Tuckahoe NY Pride

The Reverend Father John J. McNeill was an American Jesuit priest and pioneering theologian on homosexuality and Christianity. Trained in philosophy and psychology, he served as a chaplain and counselor and became a prominent voice arguing that same‑sex orientation is compatible with faithful Catholic life. His 1976 book The Church and the Homosexual challenged prevailing church teaching and helped catalyze pastoral support for LGBTQ+ Catholics. After years of conflict with Vatican authorities, he was dismissed from the Jesuits in 1987 for refusing to stop public advocacy. He emphasized conscience, compassion, and scholarship.

From “Homosexuality: Challenging the Church to Grow”
Always and everywhere a certain percentage of men and women develop as homosexuals or lesbians. They should be considered as part of God’s creative plan. Their sexual orientation has no necessary connection with sin, sickness or failure; rather, it is a gift from God to be accepted and lived out with gratitude. God does not despise anything that God has created.