1 9 9 7 , ▁H ume ▁issued ▁A ▁note ▁on ▁the ▁teaching ▁of ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Church ▁concerning ▁hom osex ual ity . ▁It ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁Church ▁recogn ises ▁the ▁dign ity ▁and ▁right ▁to ▁respect ful ▁treatment ▁of ▁all ▁people ▁and ▁does ▁not ▁see ▁their ▁" object ive ▁dis order " ▁of ▁hom osex ual ▁people ▁as ▁making ▁them ▁wh olly ▁dis ordered . ▁It ▁also ▁said ▁that ▁sexual ▁activity ▁ought ▁only ▁to ▁take ▁place ▁within ▁an ▁opposite - sex ▁marriage ▁and ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁Church ▁cannot ▁" ack now ledge ▁amongst ▁fundamental ▁human ▁rights ▁a ▁proposed ▁right ▁to ▁acts ▁which ▁she ▁teach es ▁are ▁mor ally ▁wrong ." ▁ ▁United ▁States ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Conference ▁of ▁Catholic ▁B ish ops ▁wrote ▁to ▁American ▁C athol ics ▁that ▁g ays ▁" should ▁have ▁an ▁active ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁Christian ▁community ." ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁they ▁called ▁on ▁" all ▁Christians ▁and ▁citizens ▁of ▁good ▁will ▁to ▁confront ▁their ▁own ▁fear s ▁about ▁hom osex ual ity ▁and ▁to ▁cur b ▁the ▁humor ▁and ▁disc rim ination ▁that ▁off end ▁hom osex ual ▁persons . ▁We ▁understand ▁that ▁having ▁a ▁hom osex ual ▁orientation ▁brings ▁with ▁it ▁enough ▁anx iety , ▁pain ▁and ▁issues ▁related ▁to ▁self - accept ance ▁without ▁society ▁bringing ▁additional ▁pre jud icial ▁treatment ." ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁the ▁US ▁Catholic ▁B ish ops ▁Conference ▁published ▁a ▁letter ▁entitled ▁Always ▁Our