Spain: Government and bishops clash over “conversion therapies” and homosexual communion

The Minister of Equality of Spain, Ana Redondo, and the president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, Mons. Luis Argüello, held a one hour and 20 minute meeting this Wednesday in the midst of the controversy over alleged “conversion therapies” in Spanish dioceses .

The meeting took place after the Ministry of Equality opened an investigation into seven dioceses accused of carrying out these practices. While the Government is considering classifying them as a crime, the Church defended its right to offer pastoral accompaniment and proclaim the Gospel.

It was the socialist leader who requested the meeting as a result of the controversy aroused by the decision of a parish priest from the Diocese of Segovia to deny access to communion to the mayor of Torrecaballeros, who was openly homosexual, for living “according to the matrimonial mode” with another man

The minister expressed last Friday that these types of decisions should be declared unconstitutional and that the regulations in this regard should be interpreted in light of the Magna Carta.

In addition, it was learned that this Ministry is investigating seven Spanish dioceses accused of carrying out and promoting so-called “conversion therapies” for people with same-sex attraction.

After the meeting, Bishop Argüello explained in a video that has transferred “the vision of the Church regarding the so-called ‘conversion therapies’, a term that seems imprecise to us, perhaps excessively broad and unscientific, which is why the Church has no support to give to these therapies.”

Additionally, the prelate explained that during the meeting they expressed concern about the current definition of “conversion therapies.” According to Bishop Argüello, affirmative therapies, which are predominant and supported by current legislation, tend to classify as “conversion therapy” any approach that is not affirmative.

The Church requested that this criterion be reconsidered, arguing that it is too broad and could limit other forms of pastoral accompaniment.

The president of the EEC also defended that the mission of the Catholic Church is “to announce the Gospel and propose conversion to Jesus Christ… and the way of life of the Gospel.”

At the same time, a note distributed by the EEC reported that Bishop Argüello defended the Transformados project, whose activities gave rise to investigations in several dioceses: “According to the people who carry it out, it invites conversion to Christ and the proposal of life that arises from the Gospel and is offered to all people.”

Regarding the liturgical and pastoral criteria for Communion, Bishop Arguello conveyed to the Spanish government that the Catholic Church “proposes to all its faithful that they approach Eucharistic Communion as healthy food and medicine for all dimensions of their life, but “They have to do it with the right dress.”

“They have to do it in what we call the grace of God. When this is not the case, and even appears in a positive way, and that may cause a certain scandal for the Christian community, the Church has the right, the duty, to remember what the conditions are for receiving Eucharistic communion,” he added.

For his part, the Ministry of Equality said after the meeting who conveyed to the bishops “his rejection of conversion therapies, which are being applied in several Spanish dioceses” and announced that he is working “on a report to consider modifying the Penal Code and converting them into a crime.”

In addition, the minister reiterated to Bishop Argüello during her interview “the Ministry of Equality’s rejection that the Church is denying communion to homosexual people who have married,” which in her opinion constitutes a “discriminatory act.”