Pope Francis. Photograph courtesy of presidencia.gov.ar
Pope Francis has taken the opportunity of his visit to Brazil to reach out to gay believers, saying that they should not be marginalised but integrated into society.
He confirmed the Catholic position that homosexual acts were sinful, but explained that gay orientation was not a sin. Speaking to reporters he said:
“If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge him?”
Pope Francis also addressed the role of women in the Church, saying:
“We cannot limit the role of women in the Church to altar girls or the president of a charity, there must be more. But with regards to the ordination of women, the Church has spoken and says no. That door is closed.”
These statements from Pope Francis show that he is looking to be more conciliatory with groups excluded by his predecessor, but many will argue he has not gone far enough to address the concerns of these groups.
The Pope returned from Rome this week after a tour of Brazil where it is estimated that the youth festival gathering at Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach attracted more than three million people.
Speaking in a unusually candid interview on Brazilian television, the Pope praised young people and their role in the recent protests in the country, saying:
“The young person is essentially a non-conformist, and this is very beautiful. It is necessary to listen to young people, give them places to express themselves and to be careful that they aren’t manipulated”
