In an interview with The Hindu, Cardinal Oswald Gracias said he knows "there is still research being done whether it's a matter of choice or matter of orientation and there are two opinions on this matter".

"But I believe maybe people have this orientation that God has given them and for this reason they should not be ostracised from society," the Archbishop of Mumbai said.

He said he supports the repeal of a section of India's penal code that criminalises homosexual acts.

Cardinal Gracias also rejected judgmental language about LGBT people, and said the Church and Indian society should be more welcoming towards them.

"Asian society is very traditional and the Indian society, in particular, is very traditional and resists change. [It] doesn't want to be destabilised perhaps.

"That is why I think sometimes that if society is not ready then maybe we shouldn't push against it as there will be a backlash.

"But on the other hand, a group should not suffer because of that. We have to get these people integrated into society."

He said he recently ordered a priest to tone down his language in speaking publicly on the issue.

"The Church in India and also worldwide has a role to play in forming the mentality of people and the thinking of people," Cardinal Gracias said.

"We should be more welcoming of people from the LGBT community and certainly less judgemental in our approach.

"In fact, we just had a meeting of bishops last month where frankly everybody agreed that we have been speaking a little too harshly about them.

"The Church also has an important role to play in providing [LGBT people with] a sense of security.

"It's not just that they should be tolerated, they should also be accepted. For many of them, through no fault of their own, this is a great suffering."

Cardinal Gracias, who is a member of the Pope's advisory C9 council of cardinals, noted that the Church does not accept gay marriage.

Sources

• The Hindu
• Pink News
• La Stampa
• Image: Church Militant

In his intervention at the synod on the family in Rome last week, Bishop Drennan appealed for mercy for a particular category of people who feel rejection - persons with homosexual tendencies.

"The mercy for which they yearn is not one of pity but of comprehension of the truth of who and how they are," the Palmerston North bishop said.

"Decoupled from the question of same sex marriage which will never be part of the Christian way, the Church's theologians can engage seriously with the voices of science that say sexual orientation is neither a personal choice nor a matter of social conditioning, but rests in the deepest ontological makeup of the individual and thus forms part of the mystery of human nature which is good," he said.

Referencing section 69 of Fides et Ratio, Bishop Drennan said "such a dialogue of theology and science would deepen our understanding of the anthropological cultural context in which we evangelise, and would do much to protect the credibility of the Church, including our claim to be a people of mercy and truth".

Also in his three-minute long speech, Bishop Drennan spoke of people who identify as Catholic in New Zealand, but who don't come to Mass on Sundays.

"Analysis of them indicated clusters: the first marriage of a significant portion had come to grief; some were homosexual; and many simply did not recognise themselves in the language we use to describe marriage and the family."

These groupings featured in responses to the questionnaires of the synod done in New Zealand, Bishop Drennan said.

"They, whom some describe as having drifted from the Church, in fact harbour a yearning to belong but their experience is one of being beyond the Church.

"For them the greatest cause of suffering is rejection - whether perceived or real. That suffering affects the wealthy as well as the poor."

Nonetheless, most people, including the disaffected, indicated positive encounters with New Zealand priests and parish workers, Bishop Drennan said.

"It seems therefore that where renewal is most required is within the framework and language with which our faith is communicated at a public level," he said.

Sources

• NZCBC
• Image: NZ Catholic

Brisbane-based Centacare fired Susan Bunning in 2013 after finding out about her polyamorous lifestyle, and gave her five weeks salary.

The reasons for the dismissal were gross misconduct and bringing the centre into disrepute.

She worked at the centre from 2007 and had been promoted to clinical practice co-ordinator in 2009.

But her contact details as a "poly-friendly" counsellor were discovered on a website for the "Brisbane Poly Group".

This is a site for people interested or involved in alternatives to monogamy.

Polyamory is defined as having multiple sexual relationships or partners at the same time, with the consent of all people involved.

Ms Bunning responded to her dismissal by lodging a complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission.

She asserted she had been discriminated against because of her sexual orientation.

The AHRC dismissed her complaint as "misconceived".

So Ms Bunning took legal action against Centacare, on the grounds of sexual discrimination, as well as alleging there was no valid reason to dismiss her and stating her notice of dismissal was unfair.

In the Federal Circuit Court, Justice Salvatore Vasta dismissed her action on the basis it had no reasonable prospects of success.

He found being polyamorous was "sexual behaviour" and not sexual orientation, which involved something far more than how one behaved sexually.

"Sexual orientation is how one is, rather than how one manifests that state of being," Justice Vasta said.

He rejected the woman's argument that "sexual behaviour" was a subset of sexually orientation, saying it could lead to absurd results.

"If the contention of the applicant were correct, many people whose sexual activity might label them as sado-masochists, coprophiliacs or urophiliacs could claim that such is more than mere behaviour; it is in fact their very sexual orientation," Justice Vasta said.

"If the contention were correct, then the illegal activities of paedophilia and necrophilia may have the protection of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984."

Judge Vasta said Ms Bunning would have to take her common law claim over alleged unreasonable notice of dismissal to the District or Magistrates Court.

Sources

• Sydney Morning Herald
• Daily Mail
• Courier Mail
• Image: Gallery Hip

The relatio post disceptationem is a summary of the discussions held at the synod so far.

It was read out in the presence of Pope Francis and the synod delegates on Monday morning.

It stated the Church should challenge itself to find a "fraternal space" for homosexuals without compromising Catholic doctrine on family and marriage.

The document also noted that gay Catholics' orientation should be valued and that they have "gifts and qualities" to offer parishes.

While there are "moral problems" with homosexual unions, "there are cases in which mutual aid to the point of sacrifice constitutes a precious support in the life of the partners".

But the text noted that same-sex marriage cannot be considered to be on the same footing as marriage between a man and a woman.

Senior Vatican commentator John Thavis called the document "an earthquake" in the Church's attitude towards gay people.

"The document clearly reflects Pope Francis' desire to adopt a more merciful pastoral approach on marriage and family issues," he said.

The text called for the Church to recognise the "seeds of the Word that have spread beyond its visible and sacramental boundaries" to cohabiting couples, civil marriages and to Catholics who are divorced and remarried.

It acknowledged disagreements between synod members over Communion for divorced and civilly remarried people and called for greater study of the issue.

Through the rest of this week the synod members are to meet in small groups, divided by language, to discuss and edit this document with a view to creating a final document for the synod for submission to Francis.

That final document is expected to be released to the public and to be used as a type of blue-print for another synod in 2015, which will deliver a final report to the Pope.

Pope Francis made several last minute appointments to the group that prepared the half-way document.

Sources

• Text of Relatio document
• Huffington Post
• The Tablet
• National Catholic Reporter
• Image: Vatican News

A study found that, while gay men shared similar genetic make-up, it only accounted for 40 per cent of the chance of a man being homosexual.

But scientists say it could still be possible to develop a test to find out if a baby was more likely to be gay.

In the most comprehensive study of its kind, Dr Michael Bailey, of Northwestern University in the United States, has been studying 400 sets of twins to determine if some men are genetically predisposed to being gay.

The study found that gay men shared genetic signatures on part of the X-chromosome - Xq28.

Dr Bailey told The Telegraph: "Sexual orientation has nothing to do with choice."

"Our findings suggest there may be genes at play - we found evidence for two sets that affect whether a man is gay or straight.

"But it is not completely determinative; there are certainly other environmental factors involved.

"Although this could one day lead to a pre-natal test for male sexual orientation, it would not be very accurate, as there are other factors that can influence the outcome."

Dr Alan Sanders, associate Professor of Psychiatry at Northwestern University, who led the study said that it was it was an "oversimplification" to suggest there was a "gay gene".

"We don't think genetics is the whole story. It's not. We have a gene that contributes to homosexuality but you could say it is linked to heterosexuality. It is the variation."

No similar genes have been discovered which influence female homosexuality.

Dr Bailey said environmental factors were likely to have the biggest impact on homosexuality.

Meanwhile, more than 350 people attended a US conference on supporting people with same-sex attraction who want to live according to Catholic teaching, as well as those close to them.

The Courage/EnCourage Conference 2014 in Philadelphia last month had as its theme "Move beyond the confines of the homosexual label to a more complete identity in Christ".

Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia, who celebrated the opening liturgy, spoke of the challenge of doing what is right even when we know it is difficult to do it.

Sources

• The Telegraph
• Catholic Philly
• Image: MD Salaries