The Catholic Weekly 6 February 2022

LOCAL CATHOLICS have welcomed recent comments from Pope Francis that par- ents of a child with same sex attraction should never re- ject their child but accompa- ny them with the help of their faith. Speaking at his 26 January general audience in Rome, the Pope continued his cat- echesis on St Joseph which he began last year, advising his listeners to rely on the power of prayer as the saint did, to face life’s difficulties “without succumbing” to pain and fear. “I am thinking, too, of parents who are facing their children’s problems: children with many illnesses, children who are sick, even with per- manent illnesses, how much pain is there! “Parents who see different sexual orientations in their children; how to deal with this and accompany their children and not hide in an attitude of condemnation…to [all] these parents I say: do not be afraid. Yes, there is pain. A lot. But think about how Joseph solved problems and ask Jo- seph to help you. Never con- demn a child.” It is the latest instance of Pope Francis reaching out pastorally to those who expe- rience differing sexual orien- tations. Last December he sent a handwritten letter to US co-founder of a Catholic apos- tolate to the LGBT community Sister Jeannine Gramick SL, congratulating her on 50 years of “closeness, of compassion and of tenderness” in a minis- try that he described as being in “‘the style’ of God”. Team leader of Sydney Catholic Youth Milad Khalil said that in his experience of youth ministry almost every time young people have an opportunity to ask a question that pertains to the Catholic faith, “the Church’s teaching on homosexuality is bound to make an appearance”. “Based on their approach to the questions and their re- action to the response, it is quite clear that this teaching is one of the most misunder- stood,” he added. “The perception among young people seems to be that the Church condemns the person who is same-sex attracted, rather than the con- demnation of the behaviour, in the same way the Church condemns other behaviours like pre-marital sex, the use of pornography and other forms of sexual immorality. CONTINUED P3 Never reject a gay child! Pope Francis offerswords of wisdomtoparents of faithwithchildrenof diverse sexual orientation ¾ Marilyn Rodrigues SUNDAY 6 February, 2022 CatholicWeekly The www.catholicweekly.com.au THE CHURCH. ALL OF IT WOKE MELTDOWN OVER HANEEN P13 BACKED BY superb musi- cians beatingout upliftingmu- sic with deeply spiritual lyrics, Pastor Carl Lentz, (front and centre in photo) , leads a Hill- song Church service in New York. With his half-shaved head, jeans and tattoos, Pas- tor Lentz doesn’t look like the typical religious leader. But with its concert-like atmos- phere and appeal to a young- er demographic, his congre- gation, Hillsong NYC, is one of the fastest growing evan- gelical churches in the city. Around the world, Pentecostal Christianity is surging. Why? The reasons are explored in a remarkable new book by Syd- ney author Elle Hardy, the au- thor of Beyond Belief: How Pentecostal Christianity is Tak- ing Over the World . REPORT P14 A movement that’s on fire for the Lord Parents who see different sexual orientations in their children; how to deal with this and accompany their children and not hide in an attitude of condemnation.” Pope Francis RECLAIMING EVANGELISATION Dr Mary Healy Saturday, 12 February 10-11.30am REGISTER www.gomakedisciples.org.au Online Renewal Series 2021-2022 PHOTO: AP, TINA FINEBERG THE WORLD WAKES UP TO DEL NOCE P24