Human Sexuality: 'Wonderful Gift' and 'Awesome Responsibility'

A response to the article by Richard Sparks:

Human Sexuality: 'Wonderful Gift' and 'Awesome Responsibility' by Richard Sparks is a clear overview on the basic teachings of the Church.  Most of the positions the Church takes in relation to controversial topics regarding sexuality were pretty much what I personally expected.  I understand their positions on unitive dimension, procreative dimension, married partners, single persons, and today's adolescents.  However, the stance on homosexual couples seems a bit hypocritical, in my opinion.  On the one hand they state, "homosexual [persons], like everyone else, should not suffer from prejudice against their basic human rights.  They have a right to respect, friendship and justice.  They should have an active role in the Christian community" (To Live in Christ Jesus, #52).  Yet, is not the Church denying them human rights and respect by not accepting who they love, as well as the right to marry?  This particular section stood out to me: “homosexual activity, as distinguished from homosexual orientation, is morally wrong" (Human Sexuality, 55). While the gay or lesbian orientation is not morally wrong (nor freely chosen), a homosexual person is not thereby free to engage in genital sexual activity with persons of the same sex.”  The Church will acknowledge that being homosexual is not a choice but something you naturally feel as a person (and as a child of God), but does not feel that loving your partner, (in a homosexual relationship) in a physical (or even marital) way is acceptable.