Do you feel unlovable or disqualified?

One of the most painful things we can ever experience is being made to feel that we don’t belong. All of us have experienced this sometime in our lives. For example, some people are made to feel different because of their race or ethnic background. All around us we see the damaging effects of racism in society just because of the color of another person’s skin, age (unborn/elderly), or disability (Down Syndrome). We can also be made to feel different because of our job. Other times, people can be made to feel “less than” because they struggle with physical limitations, mental illness or just feeling different from others without knowing why.

Demands for Certainty Are Not Always Reasonable

My last article touched on the official objective teaching of the Catholic Church regarding homosexuality. “The Truth: Catholic Church and LGBTQ+”. I would like to follow-up this topic with an article on the subjective / pastoral approach by sharing an article I received from my good friend, Douglas McManaman, who helps out as a Deacon in a Canadian Parish. Deacon Douglas McManaman is a writer for Lifeissuses.net, a teacher of Catholic sexual ethics to high school students and has written a number of books and many articles. I thank Deacon Doug for granting me permission to post this article. When dealing with homosexuality, I believe that it is necessary to place emphasis on both the Objective and Subjective aspects. To avoid one leads to confusion.