Gay 'marriage:' what's the Christian response?

So a couple of friends have appeared from the mists of time (aka high school) and engaged me via facebook in the same sex 'marriage' debate. Besides being pleasantly surprised by the ensuing civility on all sides, I've come away with a renewed interest in educating other Christians on the Church's teaching on homosexual attraction - namely, on why it is far and away the most compassionate voice in a clamoring crowd of opinions on the matter.

I read a fantastic book a year ago that hit it out of the park and really, really helped me to refine and convey my own opinions and arguments on the matter. It's called "Born to Love" by John R. Weiss and is written as a kind of dialogue (think Screwtape Letters or Between Heaven and Hell) between a priest, a young dating couple, and their homosexual friend.

I don't think there's any reason that we as Christians - and Catholics especially - can't be engaging the culture more directly on this issue. It isn't going away any time soon, and it's only going to become more polarized and more hostile if the Church doesn't speak clearly in love.

Read it, lend it, make your voice heard. You never know who might be listening.