Abp. Chaput: Shelve ‘Intrinsically Disordered’

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ROME, October 21, 2015 (ChurchMilitant.com) - In a new interview with Crux, Abp. Charles Chaput of Philadelphia says the term "intrinsically disordered," in reference to homosexuality, should be scrapped.

I think it's probably good for the Church to put that on the shelf for a while, until we get over the negativity related to it. ... That language automatically sets people off and probably isn't useful anymore.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (2357) states:

[T]radition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered." They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

Archbishop Chaput clarifies his position thus: "It means that same-sex attraction is not part of God's plan, and we can't deny that's what the Church thinks."

There are other Synod Fathers currently pushing to water down the Church's language on sins such as adultery and sodomy, like Brisbane archbishop Mark Coleridge, who says the word "disordered" promotes "alienation ... the sense of exclusion" towards homosexuals.

Today, Abp. Chaput's small circle group report submitted to the Synod Fathers for discussion showed disagreement on the topic of how the Synod should address homosexuality. Some thought the discussion had no place at the Synod, while others thought it should have its own synod. There were those who thought the wording of the Catechism of the Catholic Church should be used, while others thought it would damage the Church's credibility.

One thing that's becoming more and more evident is that the Synod on the Family's battle between doctrine and discipline is largely being fought with the weapon of words.

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