(ZENIT News / Rome, 16.12.2024).- The Vatican finds itself once again in the eye of the media hurricane, this time for inclusion – and subsequent elimination of an event organized by LGBT associations, in the official calendar of the Jubilee 2025.
This unexpected turn has generated a series of questions that go beyond a simple issue of organization, sparking debates about the tensions between pastoral openness and doctrinal faithfulness.
An Event That Appeared, Disappeared and Might Reappear?
The episode began when Christian LGBT associations, under the auspices of “Jonathan’s Tent,” announced that their pilgrimage had been included in the Jubilee’s official program. However, a few days later, the event disappeared from the calendar published on the event’s official site.
The Vatican’s explanations have not been altogether consistent. Agnese Palmussi, member of the Jubilee’s communication team, assured that the elimination was due to the lack of specific information by the organizers, such as the number of participants and logistical details. Nevertheless, the doubt remains: why was the event approved initially without this information? And, even more important, why was it not left pending rather than eliminating it?
A Debate That Goes Beyond The Logistics
The heart of the controversy doesn’t lie in the logistics, but in the symbolic and theological implications. The problem isn’t that LGBT people take part in the Jubilee events – a fact that doesn’t generate opposition – but that it is included officially in organizations that promote an LGBT identity narrative, which is incompatible with the Church’s traditional teaching on sexuality.
The presence of these associations poses fundamental questions about how the Vatican addresses the questions of sexual identity and orientation within the faith. Is it a gesture of pastoral openness to people that seek to reconcile their faith with their identity? Or is it a concession that could be interpreted as an implicit doctrinal change?
Internal Tensions and Critical Voices
According to sources close to the Vatican, the initial publication of the event unleashed significant tensions within the Curia, which led to its sudden elimination. This incident has highlighted the internal division about how to manage topics related to the LGBT community. For some, the initial inclusion represented a welcome gesture coherent with the spirit of Pope Francis’ pontificate. For others, it was a dangerous concession that diluted the traditional teaching.
What Next?
Although the Vatican has tried to calm the waters, promising a possible reincorporation of the event after receiving the requested details, the debate is far from over. At stake is not only the organization of a calendar, but the more profound question about how the Church addresses the challenges of a changing world without compromising her theological foundations.
