Nella chiesa camminando con le coppie omosessuali, s’apre cammino
Riflessioni di Don Maurizio Mattarelli pubblicata su LetteraEND, bimestrale dell’associazione Équipes Notre-Dame, n.225 dell’ottobre/novembre 2023, pp.50-51
Fin dal suo nascere, 25 anni fa, sono consigliere spirituale dell’Équipe (Notre Dame) Bologna 2: un’esperienza di vita e di fede preziosa, un cammino che quasi coincide con il percorso di vita delle coppie, che accompagno e che mi accompagnano.
Nel 2005 il Vescovo mi chiese di iniziare un percorso per coniugi separati, divorziati e risposati, perché la vita di coppia non è solo gioia, dolore, fatiche e speranze; a volte è anche fallimento, crollo, disperazione, solitudine e povertà spirituale ed economica, ma esiste anche la possibilità di rialzarsi e di vedere oltre la notte.
L’orizzonte si è poi allargato: da una decina di anni ospito in parrocchia il gruppo In cammino, composto da persone omosessuali che fanno un percorso di crescita umana e spirituale. All’interno del gruppo osservai che c’erano alcune coppie di vita e pensai: non sarebbe bello un percorso speciale per loro?
I talked about it with Laura Ricci, psychologist and supervisor, professor of psychology at the theological faculty of Emilia-Romagna and president of the Doceat Association, with which I had already collaborated in the group of separate spouses, shared a psycho-pedagogical course in the seminary and who knew the group on the way.
So we did the proposal to the couples present and the thing started: since 2019 the GROUP COUPLEE ENGLAN. Nine couples are currently part of it, five of which have been civilly joined in this time. In autumn we will welcome three more couples, one of which is straight, who asked to make the way with them.
The common dream is to have a Group simply "of couples", who make church together. What can I say? We started from reality! As Pope Francis recalls, the reality is superior to the idea and the reality is that there are homo -affective couples who love each other and who want to love in the love of the Lord and in the faith of the Gospel, within the Christian community. And that, like all couples, ask to confront, to verify and mature their relationship.
Laura and I put ourselves and we get next to them to share the gifts of each and grow in unity, in fidelity, and also in fertility, because there is fertility even in homo -affective couples.
The suffering due to hostilities, misunderstandings ... sometimes to the real contempt are also shared, which still fall on the homosexual condition today. The fraternal solidarity and the level of intimacy achieved, allow us to live adverse situations with serenity and hope.
As a couple who leads, Laura and I are always amazed at the "freshness of the stubborn" that characterizes the life of these couples and their "obstinacy" in persever in faith, despite the considerable difficulties in being welcomed in the Christian community (as well as in society) , sometimes receiving real waste.
As a priest and shepherd, the words of Jesus resonate me in the mind: “I have other sheep that are not of this sheepfold; I also have to conduct these ". The Lord widens the horizons, always! Faith is for everyone and the love of the Father how the rain drops over everyone.
As Church we are called by God to recognize the signs of the presence of the Spirit in the life of the world and to enhance them and make them grow. The shepherds are "episcopi", that is, supervising, attentive that everyone welcomes themselves as brothers and sisters; that everyone recognized the dignity of God of God; That everyone recognizes the gifts received and can put them at the service of others, so that the Church is a sign and tool of unity of all mankind.
A path, ours, which we are doing with humility, towards the fullness of truth and love.
> Ways for Christian couples LGBT+
