The first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, died on Easter Monday aged 88. The Vatican said he died following a stroke and subsequent irreversible heart failure at 07:35 local time (06:35 BST). In recent years, Pope Francis had sparked global headlines and sometimes confusion over his remarks on homosexuality.
He made comments such as, “Who am I to judge?” which soften the Church’s tone, but not necessarily the official doctrine
Since Pope Francis was elected in 2013, he seemed to take a more compassionate approach towards the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) community . In 2013 he stated that,
“If someone is gay and is searching for the Lord and has good will, then who am I to judge them?”
This statement marked a striking attitude from the Vatican’s highest office. It was, to many, a message of welcome after decades of condemnation
In 2023, he made another statement in an interview with The Associated Press,
“Being homosexual is not a crime. Yes, but it’s a sin. Fine, but first let’s distinguish between a sin and a crime.”
The late Pope Francis emphasized the need for compassion and legal protection, condemning the criminalization of the LGBTQ+ people as unjust. He pointed out that every individual regardless of sexual orientation should be treated with dignity and respect.
in 2020, he publicly said,
“Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered”
In an interview in late 2023, Pope Francis denied allowing Catholic priests to bless same sex marriages.
“What I allowed was not to bless the union. That cannot be done because that is not the sacrement. I cannot, The Lord made it that way” – Pope Francis
He stated that the blessing was for everyone but to to bless a homosexual union went against the law of the church which is true according to Romans 1:26-27 ” For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones; the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another.”
This scripture shows that Paul connected these behaviors to humanity’s broader rejection of God and His created order indicating that same sex relations are a sinful act.. The scriptures clearly indicate that same sex marriages are a sin. However, in today’s modern society it may be difficult to accept but many Christians still uphold sexual purity and obedience to the word of God
