Christianity is, and remains, a foreign addition to African culture and, in truth, does not honestly reflect Africa’s organic image. We all know how the religion is said to have started, where its practices originated — which surely was not in Africa. Many religious leaders, especially in Africa, are ignorant, self-centered and deceptive. Despite what … Continue reading
Pope Francis should appeal to anti-LGBT African Catholics to love their LGBT neighbors, says Bondings 2.0, a publication of New Ways Ministry, which seeks reconciliation for LGBT Catholics. The occasion was the statement by Cameroonian bishops that they have “zero tolerance” for homosexuality — a statement that drew a recent reprimand from the LGBT advocates … Continue reading
A newly formed coalition of LGBTI Catholics is urging Pope Francis to speak out against faith-based homophobia during his current trip to Africa. The Rainbow Catholic Network of Africa issued this appeal to the pope: No to Religious Homophobia and Yes to LGBTI Catholic Inclusion in Africa Today Rainbow Catholic Network of Africa welcomes the … Continue reading
Pope Francis will visit Uganda during his trip to Africa on Nov. 27 – 29. It is his first visit to Africa following his visits earlier this year to Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Cuba and his current trip to the United States. But Fr. Anthony Musaala, a popular Ugandan priest, gospel singer and LGBTI supporter, … Continue reading
The Roman Catholic Church is showing signs that it might accept LGBTI people as no better and no worse than anyone else. But how to tell whether the church is merely giving lip service to the idea of welcoming all people or is serious about its surprising, still-tentative admission that it sees good qualities in … Continue reading
LGBTI rights activists welcomed today’s Roman Catholic Church statement that expressed recognition of positive aspects of LGBTI people and same-sex relationships. Some Catholics weren’t so accepting of the bishops’ words. The preliminary report, which came in the midst of the ongoing Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family at the Vatican, suggested no change in … Continue reading
The Rev. Anthony Musaala, a Ugandan priest who offers pastoral ministry to displaced sexual minorities in various countries, submitted the following call for repeal of Uganda’s harsh new anti-gay law. Musaala is currently appealing last year’s decision by the Roman Catholic archbishop of Kampala to suspend him after receiving a plea for reform in a … Continue reading
A team of African and American activists traveled last month to homophobic Cameroon to plead for tolerance, justice and improved health care for LGBT people and others. They raised their voices at a health conference, in prison, at the U.S. Embassy, at the office of the Vatican’s representative to Cameroon, and in meetings with local … Continue reading
The compassion and acceptance that Pope Francis has expressed for LGBT people has spread to India, as evidenced in Roman Catholic responses to a recent Supreme Court decision that reinstated a 1860s Indian law against homosexuality. Most religious groups in India have taken a traditionally homophobic position in favor of that ruling. But Roman Catholics … Continue reading
In an interview today, Pope Francis spoke graciously about how the Roman Catholic Church should treat LGBT people. Will Catholics in the 76-plus countries that imprison people for homosexual behavior stop fueling anti-gay hatred and instead model themselves after the head of their church? Here’s what Pope Francis had to say: “If a person is … Continue reading
