Pope Francis maintains that the Church does not reject homosexuals, but “people of the Church” do it. This is how the pontiff has defended it in response to a letter sent by an American priest about the most common questions asked by LGBTQ Catholics and their families.
“God is a father and does not deny any of his children”Francisco maintains in his response, published this Monday by the media ‘Outreach‘ alongside questions submitted by Jesuit James Martin.
Father Martin’s questions include the following: What would you say is the most important thing for LGBT people to know about God? What would you like LGBT people to know about the church? And what does it say to an LGBT Catholic that he has experienced rejection from the church? The result is a “mini-interview”, as defined by the priest, activist for the rights of LGBTQ Catholics and consultant to the Vatican Secretariat of Communications.
“Regarding your questions, I can think of a very simple answer,” the pope writes in a handwritten letter in Spanish, published in the aforementioned US media along with the English text. To the first question, the pope replies that “God is a Father and does not deny any of his children” and adds that “‘God’s style is ‘closeness, mercy and tenderness’. On this path you will find God.”
Regarding what he would like the LGTBQ community to know about the Church, Francis responds by pointing out that he would like them to “read the book of the Acts of the Apostles.” “There is the image of the living Church,” he adds. Finally, regarding what he would say to a Catholic from the LGTBQ community who has suffered rejection from the Church, Francis is clear: “I would make him see that it is not ‘the rejection of the Church’ but of ‘people of the Church’“.
“The Church is a mother and summons all her children”he assures, before pointing out, as an example, “the parable of the guests at the party: ‘just, sinners, rich and poor, etc.’. A ‘selective’ Church, a ‘pure blood’ Church, is not the Holy Mother Church, but a sect,” he asserts.
Source: Lasexta
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
