Catholic priest Brian Gannon criticizes Synod Study Group 9 report, calling it intellectually dishonest and misrepresenting Courage International.
Newsroom (12/05/2026 Gaudium Press ) A final report issued by Study Group 9 of the Synod on Synodality has ignited controversy within Catholic circles, drawing sustained criticism for its treatment of human sexuality and its portrayal of Courage International, a long‑standing Catholic apostolate. Among the most direct and extensive responses has come from Father Brian Gannon, executive director of Courage International, who argues that the document is “intellectually dishonest” and fundamentally at odds with both Scripture and 2,000 years of Church teaching.
The report, released last week, has been faulted not only for its conclusions but also for what critics describe as a selective and incomplete process. Courage International, founded in 1980 and canonically approved as a universal, clerical, public association of the faithful, has for decades provided spiritual support to men and women experiencing same‑sex attraction who seek to live chastely in accordance with Catholic teaching. Despite its international scope, episcopal backing, and thousands of members, no representative of Courage was consulted during the study group’s work.
“That presents a serious problem,” Father Gannon said in an interview, noting that the absence of Courage voices rendered the source material “deficient and incomplete.” He added that the report appears to rely primarily on testimony from individuals who openly reject Church moral teaching and instead affirm same‑sex relationships—an imbalance he says undermines the credibility of the conclusions.
One of the report’s most disputed claims concerns Courage’s pastoral approach. The document asserts that the apostolate engages in so‑called “reparative therapy,” an allegation Father Gannon categorically rejects. “Courage does not engage in reparative therapy; this is false,” he said. “The focus is on chastity and the freedom it bestows through God’s grace.” According to Father Gannon, Courage’s ministry centers on sacramental life, personal accompaniment, and pastoral sensitivity to the lived struggles of its members.
That accompaniment, he added, is deeply paternal in character and essential to the apostolate’s mission. By failing even to acknowledge this dimension, the report, he argues, misrepresents Courage and inflicts harm on its members. “This misrepresentation actually wounds members of Courage and projects an erroneous image that causes injury to the pastoral outreach of Holy Mother Church,” he said.
Beyond its treatment of Courage, Father Gannon takes issue with the report’s broader theological framing. He points to a passage suggesting that sin does not consist in a same‑sex couple relationship but rather in a lack of faith, calling this view a direct contradiction of Catholic moral teaching. For Father Gannon, such language implies that same‑sex relationships can be understood as gifts from God—an idea he says departs entirely from the Church’s consistent doctrine on sexuality.
Drawing on Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and traditional moral theology, Father Gannon emphasized that relationships find their fulfillment only when ordered according to Christ’s teaching and the moral authority entrusted to the Church. He stressed that Catholic doctrine distinguishes clearly between persons experiencing same‑sex attraction—who are called to dignity, compassion, and chastity—and sexual acts, which the Church has consistently taught must conform to the unitive and procreative meaning of sexuality found in marriage between a man and a woman.
“The structure of the moral act is unchanged,” he said, citing the Catechism’s teaching that a good intention cannot justify an act whose object is morally wrong. From this perspective, Father Gannon argues that the report’s language obscures essential moral distinctions and risks confusing the faithful.
Addressing why some Catholics oppose Courage’s mission, Father Gannon situated the debate within a wider historical context, pointing to what he described as decades of sustained challenges to the Church’s moral teaching following the cultural upheavals of the 1960s. He contrasted revisionist moral theologies with the clarity offered by the Catechism and by magisterial teaching affirming the immutable nature of the moral law, even while calling for pastoral charity toward those who struggle to live it.
As for how Church leaders should respond, Father Gannon urged a measured but firm reaction. He called on the hierarchy to identify the report plainly as non‑authoritative and incomplete, and to reaffirm clearly the Church’s teaching on human sexuality and chastity. At the same time, he highlighted what he described as the “tremendous success” of Courage in helping thousands pursue a chaste life in fidelity to Church teaching.
“There are so many incredibly loving and faithful Courage members,” he said, “who inspire us priest and deacon chaplains in the quest for holiness and peace.”
- Raju Hasmukh with files from NC Register
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