Vatican uses ‘LGBT’ in a key document
‘They’re just using the lingo young people use,’ veteran observer says
The Vatican is showing unprecedented, if symbolic, outreach on issues of sexuality, using what’s believed to be for the first time the term LGBT in a planning document for a huge upcoming bishops meeting.
Vatican officials also invited to speak at a second global meeting a prominent advocate for LGBT people, something some gay Catholic groups say has never been done.
The two moves, announced in the last 10 days, are being seen as an effort to speak in a more respectful way with a younger generation of Catholics who are confronting the church on topics from female priests and abortion to sexuality — but who are clearly not ready to totally walk away from the faith.
The efforts related to the Synod of Bishops on Young People (in October) and the World Meeting of Families (in August) are part of an explicit push by Pope Francis’ church to say “we have to pay attention to this whole LGBT reality, especially for those who have chosen to remain in the church,” said Rev. Thomas Rosica, who has often served as an English assistant to the Vatican press office.
On Tuesday, the Vatican released the details of the upcoming bishops’ synod, or meeting, the third in a series of major global gatherings about the family. The others were in 2014 and 2015.
While the document was released only in Italian, the National Catholic Reporter noted it was the first time the acro- nym was used.
The Catholic Church “has in the past formally referred to gay people as ‘persons with homosexual tendencies,’ ” the Reporter said.
Rosica agreed it was a first, but said, “They’re just using the lingo young people use. There’s nothing earth-shattering.”
Vatican spokesperson Paloma Garcia Ovejero declined to comment on the reason for the adoption of the acronym beyond saying, “I guess there’s no specific answer ... it’s just the result of so many proposals, and will be used as a ‘tool’ for discussion.”
Vatican spokesperson Greg Burke did not return a request for comment.
Hundreds of bishops will attend the meeting in Rome to discuss how they can serve young people better.
Their meeting will touch on topics from lack of job opportunities for young people in some places, and migration to digital addiction and the struggle for reliable news.