Gay activists will be banned from addressing LGBT issues at a Catholic family congress during Pope Francis' visit to the U.S. later this year, reports Reunters.
The World Meeting of Families will take place in Philadelphia September 22-27.
The city's Archbishop Charles Chaput said that although “people who have experienced same-sex attraction are welcome like everyone else,” there will be no “platform at the meeting for people to lobby for positions contrary to the life of our Church.”
15,000 people are expected to attend the congress to hear lectures and take part in workshops on family issues. Pope Francis is expected to attend for the last two days and two million people are likely to attend a public mass to end the event.
The only event dedicated to LGBT issues at the congress will be presented by a celibate gay Catholic priest who “will talk about his own coming to terms with his sexual orientation and the manner in which he embraced the teachings of the Church.”
