Pope Francis made headlines Monday morning when he boldly declared that it wasn’t his place to “judge” gays, saying, “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge them?”
The Pope’s statement showed a sharp departure from the policies his predecessor, Pope Benedict, who signed a document in 2005 saying that men with “deep-rooted homosexual tendencies” should not be ordained as priests. In a candid interview with reporters on his flight home from a successful first trip abroad to World Youth Day in Brazil, Francis spoke on a number of other issues. He reaffirmed the Church’s teachings on such issues as homosexuality and abortion while simultaneously showing that he is open to making necessary changes for the modern Church.
Pope Francis clarified that Catholic Church does not condemn homosexuality itself as a sin, only homosexual acts. He said that gay clergymen must be welcomed into the Church.
“The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains this very well,” declared Francis. “It says they should not be marginalized because of this but that they must be integrated into society.”
The Pope also answered questions on other hot-button issues in the Church, such as its stance on divorce and the ordination of women. He acknowledged that there must be a bigger role available for women in the Church, but that female priests were out of the question: “…the Church has spoken and says no… That door is closed.”
On the issue of divorce, however, Francis indicated that practices such as forbidding divorcees from receiving Communion could possibly be eradicated. “I believe this is a time of mercy, a change of epoch,” he said. This same conciliatory tone was the major theme of the interview, proving that the Catholic Church’s first Jesuit Pope is not afraid to tackle controversial issues and attempt to reform the Church without departing from its theological roots.
Pope Francis, elected in March after Pope Benedict’s unprecedented resignation, is the Catholic Church’s first Pope from the Americas. Hailing from Argentina, the Latin American Pope’s visit to Brazil, which culminated with an enormous Mass at Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach, set off a flurry of excitement from the Catholic community there. The Brazilian military sent in reinforcements to enhance the pontiff’s security detail given the frenzy.
While the Pope acknowledged his appreciation for concern over his safety, he said, “I prefer the risks of the madness outside, to be close to the people.” Both his words and actions throughout the trip strongly support this statement and indicate that Pope Francis is likely to follow the path of the beloved Pope John Paul II, whose penchant for world traveling and mingling among his people made him wildly popular.
On the plane back to Rome, Francis affirmed the success of his first big trip: “I’m happy. It has been a beautiful trip, spiritually speaking; it has been good to me. I’m tired enough but with a heart full of joy.”
