Does Courage force its members to change their orientation?
Courage members are under no obligation to try to become heterosexual, because there is no guarantee that a person will always succeed in such an endeavor. The purpose of Courage is to help persons with same-sex attractions develop a life of interior chastity in union with Christ. If any of our members wish to seek heterosexual development, we will encourage them and stand by them, by helping them to keep the deepening of their Catholic faith and obedience to Christ as their first priority. Some of our members have found varying levels of heterosexual development to be a by-product of living a chaste life for a period of time.
Why are homosexual attractions considered "objectively disordered"? Isn't that a harsh term?
The term "objective disorder" is a philosophical term. It is used to describe homosexual attractions because such attractions can never lead to a morally good sexual act. It is objected that if a man lusts for a woman or vice versa, this too is an objective disorder. This latter example is not an objective disorder, because, if the man or woman controls this natural attraction, and wills to express it in the natural state of marriage, it is a good thing.
The term "objective disorder" may strike some of us with same-sex attractions as being harsh, because we feel that we never asked to have homosexual attractions and we fear that this term is in some way condemnatory or derogatory. It is important to remember that "objective disorder" is a philosophical term which describes a particular inclination - it does not diminish our value and worth in the eyes of God.
It is psychologically understandable that certain people struggle with homosexual attractions. The Church recognizes this and does not condemn people for simply having these attractions. However, the Church also teaches that homosexual acts are always immoral, and therefore, one must also accept that the inclination to engage in such acts is, philosophically speaking, objectively disordered.
Above all, we must keep in mind that homosexual inclinations do not makeup our true identity as rational or Christian persons. We are first and foremost men and women created in the image of God - we are exceedingly precious in God's sight and we have been given the gifts of intelligence and free-will. We can live a life of union with Christ, through prayer, and we can know the peace of interior chastity. This is God's desire for us, and He continually gives us the grace to live it.