Keystone Catholics Issues Statement On LGBT Treatment During Papal Visit

Yesterday, we reported that groups of LGBT Catholics were essentially evicted from a local parish during the upcoming World Meeting of Families and the Papal visit. Now, Keystone Catholics, an “online advocacy organization dedicated to promoting social justice and the common good,” has issued a statement regarding the actions of the Archdiocese.

“The actions taken against LGBT Catholics leading up to the World Meeting of Families run contrary to the Catechism, in which it states LGBT people ‘must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity,'” said Stephen Seufert, State Director of Keystone Catholics. “There are some who feel their job is to pass judgement on fellow Catholics…In doing so, they greatly diminish their ability to share the joy of the Gospel.”

The rest of the statement, in part, reads:

“As Pope Francis’ visit to the United States draws nearer, millions of Catholics and non-Catholics prepare to warmly greet the Holy Father. This warmness is rooted in the pope’s willingness to encounter these that are suffering or marginalized. Through these encounters, Pope Francis has tried to foster a culture of dialogue within the Catholic Church. With that being said, it comes with great sadness that we’ve learned LGBT Catholics and their families are being forced to relocate their planned educational and outreach events at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church during the World Meeting of Families.”

Seufert added, “Love is the foundation of the Catholic faith. Thus love, before anything else, must be the primary consideration when speaking about the diversity of family life for Catholics in the United States.”