In his address to the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Wesminster made some important more general points, which are of particular relevance to gay men and lesbians. First of these, which he correctly states is drawn directly from standard Catholic moral teaching, concerned the importance of human sexuality:

Human sexuality is a strong and vital component of our humanity and of each person’s nature. The exercise of that sexuality, in sexual relations, is something that touches the deepest aspect of our identity and personhood. A fundamental aspect of the Church’s teaching about sex is that sexual acts must always take place within the context of authentic freedom. This is because, properly understood, human sexuality has the capacity to unite two people, body and spirit, at the deepest level, in a completeness of self-giving that has within it the call to a permanent commitment between them and which, of its nature is open towards the creation of new human life. What is most relevant in this teaching for us today is that there is no place in sexual relations for brutality, aggression or any kind of de-humanisation of a person.

This is just a restatement of some important but often neglected lines in the Catholic Catechism:


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2332 Sexuality affects all aspects of the human person in the unity of his body and soul. It especially concerns affectivity, the capacity to love and to procreate, and in a more general way the aptitude for forming bonds of communion with others.

2333 Everyone, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity. Physical, moral, and spiritual difference and complementarity are oriented toward the goods of marriage and the flourishing of family life. The harmony of the couple and of society depends in part on the way in which the complementarity, needs, and mutual support between the sexes are lived out.

Both Nichols’ statement and the Catechism lines make reference to procreation - but in both cases these are passing references only. The more fundamental, stronger parts of both texts apply to all people, of any orientation. These are:

The fundamental importance of human sexuality.

Nichols describes it as a strong and vital component, the CC says it affects all aspects of the human person, in body and soul. This will surprise no one - it’s central to Freudian psychology and much of human literature, and a simple fact of human experience for most adults. The only possible surprise (for some people), is that this is so frankly acknowledged by the Catholic Church. Gay and lesbian Catholics need to understand and embrace this element of Church teaching.

The need to accept our sexual identity.

Nichols notes that the exercise of that sexuality touhes the deepest aspect of our identity and personhood. The Catechism makes the point directly: “Everyone, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity.” That “Everyone” must assuredly include everyone whose sexual identity includes a same - sex affectional orientation. We too, are encouraged by the Catechism to acknowledge and accept who we are - without apology to anyone.

The importance of relationships

Nichols stresses that “human sexuality has the capacity to unite two people, body and spirit, at the deepest level, in a completeness of self-giving that has within it the call to a permanent commitment between them”. This is usually described as the “unitive” value of marriage, alongside the procreative value, which he also refers to: but the emphasis is on the unitive value.

The Catechism formulation states “The harmony of the couple and of society depends in part on the way in which the complementarity, needs, and mutual support between the sexes are lived out”. There is an assumption that the “complementarity” referred to is that of biological sex, but there are in fact other forms of complementarity in relationships, and the mutual support offered to each other by the spouses undoubtedly contributes to the harmony of both the couple, and of society - just as much as for different sex couples.

This inherent contradiction between the Church’s insistence on the importance of embracing our sexuality, and the value of expressing it in loving, committed relationships while denying it to people with an affectional orientation to the same sex, is one which the Church will sooner or later have to resolve.

Violence has not place in healthy sexuality

The central point of Cardinal Nichols’ text, especially in the context of the gathering on sexual violence in conflict he was addressing, he described as :

What is most relevant in this teaching for us today is that there is no place in sexual relations for brutality, aggression or any kind of de-humanisation of a person.

This rejection of sexual violence, the central point of discussion in the summit on its continuing prevalence in conflict, is usually taken for granted in times and areas of peace. Rape, date rape, and sexual abuse of minors are all widely condemned and prohibited by law in most modern societies, attracting severe criminal penalties.

For gay men, however, this is much more than a statement of the obvious. Taken together with the Cardinal’s introductory observation that sexual violence in conflict affects men as well as women, this has profound implications for our understanding of the Biblical clobber texts which are so often quoted against us. Why this is so, I leave for a companion post, later.

Related articles

• London Bishops Condemn 1999 Gay Pub Bombing.
• Two Popes and a Cardinal, on the Problems With Celibacy.
• Robinson 1: Hetero/Homo, Catholic Sexual Teaching Stands (Or Falls) Together
• Pope Francis, on Why and How the Church Must Change
• Relationships, Not Acts: An Emerging Catholic Orthodoxy?

• British Bishops Write Positively on Gender Transition and Civil Unions (newwaysministryblog.wordpress.com)
• British Cardinal Offers New Perspective on Context of Sexuality (newwaysministryblog.wordpress.com)
• Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War: Church Leaders Speak. (christianityandsexuality.org)