Rome gay rights group: Pope Francis is ‘ahead of many politicians’ on gay issues
Rome’s Gay Center has said that the Pope is starting “a revolution” of open-mindedness towards gay issues, and that he as “ahead of many politicians” on such issues.
Responding was Fabrizio Marrazzo, a spokesman for the Gay Center, who said: “In these recent years, we have been accustomed to punitive (references) towards homosexual people by the Church.”
He said that only time would tell whether the comments represent more long-term changes of attitude in the church. He did continue, however, that they presented a potential for a dialog
“The words of Pope Francis are an opening to a new way of understanding the relationship between Catholic doctrine and life of people,” added Marrazzo. But “surely this Pope is ahead of many Italian politicians who refer to the Catholic tradition [as justification] to attack gays”.
It was a departure from a more strident tone – if not in doctrinal position – as he also referred to the Catholic Church’s universal Catechism, which states that while being gay is not sinful, homosexual acts are.
“A person once asked me, in a provocative manner, if I approved of homosexuality,” Pope Francis told La Civiltà Cattolica – after being asked about July’s comments. “I replied with another question: ‘Tell me: when God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love, or reject and condemn this person?’ We must always consider the person.”
