‘Pope Francis, in Shift for Church, Voices Support for Same-Sex Civil Unions

Pope Francis has given his endorsement to same-sex civil unions
despite the Catholic church’s teaching on homosexuality.

According to the Catholic News Agency,^[1] the religious
leader delivered the historic remark in ‘Francesco’, a new
documentary on his life and ministry, which premiered at the Rome
film festival on Wednesday.

He also called gay Catholics “children of God” and said they
should not be thrown out from the religion.

“Homosexuals have a right to be a part of the family. They’re
children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be
thrown out, or be made miserable because of it,” he was quoted to
have said.

“What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are
legally covered. I stood up for that.”

Although, the pope has previously hinted his support of same-sex
marriages, this would be the first time he will be giving it a full
endorsement.

James Martin, a Jesuit priest, took to his Twitter page to hail
the religious leader, saying “Pope Francis’s support for same-sex
civil unions is a major step forward in the church’s support of
LGBTQ people. It is in keeping with his pastoral approach to LGBT
people, including LGBT Catholics, and sends a strong signal to
countries where the church has opposed such laws.”

Since his election as pope in March 2013, Francis has sought to
adopt a more inclusive tone towards the homosexuals in his public
statements.

In 2018, Juan Carlos Cruz, a survivor of sexual abuse who met
the pope and also features in ‘Francesco’, said the religious
leader told him that being gay did not matter since God made him
like that.

“Juan Carlos, that you are gay does not matter. God made you
like this and loves you like this and I don’t care. The pope loves
you like this. You have to be happy with who you are,”
Guardian UK^[2] quoted
Cruz to have said.

The pope’s endorsement is also likely to intensify already
heated controversy over the Catholic church’s teaching on gay
marriages.

The Catholic church has often times opposed legal recognition of
same-sex unions.\

According to its teaching, marriage can only be between a man
and a woman.

Pope Francis has given his endorsement to same-sex civil unions
despite the Catholic church’s teaching on homosexuality.

According to the Catholic News Agency,^[1] the religious
leader delivered the historic remark in ‘Francesco’, a new
documentary on his life and ministry, which premiered at the Rome
film festival on Wednesday.

He also called gay Catholics “children of God” and said they
should not be thrown out from the religion.

“Homosexuals have a right to be a part of the family. They’re
children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be
thrown out, or be made miserable because of it,” he was quoted to
have said.

“What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are
legally covered. I stood up for that.”

Although, the pope has previously hinted his support of same-sex
marriages, this would be the first time he will be giving it a full
endorsement.

James Martin, a Jesuit priest, took to his Twitter page to hail
the religious leader, saying “Pope Francis’s support for same-sex
civil unions is a major step forward in the church’s support of
LGBTQ people. It is in keeping with his pastoral approach to LGBT
people, including LGBT Catholics, and sends a strong signal to
countries where the church has opposed such laws.”

Since his election as pope in March 2013, Francis has sought to
adopt a more inclusive tone towards the homosexuals in his public
statements.

In 2018, Juan Carlos Cruz, a survivor of sexual abuse who met
the pope and also features in ‘Francesco’, said the religious
leader told him that being gay did not matter since God made him
like that.

“Juan Carlos, that you are gay does not matter. God made you
like this and loves you like this and I don’t care. The pope loves
you like this. You have to be happy with who you are,”
Guardian UK^[2] quoted
Cruz to have said.

The pope’s endorsement is also likely to intensify already
heated controversy over the Catholic church’s teaching on gay
marriages.

The Catholic church has often times opposed legal recognition of
same-sex unions.\

According to its teaching, marriage can only be between a man
and a woman.