How can you show your child that you love them, even though you may disagree with their lifestyle choices?
Patrick Madrid tackled a heartfelt and challenging issue: how to love and guide a son in a homosexual relationship within the framework of Catholic teaching. Here’s the summary of the conversation:
Caller Al from Delaware: “Good morning, Patrick. My son is gay and married. I love him unconditionally. I want to understand how to reconcile the Church’s teachings on love, compassion, and being a welcoming community.
Unconditional Love: Patrick shared his perspective on unconditional love. Loving unconditionally means loving one’s children for who they are and guiding them towards truth, even when it’s difficult. True love involves speaking the truth, especially when it concerns their eternal destiny.
Church’s Stance: Patrick emphasized that the Church teaches that homosexual acts are sinful. Loving someone unconditionally doesn’t mean condoning their actions if those actions are harmful to their spiritual well-being.
Pastoral Care: Al mentioned the Catechism’s call for respect and sensitivity towards homosexual persons. Patrick agreed, stressing that welcoming and loving someone doesn’t mean ignoring the truths of the faith. Authentic pastoral care involves guiding individuals towards a life aligned with God’s plan, even if it involves difficult conversations about sin.
Analogy with Alcoholism: Patrick used the analogy of alcoholism to illustrate his point. If Al’s son were an alcoholic, he would undoubtedly try to help him stop, despite the son’s insistence that drinking made him happy. Similarly, guiding a son living a homosexual lifestyle involves encouraging him to live in accordance with God’s teachings, out of love and concern for his eternal happiness.
Conclusion: Patrick urged Al to continue loving his son but also to speak the truth in love. Enabling a sinful lifestyle, even out of a desire to be supportive, isn’t truly loving. True love, as taught by the Church, involves leading others to live a life that brings them closer to God.
🙏 Key Takeaways:
- Unconditional love includes guiding loved ones towards truth.
- Church teaching on homosexuality remains unchanged: homosexual acts are sinful.
- Pastoral care involves both love and truth, guiding individuals towards God’s plan for their lives.
- True support is not enabling sin but leading loved ones towards eternal happiness.
You are not alone as a parent if you’re navigating these difficult waters. Ask Christ to give you the grace to always speak truth with charity.
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