LGBTI advocate takes campaign to Vatican
Dr Leo Raznovich presents research at the Vatican (CLICK TO ENLARGE)
(CNS): Dr Leo Raznovich, a former professor at the Truman Bodden Law School who has been a leading voice for LGBTI rights here in the Cayman Islands and around the world, took the campaign to the Vatican last week. In the historic and significant audience with a high-ranking cardinal and other church officials, Raznovich was one of a delegation of advocates to Rome that managed to secure face time with Cardinal Pietro Parolin to discuss the end of LGBTI criminalisation laws and conversion therapy in the Caribbean region.
The group of lawyers, politicians and activists met directly with Cardinal Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, and presented him with the latest research on anti-LGBTI criminalisation laws that will be published next year by the Inter-American Institute for Human Rights.
Speaking about the historic moment and rare opportunity as the Vatican welcomed LGBTI campaigners Raznovich said, “We hope this will mark the beginning of a constructive dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church.”
He explained that the aim was to get the Catholic Church to accept that human dignity implies the respect of every person as created by God and to call on the international community to recognise that criminalisation of homosexuality and consented intimate acts between adults is an intolerable affront to human dignity.
The advocates are hoping that declarations from the Vatican that no one should suffer penal sanctions, executions, arrest or detention, or discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity will go a long way to shaping change.
Raznovich, who is the Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Intersectional Centre for Inclusion and Social Justice and the coordinator of the research, presented the findings following speeches by Baroness Kennedy and Michael Kirby on behalf of the International Bar Association and its Human Rights Institute.
Even though they did not meet with Pope Francis, the pontiff was said to have had a role in arranging the meeting and has signalled his willingness to support the removal of sanctions against the LGBTI community.
Raznovich said that the Pope had intervened in Belize when the local Catholic Church had challenged a decision by the Supreme Court there that the law criminalising homosexuality was unconstitutional, and as a result the Church withdrew its appeal.
Category: Europe, World News
The Church cannot be bullied into changing her doctrine.
https://catholicherald.co.uk/news/2019/04/12/cardinal-woelki-the-church-cannot-be-bullied-into-changing-her-doctrine/
Let this be proof that gay marriage has NOTHING to do with human rights or oppression, but ALL to do with forcing the church to view homosexuality and a moral equivalent to heterosexuality, and by legal force if necessary.
Look no further, that’s what these godless leftists are ultimately after. The destruction of traditional family values. They are evil.
I see…because the catholic church is a beacon of morality…and I guess there aren’t any gay people on the right because you’re all perfect.
This move doesn’t surprise much, it shows the lengths that will be travelled to achieve the overall desired results in increments over-time leading to the planned agenda. It has been said repeatedly by those with the Atheistic mindset that their belief in God is nil because his existence is questionable and can’t be proven scientifically.
After scoffing in many ways at the Religious Faithful who practice Tolerance, there they are begging based on Human Rights for recognition and acceptance and asking the Catholic Church to turn a blind eye while they participate in a practice that fly’s in the face of Religious Teachings and Doctrine. It won’t be surprising if one of the many subsequent attempted steps to follow is to dictate to the Vatican as well as other religious groups how to interpret scripture. The Vatican is not a Court of Law and will never be.
I am left to wonder how this type of presentation could have been arranged and approved in the first place. This move is so Audacious and Blatant after all the anti-religious rants and the sacrilege attacks against the Catholic Church and the Clergy which many are sure of are exaggerated accusations and not widespread as claimed. I am not condoning any actions the Catholic Clergy are accused of, but it has been proven that the same actions are very normal, widespread and practiced amongst the accusers themselves. Maybe this is an attempt to soften the position and stance of the highest Church on earth in order to legitimize themselves.
I am not an advocate for ‘criminalizing homosexuality’ but the Pope should not have intervened and prevented the Catholic Church from appealing the decision by the Supreme Court in Belize, especially with all the negativity hurled at the Catholic Church, and I must insist to the Catholic Church that is not advisable to take a hands-off approach in these matters. The reinforcement of religious practices and teachings is a must considering the many attempts with various methods to cause major-shifts against religion to place globally.
I agree! The Catholic church doesn’t have time for this, there are too many alter boys running around untouched…
Looking at the history of the catholic church, it would make a perfect platform for him to lobby for something as controversial and divisive as global acceptance of homosexuality.
Why would anyone care what the Catholic Church thinks or has to say about anything regarding gender or sexuality issues?
Doubt it, Leo. Have you not been keeping up with the Catholic Church in the news?
The catholic church has lost all respect in the world. Every year something scandalous is coming out about their abuse to little boys.
to discuss the end of LGBTI criminalisation laws and conversion therapy in the Caribbean region.
What is the conversion therapy?
the Pope has no business in this fight and if he is a godly man he won’t.
The amount of animals that are poached in Africa for their hydes, tusks, meat, etc. Children around the world sick, hungry, homeless, parent less, etc. suffering and loss in torn war regions, etc. Young girls being raped and mutallated, etc. The point I’m getting at, the world is not perfect and there’s a lot going on in the world that your expertise and efforts would be more welcoming than your personal plight to change each country’s laws on homosexuality. If you believe you can, then power to you. First place you should convert would be Lebanon or Iraq and if successful, then I say you have the world at your feet. Bullying a small country like Cayman is only a dot in the small scheme of things when compared to the world. Just saying.
Ugh. People like you are so annoying. I had a lady get made at me for raising money for for animals when there are starving kids here. There are just some people that would rather bitch then go and do the work themselves. I chose what I deemed more important and others can too. Everyone needs to help change the world in their own way and be less judgey.
Don’t understand. This has nothing to do with Cayman. It’s about the countries that still criminalise it’s not about advanced countries like Cayman that have achieved same-sex marriage! Also, let’s be fair, one person can’t fight for all ills in this world. Perhaps you should have a go at those other very important issues. I look forward to reading about your huge successes in the press.
The bizarrely influential Wesleyan Pietism and Restorationist Movements have no linkage to the Catholic Tradition, the Pope, or little semblance to the Apostle’s New Testament version of Christianity. Their faith gives abnormal and selective emphasis on the first five books of the Old Testament (the Pentateuch), which pre-dates even JC Earthly life, His Good News, His sacrifice, and everything he stood for, by thousands of years. That’s the brand of irrationality that we are dealing with here. I’m not even sure how it can be called Christianity. It’s a longstanding export from Anderson Indiana, not the Vatican or UK.
Sorry, but there is indeed a critical linkage. It’s called the Bible, which blatantly condemns homosexuality. If all versions of Christianity are based in some way on the Bible then there will always be potential problems regarding gay people. Things like this are difficult to overcome when the mad ramblings of a particular handful of Iron Age people — ignorant of so much given their placement in history — are considered a credible source of moral behavior in the 21st-century.
#blessed
What are you on about?
Yes the Pope need to get his house in order but at least you have to hand it to Leo for trying because at the end of the day the brainwashing continues and maybe just maybe the sheep will follow the Pope’s teachings since he has JC like status.
The Pope has more problems at the Vatican and around the world than he can handle. What with half the priesthood being paedophiles and gay men themselves, they really should stay out of this fight. You know, ‘he who is without sin” etc. they have run out of stones to throw.
yes I think the Pope has too much to get in order to think about us now please find somebody else!
And after that, maybe he can take it to the Sultan of Brunei or Saudi Arabia.
LOL! Brilliant!
Yeah, tell him to take it there…
Luv it … Perfect response!
This is incredible! So Proud of Mr. Raznovich!!!!!
So…appeal to the most prolific child sex abuse global network the world has ever seen to “discuss the end of LGBTI criminalisation laws and conversion therapy in the Caribbean region”?
Alrighty then.
– Whodatis
*Pardon us if we don’t place as much faith in the entity that originally blessed the ships of unholy inhumanity laden with our forefathers and foremothers as livestock cargo (e.g. The Good Ship Jesus) as you do in your quest for equality and grace.
However, apparently said ships were indeed blessed, as the proceeds therefrom (and accompanying mischievous economic activity) rose European nations, including the Vatican, to the top of the world in terms of bloody wealth and deathly power over the next 350 years.
**Anyway Leo, while over there, see if you can’t get them to modify the prerequisites of Priesthood which essentially reads as the dream job description for pedophiles.
Thanx mate. Good luck.
Thanks Whodatis! What a crowd to take his cause to🤣 An organization laden with sexual deviants & pedos!
I guess his law profession kept his eyes closed to that blatant fact!
I can’t believe it! Whodatis has posted a comment I actually agree with. The Vatican is still decades away from purging the legacy of the cover up of some of the worst child abuse in recent history.
One of the issues the gay community already struggles with is a widespread belief that most gay men are also paedos. An unholy (couldn’t resist that) alliance with an organisation best known for major scandals involving this kind of conduct is hardly the smartest move on this planet.
Wow. Very impressed Leo. This is really fantastic.
What does the pope has to do with this issue however on second thought perhaps more than I first thought. If the pope has any time after cleaning his own house then maybe he will come down here and chastise the people here who does not agree. As the saying goes do not let a fox guard the hen house!
You need to focus on learning English grammar. How do you not know when to use punctuation marks, or the difference between have and has, or do and does? Give me a break!
I try hard to give those with grammar difficulties the benefit of doubt and try to understand what they are trying to say. Their difficulties should highlight the poor education in Cayman but more importantly, it also shows that Caymanians don’t give 2 sh!ts about the value of education. I mean check out the speaker’s education. Stopped at 13. Learned all he knows from the ‘hood he came from…. And he is proud of it too! He said many years ago that he is proof that you do not need an education to run a country.
All I can say to that is “Dah Wah Ya get!!”
So how come all the local bank managers bar none (since he has roots there too) came from the West? You clearly know nothing about Cayman.
So even the Catholics are getting on board. The mammabears and friends may actually have to put a sock in it. Won’t that be lovely? Dear Haters, you’re losing.
When might the Catholics get on board with putting a sock on it though?
Ya Right… Get the OK from people that abuse alter boys.