LGBT Catholics have challenged Pope Francis over an assertion that “a man and a woman” is the only model for starting a family. The Pope caused anger on Saturday (June 16) when he made the remarks in an address to Catholic lobbying group Forum delle Famiglie. The religious leader had said: “It is painful to say this today: People speak of varied families, of various kinds of family… [but] the family of man and woman in the image of God is the only one.”
His comments have been met with anger from LGBT Catholics, who are concerned that the Church is continuing to tie itself to an “outdated” view of family.
Marianne Duddy-Burke of inclusive Catholic group DignityUSA said: “Once again, the Pope is making a sweeping statement that is not grounded in reality, or even in good theology.
“Families take all kinds of forms. How many single women and men are raising children, for a host of reasons? There are divorced or never-married couples who work to co-parent children. Same-sex couples and single LGBTQI people have children from heterosexual marriages, through adoption, or through giving birth. Some have taken in the children their heterosexual siblings are unable to raise."
The group also challenged the Pope’s repeated pirouetting on the issue, having recently gathered a large amount of media attention when he was alleged to have told a gay man that his sexuality “doesn’t matter” because “God loves you”.
At the same time the Pope used a private meeting to warn bishops in Italy that they should reject any applicants to the priesthood who they suspect might be gay – and he has made no public attempts to alter the Church’s anti-LGBT teachings and discriminatory actions in Catholic institutions across the world.
Duddy-Burke continued: “We are mystified by the sudden turns in the tone and content of statements by Pope Francis on LGBTQI people and issues.
“Recently we heard reports that he told a Chilean survivor of sexual abuse that God made him gay and loves him as he is. These reports have not been denied by the Vatican. If true, how is it then wrong for an LGBTQI person to form a family rooted in love and care for its members, which may also include children?”