Vatican Changes Tone About Gays, Divorcees

In a dramatic shift in tone, a Vatican document said on Monday
that homosexuals had “gifts and qualities to offer” and asked if
Catholicism could accept gays and recognize positive aspects of
same-sex couples.

The document, prepared after a week of discussions at an
assembly of 200 bishops on the family, said the Church should
challenge itself to find “a fraternal space” for homosexuals
without compromising Catholic doctrine on family and matrimony.

While the text did not signal any change in the Church’s
condemnation of homosexual acts or its opposition to gay marriage,
it used language that was less judgmental and more compassionate
than past Vatican statements under previous popes.