by PHILIP PULLELLA
Published on the 29 July 2013
AFP
POPE Francis, in some of the most compassionate words from any pontiff on gays, said they should not be judged or marginalised and should be integrated into society, but he reaffirmed Church teaching that homosexual acts are a sin.
In a broad-ranging 80-minute conversation with journalists on the plane bringing him back from a week-long visit to Brazil, Francis also said the Roman Catholic Church’s ban on women priests was definitive, although he would like them to have more leadership roles in administration and pastoral activities.
Francis defended gays from discrimination in what was his first news conference since being elected pontiff in March, but also referred to the Catholic Church’s universal Catechism, which says that while homosexual orientation is not sinful, homosexual acts are.
“If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge him?” the pope said.
“The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains this very well. It says they should not be marginalized because of this (orientation) but that they must be integrated into society,” he said, speaking in Italian.
“The problem is not having this orientation. We must be brothers. The problem is lobbying by this orientation, or lobbies of greedy people, political lobbies, Masonic lobbies, so many lobbies. This is the worse problem,” he said.
Francis was answering a question about reports of a “gay lobby” in the Vatican.
“You see a lot written about the gay lobby. I still have not seen anyone in the Vatican with an identity card saying they are gay,” he joked.
Addressing the issue of women priests, the pope said, “The Church has spoken and says ‘no’ … that door is closed.” It was the first time he had spoken in public on the subject.
“We cannot limit the role of women in the Church to altar girls or the president of a charity, there must be more …,” he said in answer to a question during a remarkably frank conversation with Vatican journalists.
“But with regards to the ordination of women, the Church has spoken and says no. Pope John Paul said so with a formula that was definitive. That door is closed,” he said referring to a document by the late pontiff which said the ban was part of the infallible teaching of the Church.
The Church teaches that it cannot ordain women because Jesus willingly chose only men as his apostles. Advocates of a female priesthood say he was acting according to the customs of his times.
Many in the Church, even those who oppose a female priesthood, say women should be given leadership roles in the Church and the Vatican administration.
Goodness ... even the leftists at AFP don't support the notion that +Francis is supporting faggotry.
Such talk bugs me... why is this pope using the misleading name created by these grim buggerers who rejoice in iniquity? Or are they altering this pope's words (shame on the media then)?
Context. What a concept!
I wonder if anyone will read your post, and then admit that the “philly dot com” article led them to believe falsehood.
Scripture is clear on the role of women in the church that they should not have authority over men.
It is not popular these days to oppose women clergy but it is in opposition to clear Biblical teaching.
I have no problem with women teaching other women, or with women who are technically *ordained* for the purpose of doing visitation in hospitals where visitors have often been restricted to clergy.
should be integrated into society
he reaffirmed Church teaching that homosexual acts are a sin
I still am made extremely uncomfortable by these statements. It seems as though he is talking out of both sides of his mouth. His position seems way too accommodating: Like, we know what you're doing is wrong but we'll kind of overlook the sin part for now 'cuz we so badly want you in our pews and our social gatherings. Would he say this to pedophiles, also? Abortionists? Who am I to judge these people's hearts? /s The truth is these people are emissaries of Satan and you can't make deals with the devil or invite him for an informal get-together without serious consequences. Any movement toward them indicates acceptance and advances their agenda. The only correct Catholic position is to proscribe the sinful acts absolutely and then talk assimilation.
I'm teetering on the sedevacantist fence right now, as usual (for the last 50 years).
Addressing the issue of women priests, the pope said, “The Church has spoken and says ‘no’ … that door is closed.” It was the first time he had spoken in public on the subject.
Absolutely no girls will be allowed into the priesthood...
Girly-men on the other hand, well, nobody's sporting a 'queer-here' tatoo on their forehead so eh, there must not be any...Now where were we...Oh yea, women in the priesthood...Yuck!!!
“homosexual orientation is not sinful”
I understand that having desires, but not acting on them is one thing, but the Bible CLEARLY condemns the effeminate.
That’s a blurry line.
So was he referring to gays in general or gay priests? Seems that he was answering a question about gay priests...? No?