Napa Institute signs on to Living the Truth in Love conference and resource event to be held Oct. 2 in Rome, Italy

Contact: Lisa Wheeler,
404-519-1987 

ROME, Italy, Sept. 30, 2015 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Napa Institute, an organization dedicated to helping Catholic leaders defend and advance the Catholic faith in today's emerging secular society, has joined Courage International and Ignatius Press as sponsors of the Living the Truth in Love conference and resource event, which will be held October 2 in Rome, Italy, just before the start of the Ordinary Synod on the Family.

The conference is drawing attendance from many distinguished scholars, influencers and clergy from the Roman Curia and academia, as well as from those traveling into Rome from other parts of the world for the Opening of the Ordinary Synod. The resource event will be held at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas ("The Angelicum") in Rome, Italy.

The conference will feature Cardinal Robert Sarah, Cardinal George Pell, Monsignor Livio Melina, as well as experts such as Dr. Paul McHugh of Johns Hopkins; Dr. Timothy Lock, a clinical psychologist; and Dr. Jennifer Morse of the Ruth Institute. A panel discussion will be held featuring the real life testimonies of faithful Catholics living the reality of homosexuality in their everyday lives.

The Pope and Synod Fathers will begin their sessions on October 4 at the Vatican, and the discussion of the Church's pastoral approach to the idea of same-sex marriages and homosexual unions is expected to be among many issues that the body of prelates will discuss.

The conference speakers participating in the Living the Truth in Love event will address the complex reality of homosexual tendencies through the lenses of the empirical and social sciences, the personal experience of homosexuality, the testimony of Sacred Scripture, as well as Sacred Tradition-the bi-millenial wisdom of the Catholic Church.

Conference organizers intend the event and its resources to help those responsible for pastoral ministry to better understand each of these dimensions and to be better equipped to welcome and accompany men and women with homosexual tendencies, and ultimately to help them find the fullness of joy in their journey with and to Christ.

A screening of "Desire of the Everlasting Hills," a documentary that features the intimate and candid portraits of three Catholics who struggle to navigate the waters of self-understanding, faith and homosexuality, has been added to the conference in Rome, and will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1 in the AULA 2. There will be a panel discussion immediately following the film featuring two of the individuals featured in the documentary who will also be giving their testimonies on Oct 2.

Resources will be available to conference attendees, particularly a collection of books recently released by several of the participants, including Cardinal Robert Sarah and Cardinal George Pell.

This event is open to the public. Registration is free. Those interested in registering can visit www.TruthandLove.com.

Media representatives can acquire press credentials to attend the conference and press event and arrange interviews with conference speakers and panelists or a Courage or Ignatius Press spokesperson by contacting Lisa Wheeler of Carmel Communications, lwheeler@carmelcommunications.com or 404-519-1987.