During U.S. Visit, Pope To Attend Conference With People Who Think Homosexuality Can Be Cured | ThinkProgress

Yet so-called “reparative therapy” has long enjoyed pockets of support with conservative Christian circles, and some of its backers will be present at the World Meeting of Families next month. According to the National Catholic Reporter, an organization known as Courage ministries is listed as an exhibitor at the conference, which is held every three years — this year in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The group officially rejects the label of ex-gay ministry, claiming instead that its employees promote a lifetime of celibacy for homosexual Catholics, saying the organization “prefers to think of itself as a ‘Pro-Chastity’ ministry.”

Yet Courage has repeatedly challenged the validity of this distinction. It has invited professional ex-gay therapists to lead trainings at conferences, and the suggested reading list on the Courage’s website includes several publications promoting ex-gay therapy written by ex-gay counselors.

The group’s executive director, Rev. Paul Check, has also voiced support for more explicit forms of ex-gay therapy. He told the Washington Times in March that he does not support laws banning ex-gay therapy organizations for children, arguing that it is an “unproven assertion” that such “change” counseling “does harm to people.”

“The claim or the assertion that people are born [homosexual] is unproven by science and medicine,” Check said.

During U.S. Visit, Pope To Attend Conference With People Who Think Homosexuality Can Be Cured | ThinkProgress