Jacqueline Calleja seems to be slightly offended by "the recent spate of letters about homosexuality" and feels compelled to remind us about the teachings of the Catholic Church according to the Catechism.
It seems to me that Ms Calleja, though strikingly loyal to official teaching, in a letter which could almost have been written by a member of the Curia, completely misses the point.
It is obvious that those writing letters to this newspaper about "homosexuality" do not need such reminders. They seem to be well versed and knowledgeable on the Church's teachings, on the Bible itself and about those Biblical verses which appear to be referring to "homosexuality" - out of which the teachings spring.
Sadly, Ms Calleja's remarks seem to be intended neither for gay people, nor for those who know and love them. She certainly shows no familiarity with gay people or gay couples. Her arguments on complementarity and sterility only convince those who are not personally involved in the matter.
I encourage Ms Calleja to find a more credible way of talking to those who are long past this sort of treatment. Many of us have taken much courage from Pope Benedict's reminder to us faithful Catholics, that we must use reason even when approaching matters of faith, or else it is mere fundamentalism.
With regards to the gay issue, as James Alison has pointed out, the Catholic question we need to ask is: Is there or is there not such a thing as humans who are gay? If there are, then all arguments, such as those adduced by Ms Calleja, which presuppose that gay people are defective heterosexuals, are not worth the paper they are written on.
Facing up to this is a question of truth and as Jesus tells us, the truth will set us all free.
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