Cardinal Timothy Dolan Endorses Ex-Gay Book Calling On Homosexuals To Live Loveless Lives Of Chastity

From a press release published today by Christian Newswire:

Daniel Mattson’s life was marked by constant turmoil between his faith in God and his sexual attractions toward other boys, beginning when he was 6 years old. Finding the conflict between his homosexual desires and the teachings of his church too great, he assumed he was gay, turned his back on God in anger and eventually began a relationship with another man.

Yet freedom and happiness remained elusive until he discovered his true identity. In his brutally honest and frank debut book, WHY I DON’T CALL MYSELF GAY: How I Reclaimed My Sexual Identity and Found Peace, Mattson chronicles his journey of discovery that led him to understand how he was created and what he was created for.

Mattson believes he shouldn’t be reduced to the “feelings” that identify sexual orientation, nor be labeled by a term contrary to God’s plan for his life. Mattson shows that chastity is, in fact, part of the good news of the Gospel, and that the Catholic Church does welcome those with same-sex attractions, despite myths perpetuated by the media and gay-rights advocates.

“Daniel Mattson has written an honest account of the genuine struggles faced by those with same-sex attraction,” says Cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan, archbishop of New York. “Drawing upon a wealth of spiritual insights and wisdom from across our deep Catholic tradition, he shares with us how he has come to understand and accept God’s loving plan for his life, as well as the beauty and richness of the Church’s teaching on chastity. The tenderness and mercy of God is evident throughout and is a powerful reminder for all of us!”

RELATED: Last year Dolan spent $2 million lobbying against proposed changes to New York state law that would extend the statute of limitations for the victims of pedophile priests to pursue civil lawsuits. In 2013 it was revealed that Dolan sought and received Vatican permission to move $57 million in Catholic Church money into a cemetery fund so that it couldn’t be used to pay out settlements.