▁Children , ▁as ▁a ▁past oral ▁message ▁to ▁parents ▁of ▁gay ▁and ▁bis ex ual ▁children ▁with ▁gu idel ines ▁for ▁past oral ▁minister s . ▁It ▁told ▁parents ▁not ▁to ▁break ▁off ▁contact ▁with ▁a ▁gay ▁or ▁bis ex ual ▁son ▁or ▁daughter ; ▁they ▁should ▁instead ▁look ▁for ▁appropriate ▁coun sel ing ▁both ▁for ▁the ▁child ▁and ▁for ▁themselves . ▁The ▁letter ▁said ▁that , ▁while ▁hom osex ual ▁orientation ▁is ▁not ▁sin ful , ▁hom osex ual ▁activity ▁is ▁imm oral , ▁but ▁gay ▁people ▁must ▁be ▁accepted ▁with ▁respect , ▁comp ass ion , ▁and ▁sens itivity , ▁and ▁allowed ▁to ▁particip ate ▁act ively ▁in ▁the ▁Christian ▁community , ▁and ▁even , ▁if ▁living ▁ch ast ely , ▁to ▁hold ▁leadership ▁positions . ▁ ▁It ▁added ▁that ▁" it ▁is ▁not ▁sufficient ▁only ▁to ▁avoid ▁un just ▁disc rim ination . ▁Hom osex ual ▁persons ▁' must ▁be ▁accepted ▁with ▁respect , ▁comp ass ion ▁and ▁sens itivity .' " ▁ ▁It ▁also ▁noted ▁" an ▁importance ▁and ▁ur gency " ▁to ▁minister ▁to ▁those ▁with ▁A ID S , ▁especially ▁considering ▁the ▁impact ▁it ▁had ▁on ▁the ▁gay ▁community , ▁and ▁the ▁b ish ops ▁" re ject [ ed ] ▁the ▁idea ▁that ▁H IV / A ID S ▁is ▁a ▁direct ▁pun ishment ▁from ▁God ." ▁They ▁closed ▁by ▁saying ▁that ▁" nothing ▁in ▁the ▁Bible ▁or ▁in ▁Catholic ▁teaching ▁can ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁justify ▁pre jud icial ▁or ▁disc rimin atory ▁att itudes ▁and