26/08/2025
In Catholic teaching, marriage is a sacrament between one man and one woman, ordered toward two purposes:
1. Unity – the faithful, lifelong partnership of husband and wife.
2. Procreation – openness to the gift of life.
Because of this, the Catholic Church teaches that same-sex marriage is not valid in the eyes of God, since it cannot fulfill the natural complementarity between male and female or the openness to life.
The Church makes a distinction:
Same-sex attraction itself is not a sin. Having the tendency or feelings is not sinful.
Acting on it (same-sex sexual acts) is considered sinful, because it goes against the natural law and God’s plan for human sexuality.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2357) states:
“Homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered. They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.”
However, the Church also teaches (CCC 2358–2359) that people with same-sex attraction must be treated with dignity, respect, and compassion. They are called to live in chastity, just like unmarried heterosexual persons.
👉 So, in summary:
Same-sex marriage is not recognized by the Catholic Church and is seen as contrary to God’s design for marriage.
The Church does not condemn people with same-sex attraction but calls them, like everyone else, to live a holy and chaste life.