Contrary to conservative propaganda . . . the Vatican is not immovable. It has a long history of changing position to follow new understandings of society and morality. Usury is no longer a sin. Women are no longer considered "the devil's gateway." Railroads are no longer cursed as the work of the devil, and teaching that there is such a doctrine as "freedom of conscience" does not merit censure, as it did for John Courtney Murray in the 1950s: In fact, Vatican II now recognizes "freedom of conscience." Pope John Paul II apologized for the Church's treatment of women and its persecution of Galileo. Sex between husband and a wife is no longer just for procreation but has value in itself.
That history can continue with its position on gays – and the laity has a critical role to play in pushing for these changes. As Cardinal John Henry Newman, the foremost 19th-century Catholic theologian asserted, bishops have at times "failed in their confession of the faith." There can be instances of "misguidance, delusion, hallucination." He said that the body of the faithful has the "instinct for truth."
– Kathleen Kennedy Townsend
"The Case for Gay Acceptance in the Catholic Church"
The Atlantic
March 28, 2012
"The Case for Gay Acceptance in the Catholic Church"
The Atlantic
March 28, 2012
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"An Inspirational and Energy-Filled Event" – Lisa Vanderlinden (Sensus Fidelium, April 2, 2012).
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