A Catholic organisation in South Africa has removed offensive material from its website that described homosexuality and transgender people as mad, sinful, a form of child abuse, and an enemy of the family.
MambaOnline was recently contacted by Michele (who asked not to have his surname published), a Catholic member of the LGBTQ+ community. He expressed alarm about dehumanising and hateful statements featured on the South Africa Needs Our Lady (SANOL) website.
SANOL describes itself as a lay movement centred on the reported appearance of the Virgin Mary in Fatima, Portugal in 1917. The group publishes articles outlining its views on Catholic belief and evangelism.
It also organises Rosary Crusades across South Africa—public gatherings where participants “share their devotion to the Rosary” and “pray for the conversion of souls.” The website includes downloadable materials and guides to support these events.
History of Anti-LGBTQ+ Campaigning
SANOL is a campaign of Family Action South Africa, described as “an organisation of lay Catholics concerned about the moral crisis shaking the foundations of our societies.”
The organisation previously led a campaign and petition calling on Woolworths to end its annual June Pride Month campaign, which it described as “pandering to the ‘LGBT’ lifestyle” and “making common cause with sinful lifestyles.”
“Enemy of the Family” Rhetoric
As a Catholic gay man, Michele was especially concerned about two pages on the SANOL website.
One, titled Hope of a Hopeless World, stated:
“The sins committed by mankind today… include blasphemy, the destruction of the family through abortion, divorce, euthanasia, widespread pornography, immoral fashions and lifestyles, homosexuality and so on.”
Another, titled Why Transgenderism is a Great Enemy of the Family, argued that:
“the transgender revolution is self-destructive, tyrannical, unscientific, immoral, abusive, and unhealthy.”
Notably, the page used the offensive term “transgenderism”—a pejorative word frequently employed by anti-rights groups.
Instead of recognising transgender individuals as human beings with intrinsic worth and rights, these groups instead portray them as part of a conspiracy to promote “transgender ideology” and “gender indoctrination” that aim to undermine society.
Such framing dehumanises transgender people and vilifies them as a faceless “enemy”—a tactic historically used to justify violence and discrimination against marginalised groups, including genocides.
The article included numerous inflammatory claims, such as:
- “The transgender movement, like Islam, is only satisfied with total submission.”
- “Transgenderism is especially harmful to children” and “fuels child abuse.”
- “Transgenderism , like homosexuality and feminism, deny [that the primary purpose of human sexuality is procreation] and therefore attack human reason itself, which is a form of deliberate madness.”
SANOL also stated that “the homosexual movement shatters lives” and leads to despair and suicide; ignoring the reality that this despair stems not from LGBTQ+ people’s identity but from a discriminatory, stigmatising and violent society.
Yet, at the end of the page, the organisation claimed:
“we have no intention to defame or disparage anyone,”
“we are not moved by personal hatred against any individual,”
and “we reject and condemn any violence.”
It insisted that its views merely “intellectually oppose individuals or organisations promoting the homosexual agenda.”
Demands for Change
On 21 August, Michele sent SANOL an email describing its content as “discriminatory and harmful language.”
He argued:
“By equating homosexuality with immorality and societal collapse, SANOL violates the constitutional rights of LGBTQ+ people to equality and dignity.”
He demanded that SANOL:
- immediately remove or amend the discriminatory content,
- issue a public statement affirming respect for equality, dignity, and non-discrimination, and
- implement an internal review process to ensure compliance with the Constitution and the Equality Act.
Michele told MambaOnline that he had previously complained to SANOL in 2022 about its downloadable Rosary Rally Prayer Programme. The guide listed homosexuality alongside drug abuse, criminality, and satanism as “terrible sins afflicting our nation.”
After his complaint, SANOL removed the reference to homosexuality from the manual.
SANOL Responds
MambaOnline contacted SANOL for comment and asked whether it is affiliated with or supported by the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC), which officially represents the Vatican and the Catholic Church in South Africa.
In an email signed by “the SANOL Team,” the organisation said its aim is to bring about “the conversion of our country and its people” and that its “abiding ideal is to defend and nurture” the traditional family unit. It said its understanding of sin is based on Catholic teaching and the Bible.
SANOL maintained:
“we have no hatred for anyone, nor do we encourage or incite such – only love.”
It added that it was working to “help save our country from the apocalyptic punishments prophesied by Our Lady at Fatima in 1917.”
Regarding the materials on homosexuality and transgender identity, SANOL agreed to remove them from its site, at least for now.
“As this article is deemed to have caused offence, as an act of goodwill, I have asked our webmaster to take it down pending review,” the organisation said.
However, SANOL insisted that its words had been taken out of context, saying:
“It is completely false to claim they are directed against ‘people/individuals’, when in reality, they generally relate to situations, prevailing conditions etc.”
The group confirmed it has no formal connection to the SACBC.
Catholic Church Distances Itself
The SACBC also confirmed to MambaOnline that it has no ties with SANOL.
Fr Hugh O’Connor, Secretary General of the SACBC, explained:
“Catholics are free to form a private association of like-minded people but unless they have specific recognition from the Church authorities they do not represent official Church teaching in what they say or do. SANOL and FASA do not have Church recognition as outlined in Canon Law.”
A Shifting Vatican Stance
The Catholic Church does not condemn homosexuality itself but still officially regards homosexual acts as “acts of grave depravity,” “intrinsically disordered,” and “contrary to natural law.”
The Catholic Church in some countries—particularly those in Africa—has revealed itself to be especially conservative in this stance compared to other regions.
In recent years, the Vatican under the late Pope Francis showed greater openness towards LGBTQ+ people. However, it has remained firmly opposed to same-sex marriage and the full recognition of transgender identities.
