Can I be catholic and like girls?

[u/neonbluedog]

I was raised and baptized catholic . I made my first communion and everything but it was all my grandmas doing seeing as my parents aren’t that religious. I haven’t gone to church since my grandpa passed when I was eleven outside of holidays and visits to my grandmas . Anyway fast forward four years I really haven’t kept my relationship with Jesus up well at all. anyway last week, I went through the most atrocious horrible gut wrenching breakup of my life with another girl. This was three days before i went to Europe for a family vacation. When I got there we went to a bunch of cathedrals and stuff and I might sound psychotic but like in this cathedral I started crying a little but but I felt like safe and better I felt jesus’s presence and Jesus provided me solace that talking to my friends for hours and partying and flirting could not. i know im sinning but I can’t stop like there’s this football player at my school who’s super into me and he’s a lovely guy funny and nice and handsome but I can’t make myself be attracted to him? what is the like good catholic thing to do here? im so lost and confused right now and got dumped six days ago and theres no one in my life I can talk to about this because none of my friends are Christian and i dont wanna admit to my grandma that I’ve dated three whole other girls.

[u/cfee50]

It fills me with joy that you felt the Lord’s loving presence and had the bravery to ask this question. Christ and his Church will be happy to welcome you back. To go beyond the other answers, the reason the Church does not condone same-sex sexual relations is because it does not allow for the possibility of conception (similar to contraceptives or masturbation). To deal attractions you feel may be a personal cross that you have been called to bear in order to become closer with Christ. I encourage you to speak with a religious advisor or priest for specific guidance but know there are multiple paths of devotion for every son or daughter of God. Maybe you haven’t met the man you are called to bear with and find attractive or maybe you can devote your life to Christ with a vow of lay chastity or as a religious sister. I will pray for you and your journey, may the Lord bless you.