Posted September 12, 2012 Book: Catholic Teaching on Homosexuality: New Paths to Understanding Author: Louis J. Cameli Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, IN. 2012, pp. 171 An Excerpt from the Jacket: Is the sexuality of homosexuality inclined persons a blessing or a curse? Does it lead a person to God or away from God? Can a homosexual person be a good Catholic? With humility and pastoral sensitivity, Rev. Louis Cameli offers hope to the many who feel alienated from the Church because of these questions. Taking his cue from Pope Benedict's call to "express the teaching pastorally, theologically, and intellectually in the context of today's studies of sexuality and anthropology," Cameli provides a deeper understanding of the Church's theological language and stresses that while the Church is a teacher; it must also be a learner. He presents the Catholic Church's teaching on homosexuality with insight, new possibilities for spiritual care, and a vision for greater hospitality within the Church. An Excerpt from the book: So then, where do all the misunderstandings, divisions, and rancor come from in these questions of sexuality? It is a good question, although not necessarily a fully answerable one. Some credit for the divisions and lack of loving connection must be attributed to the evil one who is named the diabolos in the Sacred Scripture. The word diabolos refers to the action of splitting and dividing people from each other and from God. There is also, I believe, another important element in play. Much of the ferment surrounding human sexuality in the Church and in society has to do with a process of doctrinal development. Every epoch in the history of the Church has faced a particular challenge in trying to understand the revelation of God in Jesus Christ and its implications. In the early centuries of the Church, this challenge had to do with coming to terms with an understanding in faith of who God is for us and who is Jesus Christ. For the last five hundred years, beginning with the Protestant Reformation and the Council of Trent, there has been a double and connected process of doctrinal development. The Church has come to a greater and more explicit self-awareness of who she is as Church. And, at the same time, the Church has grappled with a faith understanding of the human person, technically identified as theological anthropology. Table of Contents: 1. Conflicting voices: ethical and moral considerations 2. Understanding sexuality and homosexuality: a spiritual context 3. A common grounding of human sexuality in the Christian tradition 4. Christian spirituality, theological anthropology, and a fundamental understanding of human sexuality 5. The sexuality of homosexuality inclined persons: blessing or curse? 6. Homosexuality and sexual morality 7. Homosexuality inclined persons authentically living out their sexuality 8. Gay identity and Christian identity 9. Catholics living in a pluralistic society 10. The care of young people 11. Same-sex inclinations and vocations to the priesthood Conclusion: To be at home in a prophetic and loving Church