Detroit Archdiocese Looks the Other Way for LGBT Group

You are not signed in as a Premium user; you are viewing the free version of this program. Premium users have access to full-length programs with limited commercials and receive a 10% discount in the store! Sign up for only one day for the low cost of $1.99. Click the button below.

See All Plans

DETROIT (ChurchMilitant.com) - The archdiocese of Detroit is allowing a dissident Catholic bishop to speak to a group of parents with LGBT children.

Tomorrow, at Christ the King parish in Detroit, retired auxiliary Detroit archdiocese bishop Thomas Gumbleton will speak at a day of reflection for Fortunate Families.

Fortunate Families is a support group for parents and other family members of LGBT people. It's one of several groups claiming to be Catholic, yet who are in open disagreement with Catholic teaching on homosexuality. It associates with dissident groups DignityUSA, New Ways Ministry and other Catholics openly criticical of Church doctrine.

Casey Lopata, one of the co-founders of Fortunate Families, said earlier this summer that gay sex can be a good thing. In an article published on the New Ways Ministry blog, he wrote:

[H]omosexual acts are not necessarily a sin (even if considered objectively wrong by the Church, an act is not a sin for a person who honestly believes it's not wrong (for him or her)). ... [If] Jim believes physically expressing his orientation is right for him (even if considered objectively wrong) he not only has a right to do so, but he risks condemnation if he doesn't follow his conscience.

Bishop Gumbleton himself has ties to New Ways Ministry, a group that professes to be Catholic yet holds views of homosexuality that go against Church teaching. The group was censured by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2010 for its dissident views.

Bishop Gumbleton has been an outspoken advocate for homosexual priests to "come out," saying in the Jesuit magazine America that the Vatican's ban on ordaining homosexuals to the priesthood "contribute[s] to the sharp increase in the negative feelings that so many in the Church and our society have toward homosexual persons."

He further argues that "if the gift of a homosexual child can be the cause of another gift to the family, is it not even more likely that a homosexual priest could be the cause of such a gift to the parish community? A community that could accept this gift would grow in its ability to be honest, respectful and supportive."

Fortunate Families is allowed to operate in other dioceses and has not only the blessing but the direct cooperation of Catholic prelates like Abp. Wilton Gregory of Atlanta.

The archdiocese of Detroit has refused to comment to ChurchMilitant.com on the matter, saying, "The archdiocese doesn't talk to Michael Voris or Church Militant."

Have a news tip? Submit news to our tip line.

We rely on you to support our news reporting. Please donate today.