POPE Francis reiterated his stance championing the rights of homosexuals and stressed that God loves them and accompanies them in their journey.
Two other Christian leaders from the Anglican Church and Church of Scotland also denounced countries which criminalize LGBTQIA+.
The Pope, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Church of Scotland moderator Iain Greenshields spoke with reporters during an-flight press conference on board the Pope Force One last Sunday, February 5.
“People with homosexual tendencies are children of God, God loves them, God accompanies them,” Pope Francis said in response to a query by a journalist.
The journalist said, in Congo and South Sudan, where the Pope had visited recently, he encountered families who rejected their children because of their homosexual preference.
“I believe the Catechism of the Catholic Church says they should not be marginalized. This point, I believe, is clear,” Pope Francis said.
Countries which put LGBTQI+ in jail
Francis cited data that at least 50 countries have laws that can put homosexuals in jail. Ten of these countries impose death penalties on people found to be gay. He did not identify these countries.
According to the 2020 report by an international gay rights federation, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, there are 69 countries which are still criminalizing consensual same-sex sexual acts between adults. Many of these countries are in Africa and Asia.
Of these 69 countries, six have laws making it legal to punish by death those who are engaged in consensual same-sex behaviors. These are: Brunei, Iran, Mauritania, Nigeria (12 Northern states only), Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
Church of England leader Rev. Greenshields noted that “there is nowhere in the four Gospels” where Jesus discriminated against people.
Jesus expressed love to whoever he met and as Christians, “that’s the only expression that we can give to any human being in any circumstances,” Rev. Greenshields said.
Watch the interview on board papal flight here from Vatican News website:
