"...Of Grave Depravity": Why Catholics Should NOT Support Pride Month, But Are Still Called to Love

Can Catholics support Pride Month?

Chaldean Catholic Priest Fr. Simon Esshaki of San Diego, Calif. explains in an Instagram post why Catholics cannot support June LGBTQ Pride Month.

He tells followers that Catholics are called to love all people, but we cannot support homosexual actions, as they are contrary to Catholic teaching.

“Christians should not participate in or support Pride Month, and it’s not because we hate men and women with same-sex attraction. It’s because we know that according to the law of nature and the law of God, marriage should be between man and woman.

“The Catholic Church actually teaches that we should all love those with homosexual tendencies, and just because you love someone, doesn’t mean you have to agree with them in every single action that they do.

“To love someone means to want what’s best for them, and it’s not best for someone that they are supported in their sinful actions.

“It could be homosexual actions, it could be any other type of lustful actions, or any other type of sin.

“All sin is bad. We are all sinners and we all struggle. We all need the grace of God to be able to overcome our sins.

“Catholics actually dedicate [the month of June] to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, so instead of conforming to our sinful desires, let us conform to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and try to become like him.

“Pray for all sinners, love them, but do not support their sinful actions.”

Here’s Fr. Simon’s video below:

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I know this will offend some people but I have a duty to teach according to the laws of God and his Church. Here is an excerpt of the official Catholic teaching on this topic: “Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.” They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved. The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.” (CCC 2357-2358)

A post shared by Fr. Simon Esshaki (@father_simon) on Jun 1, 2020 at 10:38am PDT

Click here if you cannot see the video above.

The video’s caption reads, “I know this will offend some people, but I have a duty to teach according to the laws of God and His Church.”

Quoting the Catechism’s teaching, he continues, “Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that ‘homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.’

“They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

“The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial.

“They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.

“These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.” (CCC 2357-2358)

Here’s Fr. Simon’s video below:

Sacred Heart of Jesus, please have mercy on us!