They are meeting to seize a rare opportunity to change the Catholic Church's stance on homosexuality, but also to deepen bonds of friendship and the faith they share.
Representatives of Catholic homosexual associations from various countries have been meeting since Monday at a congress in Portimão, where, in addition to founding a world organization that represents them all, they want to produce a document to be sent to the extraordinary assembly of the Synod of Bishops dedicated to family matters, which is taking place at the Vatican.
"The time we chose to hold this congress and create the world organization is linked to the openness shown by Pope Francis and the holding of the Synod in Rome," he told the Sul Informação José Leote, national coordinator of the Portuguese Catholic homosexuals association Rumos Novos, which organizes the congress.
“Pope Francis' opening has been important because it allows us to look at these issues with a broader view. The holding of the Synod is equally important, because two issues that concern us will be on the table, what the Church calls the difficult pastoral situations, which are the relationships between people of the same sex united by de facto union and the pastoral treatment to be given to the children of same-sex couples».
José Leote: “It is enough for Catholics to gather in the same space, so that it is more a retreat or fraternal meeting than a congress”
This turns out to be the first opportunity to debate and, eventually, change the official position of the Church in relation to Catholic homosexuals. “For the first time, the Church is formally addressing these issues. The last Synod of Bishops on the family was 34 years ago, when the Pope was still John Paul II and this subject was never discussed», illustrated José Leote.
In order for the contribution to be as broad as possible, associations of Catholic homosexuals from around the world were called to participate in this congress. Not all of them were able to come to Portimão, but they will not fail to make their contribution.
“Here, we have 15 representatives who come from Portugal, Spain and the United States. Afterwards, we will have interventions via Skype from associations in Mexico, Peru, Costa Rica, Brazil, Argentina and France. In all, there will be 40 people involved in this initiative», he said.
A congress that is also "a fraternal meeting"
The event that Catholic homosexuals are promoting in Portimão is, for all intents and purposes, a congress, but the religious component is still very present.
“It is enough for Catholics to gather in the same space, for it to be more of a retreat or fraternal meeting than a congress. We have already met from other meetings and these meetings serve to cement the spirit of unity and friendship between people,” said José Leote. During the congress, there is also no lack of moments of prayer.
Rumos Novos was created in 2008 and currently has delegations, or chapters, in Portimão, Lisbon and Porto. “We usually work with an average of 10 to 12 people at each meeting. (…) In addition, we have a list of contacts and people who collaborate with us, with more than 200 elements», he revealed.
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