Vatican insists Pope Francis doesn’t support same-sex marriage

The Vatican has said Pope Francis’ comments supporting civil unions have been taken out of context.

Francis made headlines around the world on 21 October when a documentary called ‘Francesco’ aired, including him supporting civil unions.

He said: ‘Homosexual people have a right to be in a family. They are children of God and have a right to a family. What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered.’

Now Vatican officials have been the latest to clarify that doesn’t mean Francis actually wants same-sex couples to be equal.

The Vatican’s Secretariat of State has sent an ‘explanatory note’ to its ambassadors, who in turn sent it to bishops.

In it, they claim the documentary cut out comments where Pope Francis said he opposed same-sex marriage.

Instead, they say he is only supporting limited civil union laws. This includes offering some benefits, such as health care, to same-sex couples.

‘An incongruence’

The Vatican says the documentary cut a phrase where Francis said ‘it is an incongruence to speak of homosexual marriage’.

Moreover, the note said:

‘It is clear that Pope Francis was referring to certain state provisions and certainly not the doctrine of the church, which he has reaffirmed numerous times over the years.’

LGBT+ campaigners had instantly welcomed the comments. Some claimed the fact Francis referred to ‘families’ meant he supported far wider rights for LGBT+ people.

However, opponents said the civil unions the pope referred to would be nothing like marriage.

The Archbishop of San Francisco, Salvatore Cordileone, said the pope had told him and other senior priests that his vision for civil unions ‘can in no way be equated to marriage’. Moreover, the archbishop argued it could include legal recognition for brothers and sisters living together.

In fact, Pope Francis’ views on marriage equality have been very consistent and far from LGBT+ inclusive.

While still an archbishop in Argentina he proposed civil unions for the country. However, it is clear he only did this because he is so opposed to same-sex couples actually achieving equality.

Last week, Yayo Grassi, an old gay friend of the pope who knew him in Argentina, confirmed this is the case.

He said Pope Francis’ view is that civil unions were a ‘civil law’ and not a ‘religious law’ and ‘therefore the church has nothing to do with it.’