik tweġġagħni. Għaliex m’hemmx djalogu kontinwu bejnietna? Għaliex qegħdin jibżgħu daqshekk jiltaqgħu magħna, biex jidħlu fil-profond tagħha? Aħna nies li nħobbu bħal ħaddieħor … li noħolmu bħal ħaddieħor … li konxji minn dak li qed jiġri madwarna bħal ħaddieħor. Forsi sforz id-diskriminazzjoni li qed ikun hawn madwarhom. Aħna nies li nħossu bħal ħaddieħor.

Għaliex bqajt fil-Knisja Kattolika meta ma taċċettakx kif inti?

Għax inħobb il-Knisja u nħossni parti minnha. Ma mmurx quddies imma ma mmurx mhux minħabba li jiena ‘gay’, imma għax il-mod kif tiġi ċċelebrata ma nħossx li hija attraenti. Għadni kif ġejja minn konferenza barra minn Malta u mort għal quddies fi Knisja Anglikana, li kienet iċċelebbrata minn reverendu mara. Ħassejtni nipparteċipa u nitlob ta’ veru. Damet siegħa u nofs mhux 45 minuta. U ma ridthiex tispiċċa. Il-mod kif niċċelebraw il-quddies f’Malta huwa ġeneralment monotonu. Mill-ħalq u mhux mill-qalb.

Ma rridx nitlaq mill-Knisja wkoll għax inħoss li għandi dmir lejn sħabi, anke dawk li ma nafx, biex l-20 sena li fihom batejt jien ma jgħaddix minnhom ħaddieħor. Għax 20 sena domt biex naċċetta lili nnifsi. Daqshekk domt nitlob ’l Ġesù: “Isma, int għadek tħobbni? Hemm post għalija fil-Ġenna? Jekk niltaqa’ ma’ mara u jkolli x’naqsam magħha taċċet-tani?” Għax jien l-iktar ħaġa li rrid hija li mmur il-Ġenna.

Ġejt f’din l-art u għada pitgħada nitlaq. Jiġifieri dak li nagħmel illum responsabbli għalih għada.Kienet ġlieda kbira. Niftakarni fil-kappella ta’ l-Università lanqas inħares lejn is-salib. U nimmaġina li hawn nies bħali. Mela jekk jien, f’dawn l-20 sena, ħassejt din il-ġlieda, nixtieq ngħin lil ħaddieħor jiffaċċjaha.

Għedt li tħobb il-Knisja. Tħoss li l-Knisja tħobbok?

Allaħares le. Naħseb li iva.

Ħafna omosesswali jħossuhom jitbegħdu mill-Knisja bil-mod kif din titkellem fil-konfront tagħhom?

Dik żgur.

Allura lilek ma timbottakx?

Tbiegħdni imma fl-istess ħin fid-“Drachma” qegħdin naħdmu biex niftħu konversazzjoni mal-Knisja. Għakemm tbiegħdni u ma naqbilx ma’ dak li tgħid, mhux se naqta' qalbi u nitbiegħed iktar. U nista’ nagħmel xi ħaġa billi permezz ta’ din l-għaqda nipprovaw nersqu iktar lejn il-Knisja. Aħna bl-ebda mod ma rridu nattakkaw lill-Knisja … ma rridux niġ-ġieldu magħha … ma rridux immeruha … ma rriduhiex taħseb li qegħdin nippro-vaw inwaqqgħuha għaċ-ċajt. Xejn minn dan. Għax inħobbha nħoss li għandha tiftaħ il-bieb tagħha lejna ħa nitkellmu.

Taqbel li ‘gay’ għandu jitħalla jsir qassis?

Jekk raġel ‘gay’ jixtieq isir qassis, m’għandu jsib l-ebda ostaklu. Jekk raġel iħoss il-vokazzjoni li jsir qassis, imbilli huwa attirat lejn nies ta’ l-istess sess ma jfissirx li ma jistax jagħmel xogħlu sew. Wara kollox jekk tħossok miġbud għas-saċerdozju u int ‘straight’, mhux xorta għandek attrazzjoni fiżika lejn mara oħra? Mhux xorta tista’ tagħmel dnub?

http://www.l-orizzont.com/news.asp?newsitemid=44335

Love each other by Rebecca Sultana (Times of Malta, 18 May 2008)

Following Jaqueline Calleja's letter about 'Gay Catholics' (The Sunday Times, May 11), she should know that Christ's stay on earth was so special and unique because of his exemplary life. His unconditional love and compassion reached out to all. He was concerned about people's suffering and was particularly sensitive towards those who were ostracised.

However, Christ also strongly opposed people like the Scribes and the Pharisees who, while considering themselves virtuous, abused the Scriptures to impose suffering on others and point fingers.

Christ understood and sympathised with human frailty; however he had a strong aversion to people being self-righteous, people exercising power and control through dogmatic law, and who made life more difficult and unbearable for the poor, needy and oppressed. And, I strongly believe that people who incite gay hatred while calling themselves Catholics would not be among Christ's favourite people.

Sometimes it feels that the more people become ingrained in institutionalised religion, the more they lose the ability to love.

When the interpretation of the Gospel hardens into doctrine, it often hardens people's hearts. This has happened many times throughout the history of Christianity. There were instances when fundamentalist followers became so blinded that, while they were committing the most cruel acts of wickedness, they believed they were doing God service.

When our hearts are hardened, we cannot feel the pulse of the suffering individual. Hard hearts cannot strengthen and inspire religious faith in others either.

Christ came to soften people's hearts by his love, to liberate humankind from the chains of a rigid legalistic doctrine. He was a revolutionary man who taught us to love the people society tells us not to love; and to refuse to go along with a culture of hating those we do not understand.

During the Last Supper, Christ gave the last commandment, "that you love one another.

Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples." (John 13:34-35).

Catholics' discipleship is measured not by their ardour to mould people to their sanctimonious will, but by their willingness to take up the challenge of loving unconditionally and living by the high standards this challenge sets.

Let us not mistake true religion for bitter and ferocious zeal.

Love and let love, Ms Calleja. Christ's life, passion and death would have been in vain if we didn't follow in His footsteps and learn to love as He did.

European Forum for Lesbian and Gay Christians - Sermon: “What Are We Waiting For?” - Rev. Nancy Wilson

Mark 16: 5-20

Acts 1: 1-11

I am humbled and honored to be invited to preach to this 26^th annual gathering of the European Forum. All of you do such amazing work in your countries and churches, often very isolated and without much support. I know how important this gathering is – how you yearn for community and the experience of being with others who are engaged in the same struggles in their contexts. I salute you, and think of myself as one of you, even though I am not European. – but, we are part of the same, global movement!

I loved June’s version of the Hosea reading!! And, even though it is Ascension weekend, and we are a week away from Pentecost, doesn’t it feel like Pentecost in this room tonight? To hear all the languages, and dialects, and the sense of unity in diversity – it is as if Pentecost is just waiting to burst in on us!

Mark’s gospel tells of us the disciples who were looking for Jesus in all the wrong places. They were looking for him in an “empty tomb,” and were told by angels he was not there. In the Book of Acts, the first chapter, we read, in Eugene Peterson’s The Message, that angels told the discplines not to look for Jesus in the “empty sky.” Empty tomb and empty sky! Instead, the angels told them, move on, get going, fulfill that mission of going to the ends of the earth. They were to be witnesses, to heal and preach and turn the world upside down. They call it the Book of Acts, because they were to act! Not to think, or debate, or ponder, but to act!

It was as if the angels were re-directing them from empty tombs and empty skies – stop looking for Jesus in dead places, stop staring into heaven – that not wehre Jesus is! Get busy, get out into the world . ..

Our movement – can I call it that? Our movement of LGBTQ and allied Christians is a very small global movement as of yet – and, we have had an amazing impact. I do think that we still need angels to re-direct us, today, in the 21^st century.

I have a story to share – that I have told all around MCC, and for me, it is emblematic.

In late 2005, when I was still the new Moderator of MCC, I read in the New York Times about a gay man in Jamaica, Steve Harvey, who was murdered for being an Aids activist and a gay activists. I read about the Human Rights Watch report, “Hated to Death” that described years of murders, threats, rapes and beatings of gay men and lesbians, much of which was not addressed by the police. There were no allies in Jamaica – no one standing up, in the church, the government, in the universities, saying that this violence is wrong, that it has to stop.

I called Human Rights Watch, and asked if MCC could help. They put me in contact with Gareth, who was 27 years old. We met in Florida, and he told me his story – of dozens of friends murdered, of beatings, of fear and pain and despair. I was so impressed with his courage and commitment. So overwhelmed by what he and his friends faced every single day.

When I asked him what they needed the most, he said, “spiritual community.” This, I knew, MCC could help with! He knew that they needed a spiritual base, from which their activism could flow and be supported.

So, we began to build a relationship, to visit Jamaica, to enlist MCC leaders in helping to support a spiritual community in Jamaica.

And, we learned a lot. That Jamaica’s homophobia is as lethal as it is because of the legacy of colonialism, colonial religion (fundamentalism), slavery, sexism and the racialization of sexuality that undergirds it. Jamaica is not unique in this regard, as poverty, violence and desperation have exacerbated homophobia.

As the church has grown, efforts to create allies, religious and political, have increased. There is a human rights movement with new intensity now in Jamaica, supported by allies from around the world. February 14^th of this year, MCC lead a day of “witness” at Jamaican embassies in several locations. We flooded officials with emails and letters. So much so, that last week Prime Minister Bruce Golding felt compelled to say that even though he was receiving “enormous international pressure,” he was not going to support repeal of the sodomy laws. Imagine that! “Enormous international pressure!” That was me and you and MCC and other small organizations – how amazing – we are capable of creating “enormous international pressure!” This is great news! Sometimes the opposition has to tell us who we are . . .and, we are not giving up. The laws will be repealed, and the violence will be stopped.

Next weekend, on May 9^th, we are having a march, a “pilgrimage” -- the first ever, public event for human rights for lgbt folks in Jamaica. We are hoping that many allies will join us. It will be the first time many lgbt folks will be “on camera,” in Jamaica. We need your prayers and support as we support these incredible young activists.

I think they are angels – helping to re-direct our movement in the 21^st century, to where Jesus would have us be – in the margins, and with people who have no hope. Believe me, Jamaica was not necessarily in our plans for starting a new church – but it was in the Holy Spirit’s plan.

I think our journey with Jamaicans has challenged us in ways that are important for our organization and for the European Forum:

1) The Center of Gravity in the world is changing – from the North and West to the South and East. The North and West is aging rapidly, and the South and East are getting younger and younger. Our crises with food, capital, resources, fuel, racism, war and market forces are all being acted out on this stage of shifting world power. We have to come to terms with how it will impact us, and what our role will be.

2) Christianity is changing – the center of Christianity in the 21^st century will be the “global South..” Places like Nigeria will lead the way and become more influential. And, in the south, Christianity will continue to be more conservative – especially about gender and sexuality, at least for the time being. The North and West will become more secular, and the South more Christian, with Islam growing in both places. The traditional Protestant Churches of Europe and the “mainstream Churches” of the US will continue in precipitous decline. What does this mean for our mission, our future as progressive Christians?

3) Religion will either become more of a force for justice and peace, or more of a force for intolerance, or both. More than ecumenical work, it is our inter-religious work that is going to have the most impact. Creating space for inter-religious understanding, communication and action around common values is what is needed. Can the European Forum lead the way? Can MCC and similar organizations?

4) Young people are the key – if we are to have an impact in the next 20 to 30 years, we must care about what they care about: planetary survival, the environment, justice, peace. Gender and sexual orientation will look so different, 10 and 20 years from now – there will be more blurring and blending, more fluidity. People will change gender more than once in their lifetimes. Labels and categories will be vastly different, in ways we cannot conceive. All this will be ordinary to young people. How does that challenge us? How can we listen and learn from young people, and invite them into leadership in our organizations?

5) A Virtual World – young people in Jamaica have several cell phones on which they text constantly. They create community virtually, all the time, every day. Near is far and far is near in the virtual world. The very nature of “reality” will be called into question in a virtual world. But, to resist it is to resist the next generation, and the one after that. The speed of change is increasing every day. We must act, and risk and stop looking in the dead places and to an empty sky for answers. Jesus is on the move, ahead of us.

We can’t wait – changes are upon us, and we must follow Jesus into a new Pentecost. May the Holy Spirit bless our movement, may angels re-direct us and give us the courage to answer our calling to the ends of the earth. So much depends on it.

Amen.

Gay u għandi dritt nemmen (ILLUM, Sunday 4th May 2008)

Sabrina Agius iltaqgħet ma’ Clayton Mercieca mill-grupp Drachma li jipprova jqarreb lejn xulxin il-Knisja u l-komunità gay

Il-Knisja u l-komunità gay ma jistgħux jitqiesu bħala ħobża u sikkina. Ħafna persuni gay iħossu li l-Knisja hi riġida żżejjed fil-konfront tagħhom u t-twemmin nisrani minnu nnifsu jagħlqilhom il-bieb tal-fidi.
F’dan l-isqaq mudlam li jqanqal ħafna dibattiti, il-grupp Drachma qed jipprova jfittex id-dawl.
Clayton Mercieca ta’ 22 sena, rappreżentant tal-grupp, spjega li l-iskop ta’ din l-organizzazzjoni hu li tlaqqa’ flimkien nies li jħaddnu l-fidi Kattolika u oħrajn li għandhom twemmin differenti.
“Ir-reliġjon tagħna hi dik Kattolika. L-intenzjoni ta’ Drachma hi li toħloq djalogu mal-Knisja u mhux konfront,” spjega Mercieca.
Iż-żagħżugħ sostna li l-ħomofobija (il-biża’ irrazzjonali minn persuni gay) waslet biex individwi gay jippruvaw jikkommettu suwiċidju, speċjalment meta l-familja ma taċċettax is-sitwazzjoni.
Mercieca għalhekk saħaq fuq l-importanza tal-fidi u l-appoġġ tan-nies oħra li jgħaddu minn esperjenzi simili.
“Importanti wkoll l-appoġġ tal-Knisja,” qal Mercieca.
Xi erba’ snin ilu l-grupp kien parti mill-Malta Gay Rights Movement (MGRM) iżda ddeċidew li kien ikun aħjar jekk imorru għal rashom.
“Fil-grupp bħalissa qegħdin xi disa’ membri, imma grazzi għall-internet hemm ħafna iktar nies li huma attivi fih,” tenna Mercieca.
Il-grupp iservi wkoll biex il-membri jiltaqgħu flimkien, jitolbu u jirriflettu.
“Xi kultant jiġi perjodu ta’ nixfa spiritwali, qisu deżert. Jekk persuna tkun għaddejja minn kriżi spiritwali, il-fatt li tkun hemm qisha qed iżżomm ruħha fil-kuntest spiritwali wkoll. Aħna grupp informali u niltaqgħu darba fil-ġimgħa għal xi siegħa u nofs. B’hekk il-grupp iservi ta’ sostenn.”
Mistoqsi jekk fil-grupp jiġux aċċettati nies ta’ reliġjon oħra Mercieca qal li l-għaqda miftuħa għal kulħadd: Musulmani, Kattoliċi, ateji u l-bqija.
Mercieca ma jilludix lilu nnifsu.
“Naf li l-Knisja taċċetta persuni gay basta ma jkunux attivi sesswalment. Imma biex tkun persuna sħiħa ma tistax iċċaħħad lil xi ħadd mill-imħabba. U hawnhekk fejn naqbel mal-Knisja, għax tħaddan il-valur ta’ l-imħabba u temmen fil-prinċipju li għandek taqsam ħajtek ma’ persuna waħda.
“Dan ifarrak l-sterjotip li għax tkun gay għandek ħafna partners differenti. L-isterjotipi jġibu stigmi magħhom bħal pereżempju l-mard. Hawn persuni li huma hekk imma dawn xorta għandhom it-tajjeb tagħhom ukoll.”
Mistoqsi jekk il-Knisja hix tiġbed l-istess ħabel tal-komunità gay, Mercieca qal li qed isir avvanz.
“L-affarijiet qed joħorġu iktar fil-beraħ. Qed ikun hemm iktar mistoqsijiet min-nies u din tfisser li jridu jsiru jafu,” sostna Mercieca.
Imbagħad tenna l-importanza tal-għajnuna li jistgħu jagħtu l-ġenituri.
“Rajt nies li ma setgħux jaqbdu art f’ħajjithom. Il-problema hi li l-ambjent tagħhom fejn jgħixu ma jgħinx u m’għandhomx l-appoġġ. Hawnhekk fejn jidħol ir-rwol importanti tal-ġenituri. Il-ġenituri huma s-safety net ta’ kull individwu. Jekk il-ġenituri ma jaċċettawkx it can make or break a person. Mhux l-ewwel darba li ltqajna ma’ nies li jkeċċuhom mid-dar.”
Spjega wkoll għalfejn, ħafna drabi, il-ġenituri jkunu l-aħħar nies li jsiru jafu dwar l-orjentazzjoni sesswali ta’ wliedhom.
“Normalment, wieħed ‘joħroġ’ l-ewwel mal-ħbieb, imbagħad jekk iħossu komdu mal-kollegi u fl-aħħarnett mal-ġenituri. Qisu proċess li wieħed irid jgħaddi minnu. Il-biża’ dejjem tkun li mhux se jaċċettawk. Fil-fatt iltqajna ma’ każi fejn persuna ippruvat is-suwiċidju. Sfortunatament il-ħomofobija twassal għalhekk. Is-sesswalità hi parti minna u ma tistax tiċħadha.”
Biex ifakkru l-kruha tal-ħomofobija Drachma se jorganizzaw attività fis-16 ta’ Mejju fil-Millennium Chapel.
“Għażilna dan il-post għax jilqa’ lil kulħadd. L-atmosfera tal-kappella ġġib sens ta’ mistrieħ u tmur mat-tema tal-ħomofobija. Il-ħomofobija ġġib biss sens ta’ mewt fiżiku, soċjali u spiritwali u, għall-kuntrarju, il-Millennium Chapel tnissel sens ta’ mistrieħ,” temm jgħid Mercieca.

Hope for gay Catholics, Diane Xuereb (Times of Malta, Sunday 4th May, 2008)

Thank you for publishing Ariadne Massa's sensitive and insightful interview with Sr Jeannine Gramick (The Sunday Times, March 16). The peace and healing conveyed by the article and Sr Jeannine's talk at St. James Cavalier still linger within me.

For many years, I lived in doubt that I could be gay and Catholic. I felt the doors to love were closed and that, if I didn't conform to all the Church's teachings about homosexuality, I would not go to heaven. The choice between one's own integration as a healthy human being and one's own faith is an unjust burden placed on a gay person's shoulders.

Sr Jeannine's message that God created diversity in nature and also diversity in human sexuality is one that we all need to hear. God created me the way I am. My life and my love are valuable in God's eyes and have profound meaning. Contrary to what I felt for many years, I now feel blessed! Sr Jeannine encouraged us not to be afraid of whom we are, to come out into the light from the dark closet, and to stand in the love of God.

Although I had abandoned the Catholic Church for a long time, my relationship with God never ceased. I had been looking for a group that embraces both the Catholic Church and me as a gay person. I found that group. It's called Drachma.

Drachma sponsored Sr Jeannine's visit to Malta. The attendance and sharing during that evening at St James Cavalier proved how much gay people, their parents, families, and friends are hungry for dialogue. In addition to our prayer group and general meetings, Drachma has now formed a support group for parents. To receive support, contact Drachma at www.drachmalgbt. blogspot.com or e-mail: drachmalgbt@gmail.com or call 7947 5853.

Homophobia and hate crime by Melissa Xuereb, MGRM (Times of Malta, May 05, 2008)

In his letter of April 29, Richard A. Micallef gave a very good definition of the word "homophobia", specifically "the fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals." He also supplemented this definition with several "homophobic" arguments in the rest of his letter, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Hence, "the accusing word homophobic is slapped in your face" (again?), not "because you express(ed) a differing opinion" but because disputing facts on the basis of subjective opinion to the detriment of gay people at large is tantamount to "homophobia".

Fact is:

• Homosexuality is not a condition or disorder. On May 17, 1990, the General Assembly of the World Health Organisation (WHO) removed homosexuality from their list of mental disorders.

• Homosexuality is not a choice. This is a well-established fact and there is ample research to back it up.

• The "fundamental difference" between "homosexual" and "gay" is that the former focuses solely on the sexuality of the gay person, whereas the latter does away with the unwarranted over-emphasis on sex and is, therefore, more politically correct.

• "Being gay" does not mean "coming out". Some gay people are "out" about their sexual orientation while others feel the need to conceal it, generally living with the awkwardness of being presumed straight when in fact they are not.

• Denying people (including gay people) from being considered as potential adoptive parents on purely subjective grounds constitutes discrimination. On January 22, 2008, the European Court of Human Rights delivered a landmark judgement in the case of a lesbian woman versus France whereby it ruled that exclusion of individuals from the application process for adoption of children simply because of their sexual orientation is discriminatory and is in breach of the European Convention of Human Rights.

These are all facts that Mr Micallef took the liberty to dispute in his letter.

One can have an opinion about a particular individual - whether gay, straight or otherwise - but it is not acceptable to have an "opinion" about gay people at large, and when that "opinion" disputes established facts, it becomes all the more unacceptable. To add insult to injury, Mr Micallef's letter is yet again another contribution to the conservative side of the debate on gay rights that arbitrarily bundles up the civil rights of gay people with very different issues such as abortion and euthanasia.

Mr Micallef made reference to the petition that the Malta Gay Rights Movement presented to the political parties prior to the general election. MGRM is requesting the inclusion of an article in the Criminal Code regarding homophobic and transphobic violence. This would criminalise hate crime - which can take the form of physical assault, damage to property, bullying, harassment, verbal abuse or insults, offensive graffiti or letters - motivated by the victim's sexual orientation or gender identity, and not homophobia or transphobia as such. MGRM is also advocating for anti-discrimination legislation in the provision of goods and services that would protect gay people when taking out a life insurance policy, renting an apartment, or eating out at a restaurant, for example. MGRM is also asking for a strategy to tackle homophobic bullying in schools. No laws are necessary here - only the commitment to make schools a safe place for all children.

May 17 is the International Day Against Homophobia. Clearly, there is good reason to mark this day.