Bolzano. The bishop addresses gays: The Church does not exclude you.

The Centaurus Association met with Monsignor Muser: "The dialogue was positive."«
BOLZANO "Every person deserves respect, and at the same time, all forms of discrimination and violence must be condemned," said Bishop Ivo Muser of the Diocese of Bolzano and Bressanone, who met yesterday with two representatives of the gay association Centaurus. The meeting, held behind closed doors, was an opportunity for discussion and dialogue. "This is a historic moment," explained Martine De Biasi of Centaurus, "that must be remembered. In twenty years of existence, this was the first opportunity to look each other in the eye and have a direct dialogue." This is a first step forward that shouldn't be taken for granted: "We have very different positions," clarifies Andreas Unterkircher, president of Centaurus, "but we already knew this. We didn't expect to quickly overcome years of conflict, but today we can say we are happy with this meeting. We found an open door, and this is already a positive result. We will maintain our different positions, but mutual respect will be guaranteed." A reasonable compromise that neither offends nor discriminates. "The Church," Bishop Muser emphasizes, "does not exclude anyone. This is an issue I would like to make clear to everyone. Each of us is invited to discover the Lord's will for our lives." It's a very delicate situation, there's no denying it, but it doesn't rule out dialogue: "I'm very pleased with this meeting," the bishop continues, "and for my part, the doors to discussion will always be open. There are still issues we need to explore further, but everything has its time. At the root of everything, however, there must be respect." A positive statement, therefore, but one that doesn't obscure the Church's firm stance toward homosexuals: "The relationship between man and woman, Muser continues, must be protected and safeguarded because it is part of the history of creation and God's will. The union must always be seen in terms of reproduction. Any other relationship cannot be endorsed by the Church. Marriages are permitted only between different sexes. Because there are differences, but there must also be respect, not just despite the differences but precisely within the differences." No mention was made of the outcry caused in 2009 by Muser's predecessor, Karl Golser, who had expressed himself in favor of legal regulation for de facto couples, even same-sex ones. "I defend traditional marriage," the bishop concluded, "between a man and a woman, but always with respect for others. No one should feel compelled to justify their choices. We must always be very cautious with judgments. Sometimes we need to stop and think." A positive meeting that leaves room for future discussions. Relations between the Catholic Church and the homosexual movement have never been easy, but there seems to be a sign of openness and willingness to dialogue. "We knew the bishop couldn't divest himself of his robes and his role," concluded Martine De Biasi, "but he didn't slam the door in our faces. We can be satisfied with this first meeting." Valentina Paulmichl