Archbishop Joseph Tobin The Archbishop of Newark has said that the language used by the Catechism of the Catholic Church to describe homosexual acts is “very unfortunate”, adding that he hopes the Catechism will use different language in its discussion of homosexuality.
“The Church, I think, is having its own conversation about what our faith has us do and say with people in relationships that are same-sex. What should be without debate is that we are called to welcome them,” Cardinal Joseph Tobin said on April 17, during an interview with NBC’s Anne Thompson on the Today Show.
“But how can you welcome people that you call ‘intrinsically disordered?’” Thompson asked.
“Well I don’t call them ‘intrinsically disordered’,” Cardinal Tobin answered.
“But isn’t that the Catechism of the Catholic Church?” Ms Thompson asked.
“That is,” the cardinal said, adding “it’s very unfortunate language. Let’s hope that eventually that language is a little less hurtful.”
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered”, a phrase it also uses to describe other sexual acts taught by the Church to be immoral.
Disordered
The Catechism does not describe homosexual persons themselves as “intrinsically disordered,” though it does say that homosexual inclination, along with other inclination toward sexual sin, is “objectively disordered”.
Cardinal Tobin endorsed a 2017 book, Building a Bridge, by Fr James Martin SJ which has also called for the Church to amend the language with which it discusses homosexuality.