Washington D.C., May 26, 2013 / 11:04 am
Responding to the Boy Scouts' decision to allow openly gay members, U.S. Catholic Scouting groups called for loving respect towards all people, while reiterating the need to proclaim Church teaching on sexuality.
"The Catholic Church teaches that people who experience a homosexual inclination or a same sex attraction are to be treated with respect recognizing the dignity of all persons," said the National Catholic Committee on Scouting in a May 23 statement.
"The Church's teaching is clear that engaging in sexual activity outside of marriage is immoral," the organization continued. "Individuals who are open and avowed homosexuals promoting and engaging in homosexual conduct are not living lives consistent with Catholic teaching."
On May 23, the Boy Scouts of America announced that, following a reassessment of its membership policies, it had decided to "remove the restriction denying membership to youth on the basis of sexual orientation alone."