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Pope Francis, in his first public appearance since December 18, defended a landmark decision that approved blessings for same-sex couples. He suggested that the Catholic Church jumped to ‘ugly conclusions’ and its resistance was based on misunderstandings, reported Reuters.
The Vatican, in a landmark ruling on December 18, allowed Roman Catholic priests to administer their blessings to same-sex couples as long as they did not become a part of regular Church liturgies or rituals. A huge debate was sparked after this, which led to debates among African bishops who did not allow their priests to implement it.
Francis made his first public comments on the decision in a television interview aired on Italy’s Channel 9. When questioned about the December declaration, he said, “Sometimes decisions are not accepted, but in most cases, when decisions are not accepted, it is because they are not understood.”
“The danger is that if I don’t like something and I put it (the opposition) in my heart, I become a resistance and jump to ugly conclusions,” he added.
Referring to the declaration ‘Fiducia Supplicans’, issued by the Vatican’s doctrinal department which was approved by him, he said, “This is what happened with these latest decisions on blessings for all.”
Ever since the declaration was made, the Vatican has stressed the fact that the blessings did not approve of gay sex and should not be viewed as the equivalent of a sacrament of marriage for heterosexual couples, according to Reuters.
However, these clarifications from the Vatican’s doctrinal department did not suffice, as the African bishops were not convinced by them. There are some countries on the African continent where same-sex activity is a punishable offence and can even lead to the death penalty, added Reuters.
The bishops also issued a letter last week that stated that the December declaration has caused “unrest in the minds of many.” It also said that the declaration could not be applied due to differences in the continent’s cultural values.
The bishops in France informed the priests that they could not bless gay couples, but they could extend their blessings to gay individuals.
The Church does not promote gay sex and calls it sinful and disordered. It urges people with same-sex attractions to be chaste, and the pope hinted at this in his response.
According to Reuters, Pope Francis further said, “But then people have to enter into a dialogue with the blessing of the Lord and see the path that the Lord proposes. We (the Church) have to take them by the hand and lead them along that path and not condemn them from the start”.
Pope Francis has been trying to make the Church and its 1.35 billion members more welcoming to people from LGBTQ community without changing the moral doctrine at the same time.
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