A cross-party group of Catholic MPs have written to Pope Francis to ask him to personally ensure that the current Synod on Young People focuses on the damage done to children and young people around the world by LGBT stigma.

Mike Kane MP said “The Catholic Church’s Youth Synod in Rome is a once-in-a-generation moment where we can all create positive change to young peoples’ lives. Whether you are Catholic or not, an LGBT person or not, the decisions that may be taken at this Synod will be felt for years to come across the world.”

The letter will be passed to the Papal Household by Sally Axworthy MBE, British Ambassador to the Holy See, on behalf of the MPs.

In their letter, Labour MPs Mary Creagh, Conor McGinn and Mike Kane, and Conservative MP Sir David Amess, lend their voices to the call of the Equal Future 2018 Campaign in asking the Pope to ensure that consideration is given to the damage that is being done to children and young people across the world when they are given any sense that to be LGBT is a misfortune or a disappointment.

They ask that the Catholic Church use its unique position in world societies to address and tackle this damage.

Mary Creagh MP said “We believe that the Catholic Church has an important role in standing up for the marginalised and the voiceless, and in protecting people from damage. The Synod represents a moment for us to assert that leadership on behalf of young people and to protect them from the damage that results from negative or ambivalent attitudes about LGBT people being communicated to them.”

The Synod on Young People, currently taking place in Rome, will release its final resolutions this week for the Pope to consider. The MPs, from both Labour and Conservative parties of the United Kingdom’s House of Commons, state that whilst they understand there are many views on homosexuality within the Church, the Church should be united against any damage that is being done to young people.

Conor McGinn MP said “Whatever disagreements exist within the Church, they must not cause the Synod to fail to address the psychological hurt done to young people through any sense that to be LGBT would be a misfortune. The Catholic Church is uniquely placed to use its position in the world to address and tackle this damage.”

Equal Future 2018’s Campaign Director, Tiernan Brady, commented, “Protecting children and young people from the damage caused by any sense that to be LGBT is a misfortune or a disappointment will take all parts of society, whether in the realm of faith or in the civic realm. Equal Future 2018 welcomes the input of these parliamentarians as, we are sure, will the Catholic Church, who specifically asked for input.”