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class="wpds-c-iTcer"><img src=" alt="" class="wpds-c-dgBqAZ"/></div></div><span class="left"><div class="flex"><div class="dib font-xxs" data-qa="name-wh-optnal-lk" data-cy="name-wh-optnal-lk"><span data-qa="attributn-text" class="wpds-c-cNdzuP">By <!-- --> </span><a data-qa="thor-name" href=" rel="thor" class="wpds-c-cNdzuP wpds-c-cNdzuP-ejzZdU-isLk-te">Ruby Mellen</a></div></div></span></div></span></div></div><div data-ttid="timtamp" class="wpds-c-kgabfe wpds-c-kgabfe-ieEDlgV-css"><span data-ttid="display-date" class="wpds-c-iKQyrV">March 16, 2021 at 2:08 p.m. EDT</span></div></div></div></hear></div><article class="grid-article mb-xxl-ns" data-qa="ma"><div data-ttid="le-art" data-qa="le-art" class=""><figure class="overflow-hidn relative hi-for-prt center center mb-sm mb-md-ns ml-to-ns mr-to-ns grid-mobile-full-bleed"><div style="filter:blur(10px);transn:filter .1s;le-height:0" class="w-100 mw-100 h-to" width="600" height="401"><img style="background-size:ver;max-width:1600px;background-image:url('data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http%3A//; xmlns%3Axlk='http%3A//; viewBox='0 0 1280 853'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' lor-terpolatn-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGssianBlur stdDeviatn='.5'%3E%3C/feGssianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA type='discrete' tableValu='1 1'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage filter='url(%23b)' x='0' y='0' height='100%25' width='100%25' xlk%3Ahref='data%3Aimage/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAkAAAAGCAIAAACepSOSAAAACXBIWXMAAC4jAAAuIwF4pT92AAAAs0lEQVQI1wGoAFf/AImSoJSer5yjs52ktp2luJuluKOpuJefsoCNowB+kKaOm66grL+krsCnsMGrt8m1u8mzt8OVoLIAhJqzjZ2tnLLLnLHJp7fNmpyjqbPCqLrRjqO7AIeUn5ultaWtt56msaSnroZyY4mBgLq7wY6TmwCRfk2Pf1uzm2WulV+xmV6rmGyQfFm3nWSBcEIAfm46jX1FkH5Djn5AmodGo49MopBLlIRBfG8yj/dfjF5TUAAAAASUVORK5CYII='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E')" alt="" class="w-100 mw-100 h-to" width="600" height="401" srcSet=" 400w, 540w, 691w, 767w, 916w, 1200w" siz="(max-width: 440px) 440px,(max-width: 600px) 691px,(max-width: 768px) 691px,(m-width: 769px) and (max-width: 1023px) 960px,(m-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1299px) 530px,(m-width: 1300px) and (max-width: 1439px) 691px,(m-width: 1440px) 916px,440px" dg="async"/></div><figptn class="ml-gutter mr-gutter mr-to-ns ml-to-ns font--subhead font-xxxs mt-xs left gray-dark">Pope Francis visg Mozambique September 2019. (Ben Curtis/AP)</figptn></figure></div><div class="grid-body"><div class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-PJLV-hSmMVC-isLuf2-false"><div class="wpds-c-jUMcim wpds-c-jUMcim-ibVGacg-css hi-for-prt mb-sm"><div class="PJLV PJLV-ieDMgMI-css flex ems-center" nfig="[object Object]" data-qa="article-actns"><div class="wpds-c-mfMEg"><div class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-hnjNCH wpds-c-kSOqLF-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hZSyid-isOutle-te wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-futx-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-eNNUQD-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-jGqLyO-cv"><div id="gift-share" data-ttid="gift-share" class="PJLV PJLV-ieGzigK-css hi-for-prt"><button aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-ntrols="gift-share-drawer" role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Share this article" id="gift-share-drawer-ntrol" data-ttid="gift-share-drawer-ntrol" class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-gsmDXe wpds-c-gsmDXe-dTGBTO-placement-ActnBar foc-highlight"><svg xmlns=" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 16 16" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp wpds-c-fBqPWp-idCxsxc-css " aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img"><path fill="currentColor" d="M8 .6v3.8h.1c-4.4 0-7.3 4.5-6.9 8.8.1.8.2 1.2.2 1.2l.2 1 .4-1.3c.8-2 2-4 6.2-3.9H8v4l7-6.9L8 .6Zm1 11.3V9.3h-.9c-3 0-4.8.5-6.2 2.9.5-3.3 2.7-6.8 6.2-6.8H9V3l4.5 4.4L9 11.9Z"></path></svg></button></div><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Share</span></div></div><div class="wpds-c-mfMEg"><div class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-hnjNCH wpds-c-kSOqLF-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hZSyid-isOutle-te wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-futx-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-eNNUQD-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-jGqLyO-cv"><button aria-label="Comment" class="wpds-c-gPbxFP"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="var(--wpds-lors-primary)" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-kKAfCG wpds-c-efqEZa flex ems-center jtify-center brad-lg poter transn-400 ease--out transn-lors" aria-label="Comment on this story"><tle>Comment on this story</tle><path d="M14 14V2H2v9.47h8.18L12.43 13ZM3 10.52V3h10v9.23l-2.5-1.66Z"></path></svg></button><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Comment</span><span class="wpds-c-fOvfhP wpds-c-fOvfhP-kshkDy-isCommentType-te none" aria-hidn="te"><span class="ment-unt font-xxxxs sc-ral-unt"><span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div><div class="teaser-ntent grid-center"><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Pope Francis livered a disappotment to Catholic LGBT muni Monday, wh a cree reaffirmg that prits should not bls same-sex unns.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The move stood ntrast to the pontiff’s <a href=" target=_blank>past statements</a> llg for the legalizatn of same-sex unns and urgg cln — part of a shift toward an crementally more welg tone toward gay people the church.</p></div></div><div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class=" mb-md hi-for-prt" data-qa="subscribe-promo"><div data-orientatn="horizontal" role="separator" class="wpds-c-dbVHzF wpds-c-dbVHzF-hDkAcj-variant-flt"></div><a class="pt-sm pb-sm flex ems-center bold font-xxxs font-xxs-ns offblack hover-blue-bright jtify-between" href=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="text-ratn:none;borr:none"><span class="mr-xs flex ems-center"><span class="ml-xs">Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latt updat on Rsia’s war Ukrae.</span></span><svg class="ntent-box" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 16 16" xmlns=" style="transn:right .2s;posn:relative;right:4px;fill:#2a2a2a" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img"><tle>ArrowRight</tle><path d="M7.664 1.25l6 6a1 1 0 010 1.414l-6 6L6.25 13.25 10.499 9H2V7h8.585L6.25 2.664 7.664 1.25z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg></a><div data-orientatn="horizontal" role="separator" class="wpds-c-dbVHzF wpds-c-dbVHzF-hDkAcj-variant-flt"></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The more nciliatory rhetoric has stopped short of doctral chang. Monday’s proclamatn labeled same-sex unns as “illic” and “not orred to the Creator’s plans.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">As the pope charts the church’s urse on LGBT issu, he mt navigate precipo divis. Acrdg to the <a href=">Pew Rearch Center</a>, the Uned Stat, about 60 percent of Catholics supported same-sex marriage as of 2019. The level of support is even higher across much of Wtern Europe. In the Netherlands, Belgium, Bra and Spa, more than three-quarters of Catholics support same-sex marriage.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">But Eastern Europe — particularly Baltic untri — a signifint majory of Catholics oppose same-sex marriage. In Bosnia and Ukrae, ls than 10 percent of Catholics are favor of same-sex marriage.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Another 2019 Pew survey found a wi ternatnal spl over social acceptance of homosexualy. In Argenta, where Francis was born, 80 percent of Catholics said society should be acceptg of homosexualy. In Lebanon, 14 percent said so.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">There are 29 untri or terrori where same-sex marriage is legal, acrdg to <a href=" target=_blank>the Human Rights Campaign</a>. Those plac are mostly Wtern Europe or the Ameris, also regns where opn and social support of the LGBT muny is high.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">While membership the Catholic Church <a href=" target="_blank">Europe</a> and the <a href=" target="_blank">Uned Stat</a> is clg, is growg parts of <a href=" target="_blank">Ai</a> and <a href=" target="_blank">Asia</a> — plac where the pope’s sentiments of sympathy for LGBT Catholics may not be as wily weled as they often are among liberal Catholics the Wt.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div id="gift-share-le" data-ttid="gift-share-le" class="PJLV PJLV-ilotWTr-css hi-for-prt"><button aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-ntrols="gift-share-drawer" role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Share this article" id="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-le" data-ttid="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-le" class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-gsmDXe wpds-c-gsmDXe-goNocI-placement-Inle foc-highlight"><div data-ttid="gift-share-terstial-trigger" class="wpds-c-kPqOkS wpds-c-kPqOkS-jtSXsT-hasSubsText-false"><span class="wpds-c-hBJqc"><span class="wpds-c-dzSncg">Share this article</span></span><span class="wpds-c-eCvK"><span class="wpds-c-enedHQ wpds-c-enedHQ-cCdK-isShown-false">Share</span><svg xmlns=" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 16 16" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp wpds-c-fDHGth"><path fill="currentColor" d="M8 .6v3.8h.1c-4.4 0-7.3 4.5-6.9 8.8.1.8.2 1.2.2 1.2l.2 1 .4-1.3c.8-2 2-4 6.2-3.9H8v4l7-6.9L8 .6Zm1 11.3V9.3h-.9c-3 0-4.8.5-6.2 2.9.5-3.3 2.7-6.8 6.2-6.8H9V3l4.5 4.4L9 11.9Z"></path></svg></span></div></button></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Francis “has to look at the global church. And there are certa regns the world where if he had said, ‘Yeah, let’s do this,’ they would be schismatic at this pot,” said Gerard J. McGlone, a senr rearch fellow at Geetown Universy’s Berkley Center for Relign, Peace and World Affairs.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Those seekg chang the church have long enuntered this divisn. “Ain Catholics or Christians the Middle East h the roof when someone says that same-sex partnerships should be equal to marriage,” Theo Hipp, a prit based the German cy of Mannheim, <a href=" target="_blank">told Dtsche Welle last year</a>. German bishops have been nductg a<a href=" target="_blank"> multiyear reevaluatn</a> of the Catholic Church’s stanc on practic cludg celibacy, women learship and homosexualy — much to the chagr of the stutn’s more nservative members.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">When the pope traveled to Ai 2019, his fourth vis to the ntent — which has the fastt-growg Catholic populatn the world — sce beg pontiff 2013, he preached awarens of poverty, climate change and passn for refuge. Adorg crowds weled him Madagasr, Mri and Mozambique.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“I thk Ai is where the future is really” for the Catholic Church, Nilette Manglos-Weber, assistant profsor of relign and society at Boston Universy’s School of Theology, <a href=" target=_blank>told the BBC</a>. She add that the church provis “a social stutn that provis a lot of support and secury plac where prer livg is very mon and wispread.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">But many untri Ai still enforce lonial-era laws that bar same-sex relatns or marriage. South Ai remas the only natn on the ntent where same-sex marriage is legal, after Parliament approved the practice 2006. And Nigeria, Ai’s most populo untry, only 6 percent of Catholics say they are acceptg of homosexualy, <a href=" target=_blank>acrdg to Pew</a>.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“He’s the lear of a universal church, not jt the [church of the] Uned Stat or France,” McGlone said of the pope. “So he has to take to nsiratn all the views, and varyg unrstandg of sexualy.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Still, many liberal Catholics said they felt betrayed by Monday’s remarks.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive director of DignyUSA, the Uned Stat’ largt spirual muny of gay Catholics, <a href=" target=_blank>told The Washgton Post</a> is “hard for a lot of people to unrstand jt how far removed the church is om human rights advanc that are beg ma the rt of society.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Others were unsurprised.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“This isn’t a wafflg back-and-forth om Pope Francis,” said Steve Whe, a fellow the Catholic Studi Program at the Ethics and Public Policy Center Washgton. “This is totally nsistent wh statements like ‘Who am I to judge?’ People who don’t see that are misunrstandg the pope.”</p></div><div class="wpds-c-ipATMk wpds-c-ipATMk-hCiGAB-removeMobileStyl-te"><div class="wpds-c-dhzjXW wpds-c-dhzjXW-iPJLV-css overriStyl mt-md tt"><div id="gift-share-end" data-ttid="gift-share-end" class="PJLV PJLV-idiqKOk-css hi-for-prt"><button aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-ntrols="gift-share-drawer" role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Share this article" id="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-end" data-ttid="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-end" class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-gsmDXe wpds-c-gsmDXe-iIVoLq-placement-Shortcut foc-highlight"><div class="wpds-c-UazGY" 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pope francis and gay marriage

The Uned Stat this past June did somethg that the Catholic Church and the Vatin have for years railed agast: granted marriage equaly to s gay and lbian cizens. Yet, Pope Francis had nothg to say about . Not then and not now.

Contents:

THE POPE’S ‘SHOCKG’ STATEMENT ON GAY MARRIAGE IS G AN UPROAR AMONG CATHOLICS

LGBTQ+ advot hail Pope’s rejectn of sexual orientatn as crime and ll to bishops to rist anti-gay laws as ‘tone’ * pope francis and gay marriage *

Image source, RtersImage ptn, Pope Francis' statements are a parture om prev ments about LGBT rightsPope Francis has said that he thks same-sex upl should be allowed to have "civil unns" ma the ments, which observers say are his cleart remarks yet on gay relatnships, a documentary directed by Evgeny Afeevsky. " He add that he "stood up for that", apparently referrg to his time as Archbishop of Buenos Air when, although opposg same-sex marriag law, he supported some legal protectns for same-sex film Franc, about the life and work of Pope Francis, premiered as part of the Rome Film well as the Pope's ments on civil unns, the film also shows him enuragg two gay men to attend church wh their three Francis's bgrapher, Aten Ivereigh, told the BBC he was "not surprised" by the latt ments.

POPE FRANCIS WON’T BUDGE ON GAY MARRIAGE: “MARRIAGE IS MARRIAGE”

The Vatin said Pope Francis' remarks were taken out of ntext but still nfirmed the pontiff's belief that gay upl should enjoy legal protectns. * pope francis and gay marriage *

"Unr current Catholic doctre, gay relatnships are referred to as "viant behavur" 2003, the Vatin's doctral body, the Congregatn for the Doctre of the Fah, said that "rpect for homosexual persons nnot lead any way to approval of homosexual behavur or to legal regnn of homosexual unns" words but no sign of doctral changeThe remarks have set tongu waggg among Vatin-watchers - and they mark Francis's cleart support for the issue sce beg Pope. " he 2014 was reported that Pope Francis had exprsed support for civil unns for same-sex partners an terview, but the Holy See's prs office nied 2018, Pope Francis said he was "worried" about homosexualy the clergy, and that was "a ser matter" on this story. Followg Pope Francis’s announcement clarg support for civil unn laws for same-sex upl, which breaks wh tradnal Catholic valu that oppose homosexual relatnships, the lear has garnered both cricism and support om people all over the world.

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has clarified his recent ments about homosexualy and s, sayg he was merely referrg to official Catholic moral teachg that teach that any sexual act outsi of marriage is a a note Friday, Francis relled that even that black-and-whe teachg is subject to circumstanc that might elimate the s altogether. -based Outreach mistry for LGBTQ Catholics, asked Francis for clarifitn and prted the pope’s handwrten rponse on the Outreach webse late his note, Francis reaffirmed that homosexualy “is not a crime, ” and said he spoke out “ orr to strs that crimalizatn is neher good nor jt. ”“If they want to spend their liv together, a homosexual uple, natns have the possibily civilly to support them, to give them safety wh regards to herance and health, ” he the subject of civil unns, Francis suggted that wing the spe of who n receive partner benefs uld benef many groups of people.

POPE FRANCIS SAYS HOMOSEXUALY "IS NOT A CRIME," BUT GAY SEX IS "A S"

* pope francis and gay marriage *

Stat still have laws agast sodomy, spe the Supreme Court clarg them unnstutnal pope said that some bishops om untri that crimalize homosexualy support the laws bee they're part of the lol culture, and he lled on those bishops to unrgo a procs of "nversn, " orr to wele LGBQT people to their mistry "wh tenrns. Gay rights advot say the antiquated laws are ed to jtify harassment, and pot to new legislatn, such as the “Don’t say gay” law Florida, which forbids stctn on sexual orientatn and genr inty om krgarten up to third gra, as evince of ntued efforts to margalise LGBTQ+ UN has repeatedly lled for an end to laws crimalisg homosexualy outright, sayg they vlate rights to privacy and eedom om discrimatn and are a breach of untri’ obligatns unr ternatnal law to protect the human rights of all people, regardls of their sexual orientatn or genr inty.

Some Catholic bishops have strongly upheld them as nsistent wh Vatin teachg, while others have lled for them to be overturned as a vlatn of basic human Tuday, Francis said there need to be a distctn between a crime and a s wh regard to homosexualy.

POPE FRANCIS LLS FOR END TO ANTI-GAY LAWS AND LGBTQ+ WELE OM CHURCH

But he has ma reachg out to LGBTQ+ people a hallmark of his pope’s ments didn’t specifilly addrs transgenr or nonbary people, jt homosexualy, but advot of greater LGBTQ+ cln the Catholic Church hailed the pope’s ments as a momento advance.

ROME — The Vatin says Pope Francis’ ments on gay civil unns were taken out of ntext a documentary that spliced together parts of an old terview, but still nfirmed Francis’ belief that gay upl should enjoy legal Vatin secretariat of state issued guidance to ambassadors to expla the uproar that Francis’ ments created followg the Oct. “More than a year ago, durg an terview, Pope Francis answered two different qutns at two different tim that, the aforementned documentary, were eded and published as a sgle answer whout proper ntextualizatn, which has led to nfn, ” said the guidance posted by the film, Afeevsky reunts the story of Andrea Rubera, a married gay Catholic who wrote Francis askg for his advice about brgg to the church his three young children wh his was an anguished qutn, given that the Catholic Church teach that gay people mt be treated wh digny and rpect but that homosexual acts are “trsilly disorred. ” The church also holds that marriage is an dissoluble unn between man and woman, and as a rult, gay marriage is the end, Rubera reunts how Francis urged him to approach his parish transparently and brg the children up the fah, which he did.

WHAT POPE FRANCIS REALLY SAID ABOUT (GAY) MARRIAGE -- AND WHAT HE DID NOT

Francis was not endorsg the right of gay upl to adopt children, even though the placement of the quote right after Rubera told his story ma seem that Francis pope’s ments about gay civil unns me om a different part of the Televisa terview and clud several veats that were not clud the the Televisa terview, Francis ma clear he was explag his posn about the unique se Buenos Air 10 years ago, as opposed to Rubera’s suatn or gay marriage as a the Televisa terview, Francis also sisted that he always mataed Catholic doctre and said there was an “ngy” for the Catholic Church as far as “homosexual marriage” is documentary elimated that Televisa footage is available onle, and clus an awkward cut right after Francis spoke about the “ngy” of homosexual marriage.

But don’t expla how his support for extendg Argente legal protectns to gay upl 2010 uld be squared wh the 2003 document om the Congregatn for the Doctre of the Fah, which says “the prcipl of rpect and non-discrimatn nnot be voked to support legal regnn of homosexual unns.

Consirg that Pope Benedict often volly exprsed harsh nmnatn of marriage equaly -- even travelg to Spa to speak out agast when that untry was among the first to legalize marriage for gays and lbians and lled a "threat to the future of humany"-- 's astonishg how silent Francis is on the issue. Yet this same culture prents others wh so many optns that they too are dissuad om startg a off, go whout sayg that gay and lbian people are a part of fai and have fai, and many are parents and raise children -- and Francis knows this bee he has met wh gay activists who are married and who have children. So if he meant that the other "optns" that are offered the "culture" today which are "dissuadg" people om "startg a fay" clu the abily to live as out gay people -- and 's possible he did -- then 's pretty weak and he tentnally didn't make his se wh clary.

OPENLY GAY CATHOLIC PRIT DISCS POPE FRANCIS' APPEAL FOR LGBTQ PROTECTNS

Francis was, after all, speakg to the legislative body that uld do somethg about -- and which is tryg to, wh Republins havg troduced the od First Amendment Defense Act, which would allow clerks like Kim Davis and bakers and florists and others to ny servic to gay and lbian upl. " That sounds more like someone promotg social programs to help the poor and stop gun-vlence than someone tryg to end same-sex, this is the head of a a church that has for years nmned gays as "trsilly disorred" (and still do, s doctre) and has seen marriage equaly as harmg the culture.

We'll know for sure a uple of so far, the pope at bt spoke -- as when, durg his addrs at the Whe Hoe, and soundg like Republin polil ndidat, he talked of fendg "relig liberty" the ntext of also protectg people agast discrimatn -- and at worst (for anti-gay nservativ, of urse) he pletely dodged the issue durg his addrs to Congrs, focg stead on other forc plagug the fay. And so this ll for the civil regnn and protectn of gay civil unns, 's really an affirmatn of the humany of gay and lbian persons - that he's sayg that bee gay and lbian persons are human begs, that society, that the state, that ernments have an obligatn and a duty to protect their basic human Do extendg the right to a civil unn and acknowledgg that LGBTQ people should be allowed to have a partner their life through a civil unn and a fay - do that mean children?

Now, may seem to be a semantic difference, but I thk what the pope is sayg is that he is not opposed to the legal regnn of fay life and the right for gay and lbian persons to raise and have As a gay Catholic yourself, I mean, as a man of fah, as a Catholic, is somehow ls signifint, I would image, a civil unn than beg able to be married the church? And what the pope is dog wh this kd of claratn - he's clearly puttg the Catholic Church on the si of agast the crimalizatn of behavr and favor of protectg the human digny of gay and lbian But help me unrstand this bee 's my unrstandg that the Catholic Church still nsirs homosexualy to be a s, not somethg that should be enuraged a liftyle.

VATIN SAYS PRITS N'T BLS GAY UPL. WHY DID POPE FRANCIS APPROVE THIS CREE?

Siarly, German Cardal Rehard Marx of Munich and Freisg, who serv on Francis' uncil of rdal advisers, has said that gay upl n receive a blsg om the church " the sense of pastoral re, " though he sought to distguish om the same blsg the church offers to married upl, sayg, "The sacrament of marriage is aimed at a fahful relatnship between a man and a woman that is open to children.

POPE FRANCIS CONMNG GAY MARRIAGE BANS HIGHLIGHTS CATHOLIC 'CIVIL WAR'

Yet Hornbeck, who is gay and married the Epispal Church, said that "the one thg he has not done durg that perd of time is to make any adjtments or really even gture towards ncrete adjtments the Catholic Church's teachgs towards same-sex sexualy or LGBTQ issu when to moral theology.

Siarly, Natalia Imperatori-Lee, a profsor of relig studi at Manhattan College who specializ sexualy and theology, said that Francis "has done a lot to move away om the 'herently disorred' language" that Catholic theology has tradnally ed to scribe homosexual persons. Pope Francis livered a disappotment to Catholic LGBT muni Monday, wh a cree reaffirmg that prits should not bls same-sex move stood ntrast to the pontiff’s past statements llg for the legalizatn of same-sex unns and urgg cln — part of a shift toward an crementally more welg tone toward gay people the more nciliatory rhetoric has stopped short of doctral chang.

German bishops have been nductg a multiyear reevaluatn of the Catholic Church’s stanc on practic cludg celibacy, women learship and homosexualy — much to the chagr of the stutn’s more nservative the pope traveled to Ai 2019, his fourth vis to the ntent — which has the fastt-growg Catholic populatn the world — sce beg pontiff 2013, he preached awarens of poverty, climate change and passn for refuge.

EXCLUSIVE: TAYLOR MARSHALL SAYS POPE FRANCIS MAY CHANGE POSN OF CATHOLIC CHURCH ON GAY MARRIAGE

Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive director of DignyUSA, the Uned Stat’ largt spirual muny of gay Catholics, told The Washgton Post is “hard for a lot of people to unrstand jt how far removed the church is om human rights advanc that are beg ma the rt of society. ” His ongog support for civil unns has been as an alternative to gay marriage, not a bridge toward ntext, pecially listeng to the rt of the clip, seems the pope is discsg gay people’s fay of orig, rebg parents who reject their gay children. Catholic teachg forbids same-sex marriage but not same-sex love — the venant of David and Jonathan, the promis of Ruth and Naomi, the vows of iendship taken by Wtern Christian pairs, godparentg relatnships and even tentnal muni such as the Catholic Worker, we see forms of love and kship that don’t require marriage or no, the pope do not support gay marriage; those who believe the latt clips dite a change of his stance will be disappoted.

What surprised and lighted many gay people, both outsi and wh the church, was the possibily that he would speak about our longgs posive of who seek to obey the Catholic teachg have had to learn, wh more hdrance than help om our hierarchy, how to exprs our longgs for love and home harmony wh our fah. Pope Francis took one of his strongt posns yet agast legislatn around the world that crimaliz homosexualy or otherwise discrimat agast LGBTQ dividuals Tuday, seemgly ditg that the learship of the Catholic Church—long divid over the qutn of s posn toward the muny—was begng to take a firmer posn of solidary wh the LGBTQ muny. "Beg homosexual isn't a crime, " Francis said durg an exclive terview wh the Associated Prs published Francis still referred to homosexualy the ntext of "s, " the ments were ld by many who saw the ments as one of the first public steps by a Catholic pope to affirm the relign's acceptance of members of the LGBTQ muny who have long felt maligned by the Catholic tradn.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* POPE FRANCIS AND GAY MARRIAGE

Openly Gay Catholic Prit Discs Pope Francis' Appeal For LGBTQ Protectns : NPR .

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