Photo: AP/Gregorio BorgiaUnlike previous leaders of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis is much more tolerant towards the LGBT community, but not completely. At this year's Catholic festival in Portugal, he called for peace and solidarity among young people, regardless of their sexuality.
The head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, spent five days at the festival in Lisbon on the occasion of World Youth Day. At yesterday's closing in the park by the river, he held a large mass attended by about 1,5 million people.
The heat didn't stop many worshipers from sleeping outside after the vigil on Saturday night and hearing the Pope's "I have a dream" speech, which was primarily about young people and peace in the world. During the visit, the pope kept repeating the message that the doors of the Catholic Church are open to everyone, and at one point the young people repeated after him "todos, todos, todos" ("everyone, everyone, everyone").
Returning to Rome last night, the pope was greeted like a rock star, according to the media. While he was still on the plane, he answered questions from journalists. A journalist reminded him of this message about the openness of the church and asked if it also applies to homosexuals who do not have the same rights and are excluded from some sacraments, such as getting married. The Pope confirmed that the church's message of openness includes LGBT people and marginalized groups.
"The church is open to everyone, but there are laws that regulate life inside the church." According to the laws, they cannot participate in some sacraments. That doesn't mean it's closed. "Everybody within the church meets God in their own way," answered the Pope.
God and Jesus love gay Catholics.
Pope Francis' position on the LGBT community and same-sex marriage has been the subject of interest and discussion since he became the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in 2013. Unlike previous Roman Catholic leaders who considered homosexuality a sin and a moral evil, he has always emphasized the importance of treating LGBT people with with respect and love, but that the traditional Catholic teaching that marriage is sacred between a man and a woman is no less important.
"If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?" he said four months after becoming pope.
Further history of the Pope's "softer tone" when it comes to the LGBT community is the declaration at the beginning of the year that homosexuality is not a crime and that laws that criminalize it should be condemned. Then, that God and Jesus still love gay Catholics, that gay people have always existed throughout human history, and that parents should not kick their gay children out of the house.
Before leaving for Lisbon, the pope answered audio messages from young marginalized people on "The Popecast" podcast. A transgender person from Italy joined the podcast and complained that she is being pressured by two identities - one related to the Catholic faith and tradition, and the other being transgender.
The Pope replied that "God loves us as we are, even though we are sinners." This is God's crazy love."
Although he is generally praised as a more tolerant pope toward the LGBT community, some of his moves and statements have drawn criticism, such as when he met with Kentucky County Clerk Kim Davis, who revoked a same-sex couple's marriage license in 2015. He also spoke critically of gender theory and called transgender Catholics "a moral problem."
AE/CNN/NDTV/Forbes/The Independent
Read daily news, analysis, commentary and interviews at www.vreme.com
A group of individuals has created two websites where public procurement of the Telecom and IT sectors can be searched and compared. They invite the media, experts and citizens to review the documentation and submit reasoned observations
Very soon it could become obvious whether Milan Radoičić has left Serbia or not
The hospital formed a commission for an extraordinary expert check and informed the health inspection. Cases of death during childbirth in Serbia rarely receive a judicial epilogue.
Two unions of public services supported the request of FDU students for information about RTS employees, since claims appeared in the public that it was a request for "files". The students say they are looking for "public truth about public service."
Among those pardoned is the man who attacked a citizen who came to ask about the street in the office of the mayor of Kosjerić in April. The pardon applies only to one of the two offenses, and the injured party announces a constitutional appeal.
At the moment when the institutions of the Republic are destroyed, when Vučić's octopus is still alive, when people are disgusted by the injustice and the stench left behind by the Essenes regime, we have, as Machiavelli said, only civic virtue as the fuel with which we can return to the beginning
The four independent members of REM are an example of perseverance and civic responsibility. Rodoljub Šabić even, upon leaving the premises of REM, after the sentencing of the Informer, experienced that the Essenes insulted him, hit him with their hands and feet. But that too will soon be over
Vučić pardoned the batterers and Dijana Hrkalović. The election winners should abolish the sultan's power that allows one man to run afoul of the entire judicial system
Interview: Branko Stamenković, public prosecutor of the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office
A black picture and the breakdown of the rule of law subscribeThe archive of the weekly Vreme includes all our digital editions, since the very beginning of our work. All issues can be downloaded in PDF format, by purchasing the digital edition, or you can read all available texts from the selected issue.
See all
