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Tagalog(English) Pope has missed the opportunity to improve the lives of young LGBT people everywhere in his response to Synod on Young People
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STATEMENT BY EQUAL FUTURE 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
4th April, 2019
POPE HAS MISSED THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF YOUNG LGBT PEOPLE EVERYWHERE IN HIS RESPONSE TO SYNOD ON YOUNG PEOPLE
Pope Francis issued his new teaching document on young people on Tuesday this week, 2 April 2019, entitled ‘Christus vivit’. The document is his response to the Catholic bishops’ Synod on Young People.
Tiernan Brady, Campaign Director for Equal Future, said "Given the highly problematic nature of the Catholic Church’s teaching on LGBT, and the previous awareness that the Pope has demonstrated of the damage done to children and young people when given the sense that to be LGBT is in any way a misfortune or a disappointment, the document represents a failure of nerve to follow through on previous positive statements by Pope Francis."
"The Pope does not say anything about shielding children from the damage that any sense that being LGBT would be a misfortune or a disappointment. The document fails to even consider this damage.”
"In a section entitled ‘Love and family’, the Pope eloquently describes, in a way that would apply to the experience of young people of any sexual orientation, that “Young people intensely feel the call to love; they dream of meeting the right person with whom they can form a family and build a life together,” (259), but then goes on to speak only of “love between a man and a woman,” (261). The airbrushing of the lives and aspirations of millions of young LGBT people from the document compounds the damage being done to young people."
"There are some positive elements to the document that could provide pathways to progress. These include a call for an “inclusive” approach to young people. Statements against “being too concerned with communicating a great deal of doctrine” (212), and that young people do not “have to accept fully all the teachings of the Church to take part in certain of our activities” (234), could be interpreted as a tacit acknowledgement that children and young people should not be exposed to the Church’s teaching on LGBT. The statement, “You have to discover who you are… whatever others may say or think” (162), is also of value," Brady continued.
"But these are only potential pathways to progress and the document is ultimately a missed opportunity. The Synod on Young People failed to acknowledge and tackle the problem. Pope Francis has made little headway.”
Tiernan Brady concluded: “As our global polling shows, the majority of Catholics understand the damage that is being done to children and young people by current Catholic teaching on LGBT and want it to change. The upper management of the Church need to listen to the voices of the people, but sadly are still not getting it."
ENDS
EDITOR’S NOTES:
Numerical references in brackets are to paragraphs of the Christus vivit document.
Global Polling
In October 2018, the Equal Future 2018 Campaign released polling commissioned from international polling agency YouGov on attitudes in the Catholic word towards damage to children and young people from LGBT stigma. The poll was conducted in Brazil, Mexico, USA, France, Philippines, Spain and Italy, comprising 50% of the global Catholic population. The data showed that 63% of practicing Catholics in the world’s eight biggest Catholic countries want the Church to change their teaching on LGBT in order to support the health and wellbeing of children and young people. The Campaign submitted the polling to the Synod on Young People to assist its deliberations. The details can be found at www.equalfuture2018.com/poll/.
Equal Future Campaign
The Equal Future 2018 Campaign was set up to raise awareness of the damage done to children and young people when they are made to feel that being LGBT would be a misfortune or a disappointment. The Campaign responded to the call of the Catholic Church for feedback ahead of its Synod on Young People by providing a platform for people to tell their stories to their regional bishop attending the Synod, and commissioned polling agency YouGov to conduct international polling on awareness of the damage done to children and young people by LGBT stigma and their opinion on the role of Catholic Church teaching.
The Campaign is supported by a coalition of LGBT, progressive religious, children and young people’s, and other groups from over 60 countries worldwide. Its website is www.equalfuture2018.com.
Four days after it launched in Dublin on 22 August 2018, the Pope, on his way back to Rome from there, gave the first ever positive papal teaching to parents of kids who may be gay.
Previous papal statement on LGBT children
On 26 August 2018, four days following the launch of the Equal Future 2018 Campaign in Dublin last August ahead of the Pope’s visit to Ireland, the Pope, asked by a journalist what he would say to the father of a son who says he is gay, said:
“Don’t condemn. Dialogue, understand, make space for your son or daughter. Make space so they can express themselves.”
“You are my son, you are my daughter, just as you are!”
“That son and that daughter have the right to a family and of not being chased out of the family.”
Post-Synodal Exhortation
The Vatican released Christus vivit on April 2, 2019.
Christus vivit is a Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation. The status of a Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, a particular type of papal document, is held to be part of the “Magisterium” of the Catholic Church. The Magisterium of the Catholic Church is the teaching of the Catholic Church which all Catholics are called to adhere to.
Please address any media enquiries to:--
Tiernan Brady, Campaign Director
media@equalfuture2018.com – +353878505972
(English) POPE FRANCIS HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE LIVES OF LGBT CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THE BETTER THIS COMING MONDAY
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STATEMENT BY EQUAL FUTURE 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
22nd March, 2019
POPE FRANCIS HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE LIVES OF LGBT CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THE BETTER THIS COMING MONDAY
This coming Monday, Pope Francis will issue a teaching document in response to the Catholic bishops’ Synod on Young People. The Equal Future Campaign has called on the Pope to include his advice to parents of LGBT children, elevating that advice to the regular teaching of the Catholic Church, and to build on it.
“The Equal Future 2018 Campaign is calling on Pope Francis to address the damage done to young people by LGBT stigma in line with his own recent statements rather than with the findings of the Synod,” said Equal Future’s Campaign Director, Tiernan Brady.
“Ahead of the Synod last year, Pope Francis showed true leadership in his understanding of the damage that is being done to LGBT children and young people. He powerfully called on parents to listen to, show greater understanding towards, and accept their LGBT children, just as they are. The Pope can build on his comments to help end the damage that is done to children and young people everywhere when we make them feel that who they are is a disappointment or a misfortune if they are LGBT.”
The Pope’s document, called a Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, is to be released this coming Monday 25th March and is his official response to the global Synod on Young People held last October. A key objective of the Synod was to consider “cultural and religious factors [which] can lead to exclusion” of young people, including young people who are or may be LGBT.
“The Synod had the chance to consider the damage done to children and young people from LGBT stigma, and the Church’s own role in the problem. Instead the bishops failed to acknowledge and tackle the problem. Pope Francis can move past this failure in his forthcoming document.”
Tiernan Brady concluded: “As our global polling shows, the choice is between recognizing the truth discerned by the people of the Catholic Church, who realise the Church needs to become more supportive of young people who are or may be LGBT, or letting the Church’s bishops continue to close their eyes to the reality of people’s lives in the face of ever growing understanding and knowledge of LGBT people and their experiences. The Pope must now finish the job he started in August last year and which the Synod of Bishops manifestly failed to deliver on.”
ENDS
EDITOR’S NOTES:
Equal Future Campaign
The Equal Future 2018 Campaign was set up to raise awareness of the damage done to children and young people when they are made to feel that being LGBT would be a misfortune or a disappointment. The Campaign responded to the call of the Catholic Church for feedback ahead of its Synod on Young People by providing a platform for people to tell their stories to their regional bishop attending the Synod, and commissioned polling agency YouGov to conduct international polling on awareness of the damage done to children and young people by LGBT stigma and their opinion on the role of Catholic Church teaching.
The Campaign is supported by a coalition of LGBT, progressive religious, children and young people’s, and other groups from over 60 countries worldwide. Its website is www.equalfuture2018.com.
Four days after it launched in Dublin on August 22nd 2018, the Pope, on his way back to Rome from there, gave the first ever positive papal teaching to parents of kids who may be gay.
Previous papal statement on LGBT children
On 26 August 2018, four days following the launch of the Equal Future 2018 Campaign in Dublin ahead of the Pope’s visit to Ireland, the Pope, asked by a journalist what he would say to the father of a son who says he is gay, said:
“Don’t condemn. Dialogue, understand, make space for your son or daughter. Make space so they can express themselves.”
“You are my son, you are my daughter, just as you are!”
“That son and that daughter have the right to a family and of not being chased out of the family.”
Post-Synodal Exhortation
The Vatican announced February 24 2019 that the Pope will present his Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on March 25, the Catholic feast of the Annunciation, during a visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Loreto near Italy’s central Adriatic coast.
The status of a Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, a particular type of papal document, is held to be part of the “Magisterium” of the Catholic Church. The Magisterium of the Catholic Church is the teaching of the Catholic Church which all Catholics are called to adhere to.
Global polling
In October 2018, the Equal Future 2018 Campaign released polling commissioned from international polling agency YouGov on attitudes in the Catholic word towards damage to children and young people from LGBT stigma. The poll was conducted in Brazil, Mexico, USA, France, Philippines, Spain and Italy, comprising 50% of the global Catholic population. The data showed that 63% of practicing Catholics in the world’s eight biggest Catholic countries want the Church to change their teaching on LGBT in order to support the health and wellbeing of children and young people. The Campaign submitted the polling to the Synod on Young People to assist its deliberations. The details can be found at www.equalfuture2018.com/poll/.
Please address any media enquiries to:--
Tiernan Brady, Campaign Director
media@equalfuture2018.com – +353878505972
(English) Pope Francis must make up for the gaps left by Synod on damage to young people from LGBT stigma
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STATEMENT BY EQUAL FUTURE 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
19th November, 2018
Pope Francis must make up for the gaps left by Synod on damage to young people from LGBT stigma
The Equal Future 2018 Campaign today described the failure of the Catholic Church to consider the damage done to young people from LGBT stigma during its Synod on Young People as “an extraordinary omission” and called on Pope Francis to exercise his option to address the problem as quickly as possible.
Tiernan Brady, Campaign Director for Equal Future 2018, said “The Catholic Church’s Synod on Young People sadly decided to ignore the reality of LGBT people’s lives and the impact that stigma towards LGBT people has on young people across the world. Instead, the Synod simply swept it under the carpet to avoid difficult conversations about what that damage done by LGBT stigma may say about the Church’s own teaching on LGBT.”
“The Synod on Young People said in its final resolutions that the Church “renewed its commitment to stand against any sexual discrimination and violence”, but it provided no elaboration or example, and utterly failed to acknowledge both the Church’s own role in the problem, and the very specific damage to the most innocent and defenseless in our societies, children and young people,” Brady continued.
The Synod’s conclusions are “offered” to Pope Francis, who then decides whether to produce a formal teaching document on the subject known as a post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation.
“Pope Francis now has the opportunity to consider young people’s lives and the damage that is done to them across society by LGBT stigma, in a way that the Synod simply has not done. The Pope’s own advice in August to parents of children who may be gay recognised that damage is being done to young people. While the Synod did not follow the Pope’s lead in focusing on this problem, it did resolve that questions of sexuality require “deeper anthropological, theological and pastoral elaboration”. The Pope must not fail now to decisively address this urgent issue,” Brady continued.
The Equal Future 2018 Campaign was set up to raise awareness of the damage done when a child or young person feels that being LGBT would be a misfortune or a disappointment. Four days after it launched in Dublin on August 22nd, the Pope gave the first ever positive papal teaching to parents of kids who may be gay.
In early October the Campaign released new poll figures showing that 64% of practicing Catholics in the world’s eight biggest Catholic countries want the Church to change their teaching on LGBT in order to support the health and wellbeing of children and young people. The Campaign submitted the polling to the Synod to assist its deliberations.
Tiernan Brady concluded: “The choice is between recognizing the truth discerned by the people of the Catholic Church, who realise the Church needs to become more supportive of LGBT young people, or letting the Church’s upper management continue to close their eyes to the reality of people’s lives in the face of ever growing understanding and knowledge about LGBT people and their experiences.”
ENDS
Please address any media enquiries to:--
Tiernan Brady, Campaign Director
media@equalfuture2018.com – +353878505972
Cross-party Catholic MPs call for Church to address damage to young people from LGBT stigma
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STATEMENT BY EQUAL FUTURE 2018
24th October, 2018
A cross-party group of Catholic MPs have written to Pope Francis today to ask him to personally ensure that the current Synod on Young People focuses on the damage done to children and young people around the world by LGBT stigma.
Mike Kane MP said "The Catholic Church’s Youth Synod in Rome is a once-in-a-generation moment where we can all create positive change to young peoples’ lives. Whether you are Catholic or not, an LGBT person or not, the decisions that may be taken at this Synod will be felt for years to come across the world."
The letter will be passed to the Papal Household by Sally Axworthy MBE, British Ambassador to the Holy See, on behalf of the MPs.
In their letter, Labour MPs Mary Creagh, Conor McGinn and Mike Kane, and Conservative MP Sir David Amess, lend their voices to the call of the Equal Future 2018 Campaign in asking the Pope to ensure that consideration is given to the damage that is being done to children and young people across the world when they are given any sense that to be LGBT is a misfortune or a disappointment. They ask that the Catholic Church use its unique position in world societies to address and tackle this damage.
Mary Creagh MP said "We believe that the Catholic Church has an important role in standing up for the marginalised and the voiceless, and in protecting people from damage. The Synod represents a moment for us to assert that leadership on behalf of young people and to protect them from the damage that results from negative or ambivalent attitudes about LGBT people being communicated to them."
The Synod on Young People, currently taking place in Rome, will release its final resolutions this week for the Pope to consider. The MPs, from both Labour and Conservative parties of the United Kingdom’s House of Commons, state that whilst they understand there are many views on homosexuality within the Church, the Church should be united against any damage that is being done to young people.
Conor McGinn MP said “Whatever disagreements exist within the Church, they must not cause the Synod to fail to address the psychological hurt done to young people through any sense that to be LGBT would be a misfortune. The Catholic Church is uniquely placed to use its position in the world to address and tackle this damage.”
Equal Future 2018’s Campaign Director, Tiernan Brady, commented, “Protecting children and young people from the damage caused by any sense that to be LGBT is a misfortune or a disappointment will take all parts of society, whether in the realm of faith or in the civic realm. Equal Future 2018 welcomes the input of these parliamentarians as, we are sure, will the Catholic Church, who specifically asked for input.”
24th October 2018
ENDS
Editors notes:
The MPs letter to Pope Francis can be viewed here: https://equalfuture2018.com/wp-content/uploads/20181023-Letter-from-British-MPs-to-HH-Pope-Francis.pdf
The Equal Future 2018 Campaign is supported by a coalition of LGBT, progressive religious, children and young people’s, and other groups from over 60 countries worldwide, and seeks to end the damage that is done when children and young people are given the sense that being LGBT would be a misfortune or a disappointment. Its website is www.equalfuture2018.com. The Campaign launched in Dublin in August, four days before the Pope issued the first ever positive papal teaching to parents of children who may be gay.
--
Please address any media enquiries to:
Tiernan Brady, Campaign Director
media@equalfuture2018.com – +353878505972
(English) Majority of Catholics in world’s eight largest Catholic countries call for the Church to change its damaging approach to LGBT young people
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STATEMENT BY EQUAL FUTURE 2018
10th October, 2018
New poll figures today show that a majority of practicing Catholics in the world’s eight biggest Catholic countries want the Church to adopt a more positive approach towards young people and to change their teaching on LGBT.
The polling, carried out by YouGov for the Equal Future 2018 Campaign, was conducted in the world’s eight largest Catholic countries: Brazil, Mexico, Columbia, Philippines, United States, France, Spain and Italy. Collectively these countries comprise half of the world’s total population of baptized Catholics.
The Campaign Director of Equal Future 2018, Tiernan Brady, said “These poll findings are a clarion call to the hierarchy of the Catholic Church from its members that it is time to change their approach to LGBT people. The people of the Catholic Church are leading the way on LGBT issues and it is time the upper management caught up with their flock.”
“The figures clearly show that Catholic people across the globe believe that the current teaching and approach of the hierarchy towards LGBT people is now damaging to children and young people and the clear majority wants the Church to change its approach.”
“The support levels for changing the Catholic Church approach to LGBT people are reflected not just in the opinions of the general populations of all the countries polled, but also amongst baptized and practicing Catholics. This is not a call for change from outside the Church – it is from its own people.”
"The truth is that far too many children and young people grow up thinking that if they or someone they knew turned out to be LGBT it would be bad luck or a disappointment. Most of the damage that comes from learning such attitudes happens to children and young people long before anyone knows if they are LGBT or not." Brady continued.
The Catholic Church’s Synod on Young People in Rome runs for three weeks from the 3rd to the 28th October. The Equal Future 2018 campaign has set up an online platform at www.equalfuture2018.com where people can talk directly to their Synod delegate.
“The Synod is a critical opportunity for the hierarchy of the Catholic Church to recognize something that is now better understood than ever before by considering and responding to the truth of the damage that is being done to children and young people. This Synod was set up to consider the lives of children and young people across the globe and the issues and challenges that face them. It would be an incredible oversight and rebuke of the faithful and of young people if it does not address the damage done to children and young people by LGBT stigma.” Brady concluded.
ENDS
Editors notes:
View our YouGov poll results here.
Equal Future 2018 is a coalition of LGBT, progressive religious, children and young people’s, and other groups from over 60 countries worldwide who are seeking to end the damage that is done when children and young people are given the sense that being LGBT would be a misfortune or a disappointment.
--
Please address any media enquiries to:
Tiernan Brady, Campaign Director
media@equalfuture2018.com - +353878505972
(English) Equal Future release new video highlighting damage done to young people through anti LGBT sentiment for Catholic Church Youth Synod
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The Equal Future Campaign has today released a video to raise awareness of the damage that is done to young people and children as they grow up listening to anti-LGBT sentiments. The video is to coincide with the Catholic Church Synod on Young People in Rome. The video consists of three people recounting their personal experiences growing up.
Link to the video: https://www.facebook.com/equalfuture2018/videos/1690955791031898/ |
The Campaign Director of Equal Future, Tiernan Brady said "The Catholic Youth Synod in Rome is a once-in-a-generation moment where we can all create positive change to young peoples’ lives. Whether you are Catholic or not, an LGBT person or not, the decisions that may be taken at this Synod will be felt for years to come across the world."
“Human stories are the single most powerful way to allow others to understand that the damage is real and why it needs to be addressed. As the new video shows, our stories are more powerful than we realise and we need to tell them to those in positions of authority.” Brady continued.
"The truth is that far too many children and young people grow up thinking that if they or someone they knew turned out to be LGBT it would be bad luck or a disappointment. Most of the damage that comes from learning such attitudes happens to children and young people long before anyone knows if they are LGBT or not." Brady continued.
The Catholic Church’s Synod on Young People in Rome runs for three weeks from the 4th to the 25th October. The Equal Future 2018 campaign has set up an online platform at www.equalfuture2018.com where people can talk directly to their Synod delegate.
“The Synod is a critical opportunity for all of us to help influence rules and attitudes within the Catholic Church towards LGBT young people. This Synod was set up to consider the lives of children and young people across the globe and the issues and challenges that face them. It would be an incredible oversight and rebuke of young people if it does not address the damage done to children and young people by LGBT stigma.” Brady concluded.
(English) Global Campaign says Catholic Church Synod is a unique opportunity to end the damage to young LGBT people
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STATEMENT BY EQUAL FUTURE 2018
1st October, 2018
The Catholic Church Synod on Young People, which starts in Rome this week, is a unique opportunity to address the damage that anti-LGBT attitudes does to children and young people according to the Equal Future 2018 global campaign. Equal Future 2018 is a coalition of LGBT groups, progressive religious and other groups from over 60 countries who are seeking to end the damage that is done when children and young people are given the sense that being LGBT would be a misfortune or a disappointment.
The Campaign Director of Equal Future, Tiernan Brady said "The Catholic Youth Synod in Rome is a once-in-a-generation moment where we can all create positive change to young peoples’ lives. Whether you are Catholic or not, an LGBT person or not, the decisions that may be taken at this Synod will be felt for years to come across the world."
"The truth is that far too many children and young people grow up thinking that if they or someone they knew turned out to be LGBT it would be bad luck or a disappointment. Most of the damage that comes from learning such attitudes happens to children and young people long before anyone knows if they are LGBT or not." Brady continued.
The Catholic Church’s Synod on Young People in Rome runs for three weeks from the 4th to the 25th October. The Equal Future 2018 campaign has set up an online platform at www.equalfuture2018.com where people can talk directly to their Synod delegate.
“The Synod is a critical opportunity for all of us to help influence rules and attitudes within the Catholic Church towards LGBT young people. This Synod was set up to consider the lives of children and young people across the globe and the issues and challenges that face them. It would be an incredible oversight and rebuke of young people if it does not address the damage done to children and young people by LGBT stigma.”
“The Equal Future 2018 campaign has set up this online platform so that people can send their messages and stories directly to their country or regional delegate to the synod. Human stories are the single most powerful way to allow others to understand that the damage is real and why it needs to be addressed. Our stories are more powerful than we realise and we need to tell them to those in positions of authority" Brady concluded.
Statement Ends.
Pope Statement an early win for Equal Future 2018 - still more work to be done
STATEMENT BY EQUAL FUTURE 2018
Wednesday, August 29th, 2018
POPE’S REVISED STATEMENT ON PARENTING CHILDREN WHO MAY BE LGBT HAS POTENTIAL TO BE TRANSFORMATIONAL – EQUAL FUTURE 2018 CAMPAIGN
The Equal Future 2018 Campaign said today that elements of the Pope’s revised advice to parents of children who may be LGBT following the launch of their campaign in Dublin last week have the potential to be transformational for children around the world. The Campaign is calling on all people to have their voices heard in the lead-up to the Catholic Church’s Synod on Young People this October.
‘Don’t condemn, [but] dialogue, understand, make space for the son or daughter… so they can express themselves,’ the Pope has advised. He also definitively instructed Catholics not to ‘throw their child out of the family’, but rather to accept that ‘You are my son, you are my daughter, just as you are’.
Tiernan Brady, Campaign Director for Equal Future 2018, said “What we see here is the Pope finally acknowledging the damage that is done to children. The challenge for the Catholic Church and for society, once we accept that damage is being done, is how to stop it. This new advice that all children and young people must be accepted for who they are, that none may be condemned or driven out of the family, and that all must be ‘given space to express themselves,’ is positive.
“However, it falls well short of protecting children from the damage done by LGBT stigma. We now need the forthcoming Synod on Young People to consider and address the damage done to children and young people when they are made to feel that to be LGBT would be a misfortune or a disappointment, and to consider the role of the Church’s own teaching on LGBT in that.
The Campaign has developed a website where people can tell their story directly to their local delegates to the Synod and is calling on people everywhere to go to https://write.equalfuture2018.com/ to express their view and make sure their voices are heard.
The Equal Future 2018 Campaign launched at the World Meeting of Families in Dublin on 22nd August, four days before the Pope’s comments were made to journalists at the end of his visit there. It is supported by the largest ever coalition of LGBT and progressive religious groups. The https://equalfuture2018.com/ website includes an online platform where people can identify and contact their local delegate to the forthcoming Synod on Young People to express their views.
Visit our website at https://equalfuture2018.com/
For more information contact Tiernan Brady at 00353 87 850 5972
Notes to Editor:
Equal Future 2018, which launched in Dublin on 22nd August ahead of the Pope’s visit there, raises awareness of the damage done to children when they are given the sense that to be LGBT would be a misfortune or a disappointment and seeks to change behaviour as a result of that awareness. It also suggests taking advantage of a unique moment in the Catholic Church’s history through the invitation the Church has made to give feedback to bishops ahead of the Synod on Young People in Rome this October. The Synod will consider ‘situations where young people are excluded for social or religious reasons’. The Campaign asks people to share their stories with the delegates at the Synod through the https://equalfuture2018.com/ website.
Comments attributed to the Pope were extracted from an interview given to journalists during an inflight press conference from Dublin to Rome after the World Meeting of Families. You can read the full, revised transcript of the interview from the Vatican website (in Italian): https://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/it/speeches/2018/august/documents/papa-francesco_20180826_irlanda-voloritorno.html.
The Vatican’s revision of the Pope’s original comments are reported in The Guardian, here: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/28/vatican-erases-popes-remarks-about-psychiatric-help-for-gay-children