A couple of months ago, Pope Francis was asked if there is a "gay lobby" at the Vatican, and he answered that there is. On his way home from Rio yesterday, he gave an 80 minute press conference in which -among other things — he was asked about it. Here's a translation of what he said according to one report.
"There's a lot of talk about the gay lobby, but I've never seen it on the Vatican ID card!"
"When I meet a gay person, I have to distinguish between their being gay and being part of a lobby. If they accept the Lord and have good will, who am I to judge them? They shouldn't be marginalized. The tendency [to homosexuality] is not the problem … they're our brothers." —Emphasis added.
Another report gives a bit more context.
Addressing the issue of the gay lobby, Pope Francis said it was important to "distinguish between a person who is gay and someone who makes a gay lobby," he said. "A gay lobby isn't good."
"A gay person who is seeking God, who is of good will -- well, who am I to judge him?" the pope said. "The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains this very well. It says one must not marginalize these persons, they must be integrated into society. The problem isn't this (homosexual) orientation -- we must be like brothers and sisters. The problem is something else, the problem is lobbying either for this orientation or a political lobby or a Masonic lobby."
The thing is, as the reference to the Catechism makes clear, this is not exactly novel. What is new is hearing it directly from the lips of the pope. Hopefully the publicity it gets will help more people learn what we've been saying all along.
I realize that this won't satisfy people who insist that the Church must not teach that gay sex is wrong, but hopefully it will help other people — people who can see nuances — realize that the Catholic Church doesn't hate, condemn, or exclude gay people.
2 comments:
I agree it was nice just hearing him (the POPE!) actually saying something so inclusive and noncondemning towards homosexuals. For me, it was a very clear sign that he "gets it"--that so many people have been so burned and turned off--and what he said, along with many other things lately, has been his way of offering an olive branch to those who felt that way. But I stress the importance, at least that I felt, in him saying something that did come across very different--that judging and condemning others was not going to be a priority for the Catholic Church so long as he is in charge.
Thanks for commenting. I think it shows a real shift in priorities.
Post a Comment