Archbishop Juan Jose Asenjo of Seville.
“They are children of God and my brothers, I have to love them, which does not mean necessarily that I have to canonize their actions, which according to the Church’s doctrine have a specific moral character,” the archbishop said.
Those With Same-Sex Attraction Are Children of God, Reminds Archbishop
Seville, Spain, Jan 31, 2012 - (EWTN News).-Archbishop Juan Jose Asenjo of Seville, Spain told reporters on this week that those struggling with same-sex attraction are “children of God,” therefore, “the Church embraces them and wants to accompany them." (See also here)
“They are children of God and my brothers, I have to love them, which does not mean necessarily that I have to canonize their actions, which according to the Church’s doctrine have a specific moral character,” the archbishop said.
Archbishop Asenjo was responding to questions about statements made by Archbishop Jaume Pujol of Tarragona, who recently said that homosexuals engage in “behavior that is inappropriate for society.”
Archbishop Asenjo said his fellow archbishop’s intention “was not to offend,” but rather to “be clear” about the Church’s teaching.
The archbishop also responded to questions about statements by Archbishop Ricardo Blazquez of Valladolid, who questioned the appropriateness of inviting Spain’s vice president, Soraya Saez de Santamaria, to deliver the opening proclamation for the traditional Holy Week celebrations because she is only married civilly. Consulting with the Archdiocese of Seville before issuing the invitation would have been more “reasonable,” he said.
Archbishop Blazquez said his concerns were not meant to be taken as a personal criticism of the vice president, but that because the Holy Week proclamation takes place at the cathedral, where the bishop teaches as pastor of the diocese, he should have been consulted before anyone was selected.