Major Catholic study, endorsed by Mary McAleese, challenges Church’s teaching on same-sex relationships

A major new study endorsed by 60 top international scholars, including former president of Ireland, Professor Mary McAleese, has called for an «urgent» change in Catholic teaching on gay relationships.

The authors of the study, which was launched on Tuesday, claim their findings disprove the traditional objections of the Catholic Church to same-sex relationships.

A spokesperson for the Wijngaards Institute for Catholic Research, which produced the study, said it «should serve as the final nail in the coffin of biblical and other arguments justifying homophobia», Belfast Telegraph reports.

The Wijngaards Institute for Catholic Research report has a number of authors, contributors, and signatories from various fields and backgrounds – former President of Ireland Professor Mary McAleese is among those who signed the document.

«We are calling for an urgent change in Roman Catholic teaching based on these academic findings which should serve as the final nail in the coffin of biblical and other arguments justifying homophobia», the authors of the report said in a statement today, thejournal.ie reports.