Catholic conference hears appeal for Church to welcome gay people

At the first major speech on the issue at the World Meeting of Families, which is organized by the Vatican every three years and is being held in Dublin this year, U.S. Jesuit priest James Martin told delegates that excluding lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Catholics violated the teachings of Jesus Christ. "By excluding LGBT Catholics, you are breaking up God's family," he added. The Church teaches that homosexual tendencies are not sinful but homosexual acts are, and that homosexuals should try to be chaste.