Pope Francis made some sweeping and one might say presumptuous statements this past Sunday which have caused more traditional Catholics to wonder whether their church will survive the often off-the-cuff remarks of the pontiff.
Following the lead of Cardinal Reinhard Marx, who seemed to be testing the waters for a statement on LGBT relations with the church and beyond, the Pope made the following observations:
“I repeat what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says: that they must not be discriminated against, that they must be respected and accompanied pastorally,” Francis said at a press conference aboard the papal plane returning from Armenia.
“The Church must ask forgiveness for not behaving many times — when I say the Church, I mean Christians! The Church is holy, we are sinners!”
“I believe that the church not only should apologize to the person who is gay whom it has offended,” he added, “but has to apologize to the poor, to exploited women, to children exploited for labor; it has to ask forgiveness for having blessed many weapons.”
Francis first uttered that rhetorical question — Who am I to judge gay people? — in 2013, also during a news conference on the papal plane. His comments were hailed as a breakthrough for a church that has historically condemned homosexuality, often in harsh terms. Francis has not changed church doctrine that calls homosexual acts sinful, but he has shown a more merciful approach to people on the margins, including gays and lesbians.
A leading cardinal of the Catholic Church, one who is part of a council to help advise Pope Francis, preceded the pontiffs remarks at a different venue, saying that the church should apologize to gays and lesbians for the “scandalous and terrible treatment” inflicted on them for many years by the church and its members. Cardinal Reinhard Marx stated that “the history of homosexuals in our societies is very bad because we’ve done a lot to marginalize [them].”
It is worth wondering if the social changes in society and the drifting of membership has caused a new perspective in the church.
Cardinals comments question Church position on gays and lesbians, page 2:
this guy is a joke
With all respect, jesus is YOUR truth, not THE truth for all.
Believe as you wish but stating jesus is the only truth is just incorrect and frankly disrespectful to folks who believe differently. Your statement comes across arrogant and quite rude.
Live and let live. 🙂
No, the church teaches the word of God! Muslims need to apologize because they hate gays and want to kill them, Christians love gay people and pray they repent that they might be saved. You need to read your bible Francis
I do not think so. Have you gotten so far away from the teachings of the Bible you do not believe its lessons? How about the Ten Commandments? Is the Catholic Church going to reject them next?
I think we all agree, this man is an imposter.
LMAO!!! Being molested doesn’t automatically make kids think they’re gay.
If they are wired to be gay then being molested won’t change that.
I worked for years with children who were sexually abused and only one child expressed concern if the abuse would “turn them gay”. I assured him that no matter who he likes it has NOTHING to do with the abuse or abuser. I reminded him it was not his fault and he was dirty nor unworthy of respect.
Hatred and labeling people as “sinners” is not helpful. Keep your comments to yourself if you cannot be respectful of the feeling of others. Especially children.
Please Holy Father, Jesus teaches us to love all, stop the socialist and PC / BS.
Sir you are a joke and I think you might be a Peter Puffer
I don’t think he knows what the Bible is
Every time this Pope speaks I think I am living in an alternative universe.