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St. Louis, Mo., Sep 25, 2024 / 13:20 pm (CNA).

Missouri executed Marcellus "Khaliifah" Williams on Tuesday evening for the brutal murder of a St. Louis journalist in 1998 despite significant local and national outcry from Catholics and others who begged state authorities not to carry out the execution, citing opposition to the death penalty and doubts about Williams' guilt.

Williams, 55, died by lethal injection just after 6 p.m. local time. Republican Gov. Mike Parson, who has never granted clemency to a death row inmate during his governorship, declined to do so in Williams' case, and the U.S. Supreme Court also rejected a plea brought by Williams' attorneys. 

Felicia "Lisha" Gayle, a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, was found brutally stabbed dozens of times in her home in the St. Louis suburb of University City in 1998. 

Circumstantial evidence, including the discovery of several of Gayle's personal belongings in Williams' car, tied him to the break-in and murder, though none of his DNA was ever found on the murder weapon. Williams allegedly confessed to the murder to his girlfriend and a fellow inmate, but critics have questioned the veracity of those witnesses.

Williams, who was already serving jail time for two unrelated robberies, was charged with Gayle's murder in 1999 and convicted in 2001. St. Louis County Circuit Court Judge Bruce Hilton upheld Williams' conviction earlier this month.

Attorneys for Wiliams had argued before the state Supreme Court on Monday that Williams did not receive a fair criminal trial in part because of the racial makeup of the jury and the fact that the trial prosecutor struck at least one juror in part because the juror and Williams, who is Black, "looked like brothers."

The Catholic Church teaches that the death penalty, even for those who have committed heinous crimes, constitutes an attack on human life and dignity. The Missouri Catholic Conference, which advocates for public policy on behalf of the state's bishops, had encouraged Catholics to contact Parson to express their opposition to Williams' execution. 

Led by the St. Louis Archdiocese's Office of Peace and Justice, about 25 people protested the scheduled execution on Tuesday afternoon in downtown St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch reported. Outside the prison where the execution took place, about an hour south of St. Louis, more than 90 protesters gathered. 

Williams' attorneys had recently pushed for his release after new DNA testing revealed at least two other people's DNA on the knife used in the murder, although it later came to light that the DNA belonged to law enforcement professionals who had handled the knife without gloves.

Williams, a Muslim, had his imam with him during the execution. His final statement reportedly read, "All Praise Be To Allah In Every Situation!!!"

Missouri is among the most prolific of all U.S. states when it comes to the death penalty; it was one of only five states to carry out executions in 2023, carrying out four that year. In April, Parson denied a death row inmate's clemency request despite protests from Catholics and others, clearing the way for the state's first execution of 2024.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, reflecting an update promulgated by Pope Francis in 2018, describes the death penalty as "inadmissible" and an "attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person" (CCC, No. 2267). 

The change reflects a development of Catholic doctrine in recent years. St. John Paul II, calling the death penalty "cruel and unnecessary," encouraged Christians to be "unconditionally pro-life" and said that "the dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil."

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Vatican City, Sep 25, 2024 / 09:50 am (CNA).

Pope Francis said Wednesday he is praying for the dozens of victims of a deadly coal mine explosion in Tabas, Iran, that happened last Saturday.

The Sept. 21 incident in the South Khorasan Province killed at least 51 people and injured another 20, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). The explosion was caused by a methane gas leak.

In a message of condolences signed by Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the pope expressed his sorrow for those affected and sent "the assurance of his prayers for those who died and for their grieving families."

"Likewise expressing his spiritual solidarity with the wounded, His Holiness invokes upon all affected by this tragedy the Almighty's blessings of strength, consolation, and peace," the short telegram to victims concluded.

A similar coal mine explosion in Iran in 2017 killed 42 people and injured at least 75 others.

The mine in Tabas, located about 340 miles from Tehran, is owned and operated by Madanjoo Company. There were 69 workers inside the coal mine at the time of the explosion at 9 p.m. local time.

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Vatican City, Sep 25, 2024 / 05:55 am (CNA).

Pope Francis at his general audience on Wednesday called pornography a work of the devil, and warned Christians to reject this and other temptations accessed through the internet.

"Any cell phone has access to this brutality, this language of the devil," the pope said at the weekly audience in St. Peter's Square Sept. 25.

While modern technology has many positive resources to appreciate, he noted, it also gives the devil an opportunity to tempt us, "and many people fall for it."

"Think of internet pornography, which there is a thriving market behind," he continued. "We all know the devil works there."

Pope Francis spoke about pornography and how to avoid the temptation to sin during the 500th general audience of his pontificate. 

Addressing thousands at the Vatican, he said pornography "is a very widespread phenomenon, but one that Christians must be very careful to guard against and strongly reject."

At the Wednesday audience on the eve of a four-day trip to Luxembourg and Belgium, the pontiff spoke softly and had to pause occasionally to cough, after canceling two meetings on Monday morning due to suffering from "flu-like" symptoms, according to the Vatican.

The pope's catechesis was the latest in a series of reflections on the Holy Spirit as a guide, and took inspiration from the beginning of the fourth chapter of Luke, when, "filled with the holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil."

"In the wilderness, Jesus freed himself of Satan, and now he can deliver from Satan," Francis underlined, noting that by going into the wilderness Jesus was following an inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Pope Francis offered advice for avoiding sin when tempted by the devil, including not to believe in superstition or to become involved with occultism, spiritualism, astrologers, sellers of spells and amulets, and satanic sects, which are prevalent despite modern society's denial of the existence of Satan.

He also said, when temptation hits, to ask the Virgin Mary for help, and to immediately send the devil away — "do not dialogue with the demon."

"Be careful because the devil is clever, but we Christians, thank God, are smarter than he is," the pope reminded.

Quoting from a Father of the Church, Saint Caesarius of Arles, Francis said, "after Christ on the cross, defeated forever the power of the 'ruler of this world,' the devil … 'is bound, like a dog on a chain; he cannot bite anyone except those who, defying the danger, go near him... He can bark, he can urge, but he can bite only those who want.'"

While it is true, the pontiff continued, that the devil is present and working in extreme forms of evil and wickedness in human history, do not be discouraged.

"The final thought must be, also in this case, of trust and safety," he said. "Christ overcame the devil and gave us the Holy Spirit to make His victory our own. The very action of the enemy can turn to our advantage, if with God's help we make it serve our purification."

He concluded by encouraging everyone to ask the Holy Spirit for help, using words from the hymn, "Veni Creator:"

"Drive far away our wily Foe,

And Thine abiding peace bestow;

If Thou be our protecting Guide,

No evil can our steps betide."

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CNA Staff, Sep 25, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Dallas Jenkins, the creator, director, and writer of the hit series "The Chosen," made several big announcements regarding the future of the show and the launch of new projects during the second annual "Chosen" fan convention, ChosenCon, on Sept. 20 at the Orlando World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida.

The announcements included details about several new shows, ranging from an animated children's series to a reality show in partnership with celebrity survivalist and adventurer Bear Grylls, as well as the creation of a new production studio.

5&2 Studios, created by Jenkins, is the new independent studio that will oversee the production of "The Chosen" franchise and will produce future film and television projects set in the biblical world. 5&2 Studios is currently in production of "The Chosen Adventures" and "The Chosen in the Wild with Bear Grylls."

"The Chosen Adventures" is an animated series following 9-year-old Abby in the city of Capernaum and her friend Joshua and features the voices of actors Paul Walter Hauser and Yvonne Orji as well as Grammy-nominated artist Jordin Sparks and cast members from "The Chosen" including Jonathan Roumie, Paras Patel, Elizabeth Tabish, and Noah James.

"This is a show that kids are going to love, parents are going to love watching it with them, grandparents are going to love watching it with them," Jenkins told CNA in an interview at ChosenCon. "We're taking the stories of Jesus, the stories of the Gospels, the biblical concepts and truths and showing you them through the eyes of children."

Elizabeth Tabish, the actress who portrays Mary Magdalene in "The Chosen," will be a voice in the animated series and said the new show is "very family-friendly, very charming, and very smart and funny too — I think parents are going to like it as much as their kids."

"The Chosen in the Wild With Bear Grylls" is a six-episode, unscripted adventure series where Grylls takes one cast member from the show into the wild to explore their personal stories of faith and dive deeper into their perspectives on the series and the characters they portray. 

"It's a really exciting partnership bringing together what I do, which is 'Running Wild' and taking Hollywood folk into the wild, and then 'The Chosen' and what they do, and we've never done a partnership where we actually do like a bespoke version of 'Running Wild' for a TV show, but it felt like the right time, with the right partners," Grylls told CNA in an interview at ChosenCon.

Grylls shared that he has "been a sort of quiet fan of 'The Chosen' from the beginning" and that it has helped him in his own faith journey.

"I love everything that 'The Chosen' stands for, showing faith in a beautiful kind of real light," he said. 

Four out of the six episodes have been filmed so far and their "stories are beautiful and empowering," Grylls said.

He added that he believes fans of the show will enjoy getting to know "the actors as people, what they're really like, their journeys, their journeys of faith through the whole thing, from different backgrounds, different cultures, and the friendships they've made, to get to know them in a real way."

5&2 Studios is also developing three new shows including a three-season series about Moses, a limited series following the story of Joseph, and then, following "The Chosen," a series about the Acts of the Apostles.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 25, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

In the wake of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear signing an executive order banning "conversion therapy" for children, some experts are raising the alarm that the move could have a "chilling effect" on beneficial mental health counseling.

The order, signed by Beshear last week, defines conversion therapy as "any practice, treatment, or intervention that seeks or purports to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender."

The order prohibits state and federal funding for conversion therapy and counseling and gives state licensing boards authority to penalize practitioners offering such services to minors.

In a Sept. 18 press statement, the state's Democratic governor said conversion therapy "has no basis in medicine or science, and it can cause significant long-term harm to our kids, including increased rates of suicide and depression."

"Kentucky cannot possibly reach its full potential unless it is free from discrimination by or against any citizen — unless all our people feel welcome in our spaces, free from unjust barriers and supported to be themselves," the governor said. "This is about protecting our youth from an inhumane practice that hurts them."

Free speech experts raise alarm

According to Liberty Counsel, a law firm specializing in religious freedom and free speech, the order's broad definition of conversion therapy means that therapists are prohibited from simply counseling patients who want to overcome unwanted same-sex attraction or gender confusion.

The law firm also called the order an "unconstitutional" sidestep of the Kentucky Legislature after that branch of the state government has repeatedly protected children by rejecting attempts to enact an actual law banning counseling.  

"Counseling for gender confusion is actually talk therapy," Liberty Counsel said in a Sept. 19 press release. "Gov. Beshear's order ignores minors with unwanted same-sex attractions or gender confusion and makes it illegal for them to get professional help to stop their mental distress."

Daniel Schmid, an attorney with Liberty Counsel, told CNA that since only the legislature can ban conversion therapy the order is largely a "paper tiger" with little legal effect and cannot prohibit counseling.

Nevertheless, he said the order "creates a significant First Amendment problem" for counselors, children, and parents. He said the order will likely have a significant chilling effect on therapists who may be intimidated by the threat of losing their professional license.

"If you're a licensed professional, loss of your license is loss of your livelihood," he said. "If all you do is listen to the media or listen to what the governor said, which is that we're prohibiting this and we're going to come after the people who do it, that is a significant enough cause for concern for many counselors."

"There may be counselors out there who say, 'Well, I don't like the idea in here that I could be referred for professional discipline.' That's, of course, a chill," he said.

Conversion therapy bans

Currently, 28 states and the District of Columbia restrict or ban conversion therapy on minors, according to data gathered by the pro-LGBTQ think tank the Movement Advancement Project.

Melissa Moschella, a professor specializing in biomedical ethics and parental rights at the University of Notre Dame, told CNA that these bans effectively put a gag on therapists from seeking out the underlying causes of gender dysphoria and instead mandate "really bad therapy."

"A lot of the support for these bans, at least initially, came from horror stories about electroshock therapy for people with same-sex attraction and things like that," she explained. "But now the term conversion therapy is defined so broadly that it basically means any form of therapy that doesn't completely affirm and support either a same-sex attraction or a transgender identity."

Moschella said there is "no evidence at all" that so-called conversion therapy, which she said seeks to explore the underlying mental health issues surrounding gender, increases suicidality or exacerbates mental health problems. On the contrary, she said this type of therapy appears to be "the only therapy that in the long run actually seems to help."

Ultimately, Moschella said these bans will "make it much harder" for parents to find good therapists and will "require a great deal of courage" on the part of therapists to offer genuine counseling to children suffering from gender dysphoria.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 24, 2024 / 18:25 pm (CNA).

In an address to the United Nations' "Summit of the Future" in New York, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See's secretary of state, emphasized the need for promoting the dignity of the human person and voiced the Vatican's disapproval of the assembly's promotion of abortion and gender ideology.

Parolin addressed U.N. members gathered for the summit on Monday. Though praising summit attendees for engaging in dialogue, Parolin commented that there is a "need to rethink actions in a number of areas."

The cardinal voiced the Vatican's concerns with a document titled "Pact for the Future," which was passed by summit attendees on Sunday. He said that "in conformity with its nature and particular mission, [the Holy See] wishes to express its reservations" regarding the assembly's promotion of abortion and gender ideology.

The Holy See retains the status of a nonvoting "permanent observer" in the United Nations.

What did Parolin say?

Parolin emphasized the need to promote the dignity of the human person across the world. He praised the summit as a "reason for hope" amid a time of crisis in which there is an ongoing "erosion of trust between nations, as evidenced by the growing prevalence and intensity of conflict."

"Today, the sense of belonging to a single human family is fading, and the dream of working together for justice and peace seems outdated and utopian. This need not be the case, if there is a will to engage in genuine dialogue," Parolin said. "If dignity is the foundation and integral human development is the goal of our future, dialogue is the necessary means."

Though the "Pact for the Future" passed by the summit does not mention abortion explicitly, it states the summit's goal to "ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights." "Reproductive health" and "reproductive rights" are terms used to refer to an array of primarily women's health services, often including abortion.

"Regarding the terms 'sexual and reproductive health' and 'reproductive rights,' the Holy See considers these terms as applying to a holistic concept of health, which embrace, each in their own way, the person in the entirety of his or her personality, mind, and body, and which foster the achievement of personal maturity in sexuality and in the mutual love and decision-making that characterize the conjugal relationship between a man and a woman in accordance with moral norms," Parolin said.

"The Holy See does not consider abortion or access to abortion or abortifacients as a dimension of these terms," he clarified.

"With reference to 'gender,'" Parolin continued, "the Holy See understands the term to be grounded in the biological sexual identity that is male or female."

What other issues did Parolin emphasize?

Parolin went on to emphasize the Vatican's belief that the "eradication of poverty" through global development must be the "overarching goal of all future action."

He also stressed the need for the pursuit of peace through global disarmament and the "total elimination of nuclear weapons," saying that "narrow geopolitical considerations must be put aside and strong economic lobbies must be resisted in order to uphold human dignity and ensure a future in which all human beings can enjoy integral development, both as individuals and as a community."

Finally, Parolin also said there is an "urgent need" for governments to regulate the development of artificial intelligence to promote "AI ethics that encompasses the life cycle of AI and addresses, inter alia, data protection, accountability, bias, and the impact of AI on employment."

"Above all," Parolin said, "thinking of the future should take into account the needs and interests of future generations. It is imperative that a dignified future is guaranteed for all, ensuring the provision of the requisite conditions — including a nurturing family environment — to facilitate flourishing while simultaneously addressing the myriad challenges that impede this, including those resulting from poverty, conflict, exploitation, and addiction."

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Puebla, Mexico, Sep 24, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The Catholic Church has issued an alert to parents, priests, and catechists to "take all necessary security measures" following recent reports of the disappearance of minors and the confirmed existence of a gang dedicated to child theft.

In a circular letter dated Sept. 17, Cuernavaca Bishop Ramón Castro indicated that "reports of the disappearance of minors have been filed, and the media have reported the existence of a gang dedicated to the theft of children that has been corroborated by the authorities."

One of the most recent cases is that of Joshua, a baby stolen in Cuautla, Morelos, on July 2. According to the local media outlet La Jornada, the minor was rescued along with other minors on Sept. 17 as part of a joint operation conducted by the Office of the Attorney General (FGR, by its Spanish acronym) and the Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA, by its Spanish acronym) in Chiapas.

The FGR reported on Sept. 17 that five people were arrested in relation to the operation for their alleged participation in a minor trafficking ring.

According to central government statistics, since the Oct. 1, 2018, beginning of Cuauhtémoc Blanco Bravo's term as governor of Morelos, there have been 379 disappearances of minors in the state, mostly girls.

Castro called for reinforced security in "all catechetical centers," urging that "in the event of the slightest suspicion, the municipal authorities be informed." The prelate highlighted the importance of assuming "together the responsibility of caring for our children."

In addition, Castro urged the Catholic faithful to pray so that this situation "that worries us at the moment is transformed into an environment of security" in order to guarantee well-being and harmony.

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St. Louis, Mo., Sep 23, 2024 / 16:45 pm (CNA).

A Missouri death row inmate sentenced to death for a 1998 murder will have his case reviewed by the state Supreme Court ahead of his scheduled execution on Tuesday. 

Attorneys for Marcellus "Khaliifah" Williams argued before the court Monday that Williams did not receive a fair criminal trial in part because of the racial makeup of the jury and the fact that the trial prosecutor struck at least one juror in part because of his race, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. 

Felicia "Lisha" Gayle, a reporter for the Post-Dispatch, was found brutally stabbed dozens of times in her home in the St. Louis suburb of University City in 1998. Circumstantial evidence, including the discovery of several of Gayle's personal belongings in Williams' car, tied him to the break-in and murder. Williams also allegedly confessed to the murder to his girlfriend and a fellow inmate. 

Williams, who was already serving jail time for two unrelated robberies, was charged with Gayle's murder in 1999 and convicted in 2001. St. Louis County Circuit Court Judge Bruce Hilton upheld Williams' conviction earlier this month. 

Though Williams has maintained his innocence throughout the process, his filing with the Missouri Supreme Court emphasized the alleged constitutional errors in his initial trial, including alleged racial bias. Williams was convicted by a jury with 11 white people on it and only one fellow Black person, which his attorneys argued reflected the fact that the prosecutor struck at least one potential Black juror because he and Williams "looked like brothers."

Williams' attorneys had recently pushed for Williams' release after new DNA testing revealed at least two other people's DNA on the knife used in the murder, though it later came to light that the DNA belonged to law enforcement professionals who had handled the knife without gloves. 

Williams, who is Muslim, is scheduled to die by lethal injection on Sept. 24. Missouri is among the most prolific of all U.S. states when it comes to the death penalty; it was one of only five states to carry out executions in 2023, carrying out four that year. In April, Republican Gov. Mike Parson denied a death row inmate's clemency request despite protests from Catholics and others, clearing the way for the state's first execution of 2024. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, reflecting an update promulgated by Pope Francis in 2018, describes the death penalty as "inadmissible" and an "attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person" (CCC, No. 2267). The change reflects a development of Catholic doctrine in recent years. St. John Paul II, calling the death penalty "cruel and unnecessary," encouraged Christians to be "unconditionally pro-life" and said that "the dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil."

The Missouri Catholic Conference, which advocates for public policy on behalf of the state's bishops, encouraged Catholics to contact Parson to express their opposition to Williams' execution. (Parson has never granted clemency to a death row inmate during his governorship.)

"The Catholic Church is strongly opposed to the death penalty because it disregards the sanctity and dignity of human life," the conference noted. 

In addition, the Catholic Mobilizing Network, a national advocacy group that demonstrates against the death penalty, urged Catholics to oppose Williams' execution, calling him "a loving father, mentor, and respected leader within the incarcerated community" as well as "an accomplished poet who has dedicated much of his time in prison to studying Islam and writing poetry."

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 23, 2024 / 17:15 pm (CNA).

Vice President Kamala Harris is breaking with four decades of political tradition by snubbing the Al Smith Dinner, a charity fundraiser hosted by the Catholic Archdiocese of New York.

The New York Post reported on Saturday that Harris has decided to skip the event. This is the first time a presidential candidate has refused an invitation to the dinner since then-Democratic nominee Walter Mondale did so in 1984.

New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who as archbishop has served as host of the dinner for the past several years, sitting between the two candidates, responded to the decision by telling reporters that the archdiocese is "disappointed." 

According to a video of a press conference posted online Monday by Dolan's podcast "The Good Newsroom," the cardinal said the archdiocese had been "looking forward to giving the vice president an enthusiastic welcome."

"We're not used to this, we don't know how to handle it," he said, noting that Mondale lost 49 out of 50 states after refusing the archdiocese's invitation.

"I don't want to say that there's a direct connection there," he said, smiling, "but we're not used to this and we're not giving up." 

Joseph Zwilling, communications director for the Archdiocese of New York, confirmed to CNA that Harris' staff informed the archdiocese on Saturday that the vice president was "unable" to attend the dinner. Harris' staff has said she will not be attending the dinner so that she can instead campaign in key battleground states, according to the New York Post.

Former president Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, will attend the $5,000-a-plate black-tie event, which is scheduled to take place on Oct. 17 in New York City, Karoline Leavitt, Trump's 2024 national press secretary, told CNA.

Trump said in a Monday Truth Social post that Harris' decision to skip the event is consistent with what he called her "history of anti-Catholic actions."

"It's sad, but not surprising, that Kamala has decided not to attend," Trump said. "I don't know what she has against our Catholic friends, but it must be a lot because she certainly has not been very nice to them."

Trump said that Catholics are "literally being persecuted" by the Biden-Harris administration and that "any Catholic that votes for Comrade Kamala Harris should have their head examined."  

The Al Smith Dinner, first held in 1946, was named in honor of the first Catholic to run for president and raises millions of dollars for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York.

The event has seen the participation of some of the most prominent political and cultural figures of the 20th and 21st centuries. Since John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon attended the dinner in 1960, it has been a tradition for both presidential nominees to attend and exchange lighthearted jokes about each other.

At this year's dinner prominent Catholic comedian Jim Gaffigan will be the master of ceremonies. 

According to Dolan, the archdiocese has not given up hope on Harris attending. He said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who represents New York, and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul are "working hard to see that they convince her to come."

"Sen. Schumer said to me: 'I don't think she made the decision; I think her schedulers are saying she can't make it,'" Dolan said. "So, we're not giving up, we hope she's there. It's a grand evening and it's an evening of fun and friendship with an extraordinarily noble goal."

Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, a national Catholic civil rights group, told CNA that Harris' decision is "probably a good move" given the format of the event.  

"This is a high-profile event that is well covered by the media and it is attended by New York notables from many walks of life. It is a jovial atmosphere where both candidates get a chance to 'roast' the other. My guess is that Vice President Kamala Harris is not used to such a setting," Donohue explained.

"Her less-than-average ability to think quickly on her feet surely must have been a factor in her taking a pass," he said. "The event would play to Trump's strengths — he is a New Yorker — and her weakness."

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CNA Newsroom, Sep 23, 2024 / 13:25 pm (CNA).

Just days after organizers of the second session of the Synod on Synodality in October said topics were not the focus of discussions, two prominent participants have publicly weighed in on the question of Catholics identifying as LGBTQ.

Dominican Father Timothy Radcliffe and Jesuit Father James Martin on Sept. 19 published personal reflections on pastoral approaches to Catholics experiencing same-sex attraction.

Radcliffe, who served as a spiritual assistant at the 2023 synod assembly, has courted controversy in the past with statements on same-sex attraction. He wrote in the Sept. 19 edition of L'Osservatore Romano, the newspaper of the Holy See, about being on "the synodal path with gay Catholics."

The 79-year-old Dominican wrote that same-sex "desires," like all desires, are "God-given" and need to be "educated" rather than denied. Radcliffe praised "mature gay Catholics" in "committed relationships."

"Church teaching is already developing as it is refreshed by lived experience: gay people are no longer seen only in terms of sexual acts but as our brothers and sisters who, according to Pope Francis, can be blessed," Radcliffe added.

Strong opposition at the synod

Meanwhile, Father James Martin on Sept. 19 for America Magazine covered conversations he had with synod delegates over the past year regarding what he described as "LGBTQ issues."

The controversial Jesuit, who attended the 2023 synod as a papal appointee, reported encountering strong opposition.

The priest, who founded the pro-LGBTQ group Outreach, outlined several objections he heard from synod participants, including that LGBTQ ideology represents a form of neo-colonialism imposed on traditional cultures.

"In the end, the best way to help those who oppose" LGBTQ, Martin wrote, "is to meet them, listen to them, and come to know them as beloved children of God, that is, our brothers and sisters in Christ."

Critics have over the years accused Martin of rejecting Catholic teaching on the sinfulness of homosexual acts, but he has insisted that he does not reject the teaching of the Church.

The Church's consistent teaching on homosexuality is outlined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which states that while individuals with homosexual tendencies "must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity," homosexual acts are "intrinsically disordered" and "under no circumstances can they be approved" (CCC, 2357–2358).

The catechism further emphasizes that persons experiencing same-sex attraction "are called to chastity" and can draw nearer to Christian perfection through self-mastery, prayer, and sacramental grace (CCC, 2359).

Apostolates like Courage International offer spiritual support and fellowship for Catholics seeking to live according to Church teaching on this issue. Courage takes a chastity-based approach, helping members grow in holiness while embracing the Church's vision of human sexuality.

The articles by Radcliffe and Martin come as the Synod on Synodality prepares to hold its second and final session from Oct. 2–27 at the Vatican.

The gathering of bishops and other participants is expected to discuss a range of issues related to the Church's mission and internal life.

Controversial topics — such as LGBTQ questions — have been delegated to the competency of 15 study groups, whose mandate extends beyond the October synod to June 2025.

These groups will provide an update on their work at the beginning of the synod session in October.

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