What do you think?
Rate this book
Truth about Homosexuality: The Cry of the Faithful
This book addresses the complex moral and pastoral questions involved in both homosexual orientation and activity, including an analysis of lifestyles in accord with the Christian Gospel and those running counter to Christian moral teaching.
- GenresCatholic
405 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1996
2 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 20, 2024
THE FOUNDER OF THE "COURAGE INTERNATIONAL" CATHOLIC MINISTRY TO GAYS EXPLAINS THEIR APPROACH
Fr. John Harvey is the founder of Courage International, an approved apostolate of the Catholic Church, which "ministers to those with homosexual or same-sex attractions". Harvey has also written 'Homosexuality and the Catholic Church' and 'The Homosexual Person: New Thinking in Pastoral Care.'
He wrote in the Preface to this 1996 book, "Several years ago I asked myself whether I should write another book on the moral and pastoral aspects of homosexuality and homosexual behavior... The topic [was] discussed in [a] 1993 journal... I realized more strongly than before that the topics discussed should be presented to a larger reading public than the learned members of the journal.
"In this book, then, you will find two distinct kinds of writing. The first kind is concerned with the history and progress of the Courage movement... and with additional moral arguments in favor of the magisterial teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. The second kind is connected with opening new vistas of hope in the pastoral guidance of persons with an apparent homosexual orientation." (Pg. xi)
He explains, I refuse to label a person 'homosexual'; even if he has the orientation, there is something more fundamental about the person. The Church 'refuses to consider the person as "heterosexual" or "homosexual" and insists that every person has a fundamental identity: the creature of God and, by grace, his child and heir to eternal life.'" (Pg. xi)
He asks, "[do] Catholic gay and lesbian outreaches PROCLAIM the teaching of the Magisterium and PROMOTE sexual abstinence was Courage does?... There is ... an urgency in making Courage better known to the faithful as a genuine help for the development of interior chastity and as a preventive measure against becoming HIV-positive. Is it not strange that the closest allies to Courage in reiterating the Church's teaching on homosexual behavior are Exodus chapters (Protestant) and Sexaholics Anonymous (secular in name but religious in teaching)?" (Pg. 8-9) He adds, "With happy exceptions, I do not believe that the Church in America has provided a positive spiritual program for persons with homosexual orientation." (Pg. 23)
He notes, "Courage does not make change of orientation an obligatory goal. At the same time Courage places greater stress on the need to more away from homosexual ways of thinking and feeling. Persons aspiring to study for the priesthood or religious life should take the means mentioned above to repudiate the homosexual lifestyle and should study the official teaching of the Church on the issue of homosexual behavior." (Pg. 119-120)
He asserts, "If chastity is an obligation binding upon all persons in every vocation, then it follows that God will give to each person sufficient grace to observe this divine mandate... It is amazing how the false idea that ONLY religious and priests are given the charism of complete chastity has spread among the faithful. God gives the gift of celibacy to all who ask for it." (Pg. 121)
He adds, "I shall consider the difficulties many experience in their effort to lead to a chaste life: the seductive influence of the gay milieu, the abundance of gay pornography, the sense of low self-worth, emotional over-attachments, loneliness, the bitter memories of the past, bad friendships, and unresolved anger. I shall call this the human side of celibacy. Such reflections can help us to understand that homosexuality has very little to do with sex." (Pg. 122)
He advises, "It is important that the counselor recognize the unique nature of the person who claims to be 'gay,' realizing that there are different degrees of homosexuality and that some individuals are not really homosexual but only imagine themselves to be so. A professional diagnosis is often in order." (Pg. 152)
He concludes, "when forgiveness and Christian spirituality are essential parts of the treatment, it has been my clinical experience that the recovery rate from the emotional pain and subsequent homosexual behavior approaches 100 percent in those who are truly committed to the process." (Pg. 325)
The approach of Courage is obviously controversial in some circles; but this book is an excellent presentation of its principles, and will be of great interest to anyone studying Catholicism and homosexuality.
Fr. John Harvey is the founder of Courage International, an approved apostolate of the Catholic Church, which "ministers to those with homosexual or same-sex attractions". Harvey has also written 'Homosexuality and the Catholic Church' and 'The Homosexual Person: New Thinking in Pastoral Care.'
He wrote in the Preface to this 1996 book, "Several years ago I asked myself whether I should write another book on the moral and pastoral aspects of homosexuality and homosexual behavior... The topic [was] discussed in [a] 1993 journal... I realized more strongly than before that the topics discussed should be presented to a larger reading public than the learned members of the journal.
"In this book, then, you will find two distinct kinds of writing. The first kind is concerned with the history and progress of the Courage movement... and with additional moral arguments in favor of the magisterial teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. The second kind is connected with opening new vistas of hope in the pastoral guidance of persons with an apparent homosexual orientation." (Pg. xi)
He explains, I refuse to label a person 'homosexual'; even if he has the orientation, there is something more fundamental about the person. The Church 'refuses to consider the person as "heterosexual" or "homosexual" and insists that every person has a fundamental identity: the creature of God and, by grace, his child and heir to eternal life.'" (Pg. xi)
He asks, "[do] Catholic gay and lesbian outreaches PROCLAIM the teaching of the Magisterium and PROMOTE sexual abstinence was Courage does?... There is ... an urgency in making Courage better known to the faithful as a genuine help for the development of interior chastity and as a preventive measure against becoming HIV-positive. Is it not strange that the closest allies to Courage in reiterating the Church's teaching on homosexual behavior are Exodus chapters (Protestant) and Sexaholics Anonymous (secular in name but religious in teaching)?" (Pg. 8-9) He adds, "With happy exceptions, I do not believe that the Church in America has provided a positive spiritual program for persons with homosexual orientation." (Pg. 23)
He notes, "Courage does not make change of orientation an obligatory goal. At the same time Courage places greater stress on the need to more away from homosexual ways of thinking and feeling. Persons aspiring to study for the priesthood or religious life should take the means mentioned above to repudiate the homosexual lifestyle and should study the official teaching of the Church on the issue of homosexual behavior." (Pg. 119-120)
He asserts, "If chastity is an obligation binding upon all persons in every vocation, then it follows that God will give to each person sufficient grace to observe this divine mandate... It is amazing how the false idea that ONLY religious and priests are given the charism of complete chastity has spread among the faithful. God gives the gift of celibacy to all who ask for it." (Pg. 121)
He adds, "I shall consider the difficulties many experience in their effort to lead to a chaste life: the seductive influence of the gay milieu, the abundance of gay pornography, the sense of low self-worth, emotional over-attachments, loneliness, the bitter memories of the past, bad friendships, and unresolved anger. I shall call this the human side of celibacy. Such reflections can help us to understand that homosexuality has very little to do with sex." (Pg. 122)
He advises, "It is important that the counselor recognize the unique nature of the person who claims to be 'gay,' realizing that there are different degrees of homosexuality and that some individuals are not really homosexual but only imagine themselves to be so. A professional diagnosis is often in order." (Pg. 152)
He concludes, "when forgiveness and Christian spirituality are essential parts of the treatment, it has been my clinical experience that the recovery rate from the emotional pain and subsequent homosexual behavior approaches 100 percent in those who are truly committed to the process." (Pg. 325)
The approach of Courage is obviously controversial in some circles; but this book is an excellent presentation of its principles, and will be of great interest to anyone studying Catholicism and homosexuality.
March 17, 2015
Read the comments below only if 18 or older.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews