On Sunday, Pope Francis defended the recent approval to bless same-sex unions, implying that critics within the Church may be reacting harshly due to misunderstanding.
In a TV interview, Pope Francis spoke publicly for the first time after his Dec 18 statement caused major discussions among church leaders, with some African bishops not allowing its enforcement by priests.
“Sometimes decisions are not accepted, but in most cases when decisions are not accepted, it is because they are not understood,” Pope Francis said.
“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 said during a broadcast with Italy’s Che Tempo Che Fa on Channel 9.
“This is what happened with these latest decisions on blessings for all,” he said, referring to the statement, “Fiducia Supplicans” meaning “Supplicating Trust”, sanctioned by him and released by the Vatican’s doctrinal office.
The Vatican has emphasized that offering blessings is not an endorsement of homosexual acts and should not be compared to the traditional marriage sacrament.
Same-sex blessings declaration misunderstood – Pope Francis
Despite the Vatican’s doctrinal office issuing an explanation recently, bishops in Africa, where being in a same-sex relationship can result in jail or death, remained unmoved.
Last week, a letter was sent stating the December announcement led to widespread concern and was unworkable due to the cultural setting of the region. In France, some bishops instructed priests to bless gay people but not partnerships.
The Church views homosexual acts as morally wrong and urges those attracted to the same sex to practice chastity; the Pope seemed to reference this in his reply.
“The Lord blesses everyone,” Francis 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.”
Since becoming Pope in 2013, Francis has worked to open the Church’s doors to its 1.35 billion followers, including LGBT individuals, while keeping its core moral beliefs unchanged.
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