A Young Woman’s Hope
“The Catholic Church does not extend the love that we, as Catholics, are called to show the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community. As a gay woman, I desire and deserve to receive love, which I believe is somewhere deep down in the heart of the Catholic Church. Once I chose to live an authentic life by revealing my sexual orientation, the love quickly faded.”
“I hope and pray that in my lifetime my gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered brothers and sisters will have a permanent seat at the table of the Catholic Church.” 
– Bennie Shenelle Thierry –
Her statement appeared in the Spring 2009 issue of Centerings, a publication of the 8th Day Center for Justice in Chicago.
November 4th, 2014 at 1:31 pm
Yes, God is love but he is also a God of righteousness and wants everyone to repent of their sins. We are to love blacks, Hispanics and all races too but not just love. Give them the word
of God with love and REPENT FROM SIN!! HELL IS REAL!
April 1st, 2016 at 12:05 pm
Being raised a southern, right wing conservative Catholic, I was taught not only the teachings of the Catholic faith, but also that the of tradition “values” around me. I was taught that homosexuality was a sin and a choice. Someone even told me that choosing to love and to be loved in such a way was one the worst sins one can commit. If you were to feel these “weird” and “unnatural” kind of love, you were to hide and repress it, pray until it is no longer real. Well being a child when I heard this I was so confused. How could a man who claims to love us unconditionally send us to hell for accepting the love being offered to us? How could someone who claims that he has forgiven every sin we have/will commit be so cruel as to judge harshly on those who live differently? I am a practicing Catholic college student and I still constantly question these particular teachings. Yes, practicing homosexuality is a sin, but is it worse than rape, murder, abuse, greed, vanity, or even jealousy? We all having our own crosses to bare and I refuse to believe that our person struggles, sins and choices should damn to be loved less by God. We are called as Catholics and as Christians to love our fellow man. Period! There’s no ifs, ands, or buts, we are called to love and spread the word of God, not to love only those whom we approve of. Judgement is also a sin and we’re all guilty of it regardless of sexual orientation or race. Although I personally do not condone homosexuality, who am I to judge those who do? If I had a child who chose to live this way it is my job as a parent to love them all the same, just as God loves each of his children the same no matter their sins. I am not God, to judge and damn others and to act as such is in fact the worst kind of sin.
April 1st, 2016 at 12:35 pm
Growing up in a severe right wing Conservative, Catholic, southern community, I was taught certain things. Being taught that homosexuality is a sin and to act on it is one of the worst things one can do. Being a child when I heard this raised a few questions. How could a man who loves unconditionally damn someone based on who they love or they let love them? Why would a man claim to have forgiven our every sin before our birth love us less or send us to hell because we chose to live a certain way? Yes, practicing homosexuality is a sin, but is it any worse than rape, murder, suicide, abuse, addiction, greed, vanity, or even jealousy? I am now a practicing Catholic college student, surrounded by new trends, styles, beliefs, and morals. Being culturally shocked, I have come up with a few beliefs and realizations of my own. As Catholics and Christians, we are called to love our fellow man. Period! There’s no if’s, and’s, or but’s, no conditions or loopholes. We are to love everyone regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation. We are not called to love only those whose lifestyle or decisions we approve of. No, I do not condone or encourage homosexuality, but it is not our place to judge, hate, and condemn those around us who do. I refuse to believe those who pass judgements, who murder their fellow man, who rape their neighbors, who abuse their family members, who are addicted to their sins are more Heaven bound than one who is loving and receiving the “wrong” kind of love because at least they weren’t gay. If I had a child who ended up wanting to embrace this lifestyle, it is my job as their parent to love them the same and teach them about God, who loves unconditionally and has already forgiven their sins. I am not God, to judge and damn and to act as such is in fact the worst kind of sin.
April 5th, 2016 at 7:08 am
Catholic KitKat,
Good for you! Follow your conscience, and be open to the Spirit leading you to question authority, especially if that authority says one thing and does another when it comes to sexual ethics. Is homosexual sex a sin? I don’t think so, but who knows. Either way, I am ready to go before God as I am, and as I have lived.