Livorno. The Bishop meets with Arcigay

LIVORNO, BISHOP Simone Giusti met yesterday morning with representatives of Arcigay Livorno at the bishop's residence. "During the stimulating conversation," writes Calogero Cavataio, representative of "Il Faro," "the Bishop demonstrated an unusual openness to issues related to homosexuality, in contrast to the closed-mindedness expressed that same day by Cardinal Paolo Romeo of Palermo, who banned a prayer vigil for victims of homophobia." Arcigay shared with the bishop the concerns of the many gay Catholics in the association, "who feel torn between the desire to live their affections peacefully and the ferocious religious condemnation that still weighs on their lives." The BISHOP, as the Arcigay statement continues, strongly condemned all forms of discrimination. "Monsignor Giusti continued, 'Cavataio' did not express any dogmatic position on the gay community's demands for rights and gay parenting. Instead, he recounted personal experiences and a foster care case, encouraging people to consider this option. The Bishop of Livorno demonstrated a pioneering position with respect to the national reality of the Catholic Church in Italy.".