There is now a steadily expanding list of Catholic cardinals and bishops who have expressed some measure of support, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, for some form of civil unions or other legal recognition of same - sex couples. There will be many more who are privately coming around to this way of thinking without speaking up publicly, or who (like Pope Francis), believe that the issue needs more study before taking a position.

One notable exception to the standard cautious and guarded approval, has come from Archbishop Italo Castellani, of Lucca, Italy, who has described diversity as “richness” to which the church must open up (and the context makes clear that he was referring to sexual diversity). Unlike so many of his episcopal colleagues, he has been influenced in his thinking by the findings of science, and spells out the fundamental fact that this diversity is observable in nature.

Early in March, Archbishop Casetellani participated in a round table chat with a group of Italian journalists, moderated by a celebrated Vaticanist, broadcaster Raffaele Luise. Part of the discussion touched on same - sex couples.

The evening concluded with a debate in depth on the matter of homosexuality. Both Luise and the archbishop praise, in substance, the opening of the Church regarding gays and de facto couples. Particularly for Luise, it is necessary on this theme, “a cultural revolution, that contemplates the fact that homosexuality is not a deviancy, but a human attitude, and not just that, considering that almost 500 natural species display homosexuality.” “The new paradigm - says bishop Castellani - is that every diversity is richness. In my life as a parish priest, I saw and lived so many situations [and he describes a few]; and I am convinced that the time has come for Christians to open up to diversity.”

via Lucca in diretta, (English translation at Rorate Caeli).

Another extract from Lucca was published in English translation at Agere per Formulas:

Saying that “if all the flowers were the same, fields would lose their beauty”, the archbishop of Lucca, Italo Castellani, spoke in favor of a cultural revolution on gay acceptance within the Catholic Church.
The Italian archbishop added, «Gay. Well, I must confess, when I use this word it seems that there is an intrinsic judgement yet. I struggle to use it. Therefore, we need a cultural transition, because difference it’s wealth. What matters above all is the dignity of the person. And I wonder why young people consider the church as ‘homophobic’».

Related articles

• QUOTE TO NOTE: Italian Archbishop Calls on Church to Re-Think LGBT Approach (newwaysministryblog.wordpress.com)
• Italian Bishop On Gays: Church Is Called To A Cultural Revolution (ontopmag.com)
• Gay Marriage, Ireland: Archbishop Supports Civil Unions. (queeringthechurch.com)
• Vatican Spokesman Accepts Legal Recognition of Same - Sex Unions. (queeringthechurch.com)
• In India, and Indiana: Bishops’ More Supportive Tone on Gay Issues. (queeringthechurch.com)
• German Bishop Declares Support for Gay Civil Unions, Says Sexual Doctrines Must Change. (queeringthechurch.com)