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Er zijn vragen betreffende het lichaam, de affectiviteit en de seksualiteit die een meer diepgaande antropologische, theologische en pastorale uitwerking nodig hebben, uit te voeren in de meest geschikte modaliteiten en niveaus, van lokaal tot universeel. Hiervan komen met name die naar voren die verband houden met het verschil en de harmonie tussen mannelijke en vrouwelijke identiteit en seksuele neigingen. In dit opzicht bevestigt de synode opnieuw dat God van elke persoon houdt en dat geldt ook voor de Kerk en hernieuwt haar toewijding tegen elke vorm van discriminatie en geweld op basis van seksualiteit. Evenzeer herbevestigt het de bepalende antropologische relevantie van het verschil en de wederkerigheid tussen man en vrouw en beschouwt het als reductief om de identiteit van mensen alleen te definiëren vanuit de “seksuele oriëntatie” Congregatie voor de Geloofsleer, Brief aan de bisschoppen van de katholieke Kerk over de pastorale zorg voor homoseksuelen, Homosexualitatis problema (1 okt 1986), 16 In veel christelijke gemeenschappen bestaan er al wegen van begeleiding in het geloof van homoseksuele mensen. De synode beveelt aan om dergelijke wegen aan te moedigen. Op deze wegen worden mensen geholpen om hun eigen geschiedenis te lezen; om zich vrij en verantwoordelijk te houden aan hun eigen dooproeping; om het verlangen te herkennen om bij te dragen aan het leven van de gemeenschap; om de beste manieren te onderscheiden om dit te bereiken. Op die manier helpen we iedere jongere, niemand uitgezonderd, om de seksuele dimensie meer en meer te integreren in hun persoonlijkheid, door te groeien in de kwaliteit van relaties en door te lopen naar de gave van het zelf.

178 placet, 65 non placet

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Within the synodality section, paragraph 150 — the most unpopular passage with 65 synod fathers voting against it — is being criticized for vague language that can be interpreted in a variety of ways. Although more problematic elements of the paragraph were removed from the draft (e.g. three references to sexual orientation — a  term never used before in Church documents — were replaced by just one, in quotation marks), it still speaks of sexuality requiring “a deeper anthropological, theological and pastoral elaboration” in multiple but “appropriate ways.” As mentioned earlier in the week, the German-language group has been trying to introduce similar terms to replace the loaded acronym “LGBT’” used by the homosexual lobby, but with the same end in mind: softening the Church’s teaching on homosexuality. Archbishop Chaput said this need for “deepening” or “developing” our understanding of anthropological issues is one of the most “subtle and concerning” problems in the text. “Obviously we can, and should, always bring more prayer and reflection to complicated human issues,” he said, but added that the Church “already has a clear, rich, and articulate Christian anthropology. It’s unhelpful to create doubt or ambiguity around issues of human identity, purpose, and sexuality, unless one is setting the stage to change what the Church believes and teaches about all three, starting with sexuality.”

A further concern is that the paragraph also speaks of a Church commitment “against all discrimination and violence on a sexual basis,” words at variance with no. Catechismus-Compendium
Catechismus van de Katholieke Kerk
(15 augustus 1997) of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which opposes “unjust discrimination” in this regard, not “all discrimination.” Some are now wondering if, for example, it might now no longer be possible to dismiss someone from a Catholic institution if they perpetrate acts opposed to Church teaching in this area. Informed sources close to the process have told the Register that “many proposed and requested” an amendment to ensure it would say “unjust discrimination” but this was ignored.

Some synod fathers, probably mostly from Africa, managed to insert a reference to a 1986 letter to bishops from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, which reasserts the Church’s pastoral teaching on the issue of homosexuality. But paragraph 150 goes on to speak of encouraging the accompaniment “in the faith of homosexual people,” remaining unclear how that should be carried out (it could be in the controversial manner of Jesuit Father James Martin who appears to wish to normalize homosexual practice in the Church, or the Courage apostolate that counsels men and women with same-sex attractions to live chaste lives in “fellowship, truth and love”). The paragraph makes no explicit mention of chastity. Despite this, sources say the paragraph is much better than it could have been: “Kudos to those synod fathers who successfully worked to get the worst parts out,” said a source close to the process. (See a translation of the full text of no. 150 below, and its draft version).

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