English bishops praised for challenging 'bigoted' Vatican over homosexuality

By Damian Thompson
Dec 1, 2008

The gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has praised the "liberal" Catholic bishops of England and Wales for challenging the "outdated, bigoted" attitude of the Vatican towards homosexuality.

Speaking on behalf of OutRage!, the hardline lobby group that in the past has adopted the appalling tactic of disrupting Masses, Tatchell strongly welcomes a Bishops' Conference leaflet that urges the faithful to use the bidding prayers "to express appreciation for the gifts that homosexual Catholics bring to their faith community".

Personally, I can't think of anything worse than being patronised from the lectern by someone reading out a bit of politically correct doggerel from Eccleston Square. Still, I'm sure some gay activists linked to the Bishops' Conference will be delighted by his endorsement. the rest