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Pope Francis Speaks
Jul. 29th, 2013 04:58 pmThe Pope gave a press conference on the way back to Rome from Rio de Janeiro. He said some amazing things, among which was a rejection of the condemnation of gay people.
The interesting thing is that what he is saying is nothing different from what the Church has been saying for decades. So it's not what he said, it's how he said it. There was no mention of "intrinsically disordered", nothing about "love the sinner, hate the sin". In fact, he didn't mention sex at any time.
There's a lot of talk about the gay lobby, but I've never seen it on the Vatican ID card.
When I meet a gay person, I have to distinguish between their being gay and being part of a lobby. If they accept the Lord and have goodwill, who am I to judge them? They shouldn't be marginalized. The tendency [to homosexuality] is not the problem ... they're our brothers.
Picking this apart, it seems that Francis is moving away from blanket condemnations and accusations of sinfulness specific to being gay. What he is saying is that gay people, like all people, should not be judged or marginalised.
What does it bode for the future? First, I expect that gay men will no longer be discriminated against in admissions to seminaries. Benedict was mortally afraid of homosexuality in the clergy. Francis doesn't seem to be afraid of it at all. This is good. It seems that well-adjusted, pastoral, prayerful people don't have anything to fear about the formation process.
Second, I do not expect the Church to relax its prohibition of gay marriage, at least not right away. I would expect that Francis might commission some study of what it means to be gay and a member of the Church.
Third, I expect that Francis will crack down hard on pedophilia and betrayal of the pastoral bond through seduction by priests and religious. However, relationships between adults who are not in a pastoral relationship don't seem to bother him much.
Francis also commented on divorced and remarried Catholics.
This theme always comes up ... I believe this is a time of mercy, a change of epoch. It's a kairos moment for mercy ... In terms of Communion for those who have divorced and remarried, it has to be seen within the larger pastoral context of marriage. When the council of eight cardinals meets Oct. 1-3, one of the things they'll consider is how to move forward with the pastoral care of marriage. Also, just 15 days ago or so, I met the secretary of the Synod of Bishops, and maybe it will also focus on the pastoral care of marriage. It's complicated.
This is indeed pointing toward a ground-breaking change of some sort. Popes don't say things like this unless they are preparing to do something about them. Whether this means the full admission of divorced/remarried Catholics to communion is problematic. The Orthodox do it, and most Protestants do as well.
So hopeful words from the Pope. Let's see whether the Curia will frustrate them or not.
The interesting thing is that what he is saying is nothing different from what the Church has been saying for decades. So it's not what he said, it's how he said it. There was no mention of "intrinsically disordered", nothing about "love the sinner, hate the sin". In fact, he didn't mention sex at any time.
There's a lot of talk about the gay lobby, but I've never seen it on the Vatican ID card.
When I meet a gay person, I have to distinguish between their being gay and being part of a lobby. If they accept the Lord and have goodwill, who am I to judge them? They shouldn't be marginalized. The tendency [to homosexuality] is not the problem ... they're our brothers.
Picking this apart, it seems that Francis is moving away from blanket condemnations and accusations of sinfulness specific to being gay. What he is saying is that gay people, like all people, should not be judged or marginalised.
What does it bode for the future? First, I expect that gay men will no longer be discriminated against in admissions to seminaries. Benedict was mortally afraid of homosexuality in the clergy. Francis doesn't seem to be afraid of it at all. This is good. It seems that well-adjusted, pastoral, prayerful people don't have anything to fear about the formation process.
Second, I do not expect the Church to relax its prohibition of gay marriage, at least not right away. I would expect that Francis might commission some study of what it means to be gay and a member of the Church.
Third, I expect that Francis will crack down hard on pedophilia and betrayal of the pastoral bond through seduction by priests and religious. However, relationships between adults who are not in a pastoral relationship don't seem to bother him much.
Francis also commented on divorced and remarried Catholics.
This theme always comes up ... I believe this is a time of mercy, a change of epoch. It's a kairos moment for mercy ... In terms of Communion for those who have divorced and remarried, it has to be seen within the larger pastoral context of marriage. When the council of eight cardinals meets Oct. 1-3, one of the things they'll consider is how to move forward with the pastoral care of marriage. Also, just 15 days ago or so, I met the secretary of the Synod of Bishops, and maybe it will also focus on the pastoral care of marriage. It's complicated.
This is indeed pointing toward a ground-breaking change of some sort. Popes don't say things like this unless they are preparing to do something about them. Whether this means the full admission of divorced/remarried Catholics to communion is problematic. The Orthodox do it, and most Protestants do as well.
So hopeful words from the Pope. Let's see whether the Curia will frustrate them or not.
