A FILIPINO Ateneo de Manila University student urged Pope Francis to allow divorce in the Philippines, during a panel discussion in “Building Bridges Across Asia Pacific” on Thursday, June 20.
Pope Francis holds a live online dialogue with the students hosted by Loyola University Chicago together with the Pontifical Commission for Latin America at the Holy See.
Jack Lorenz Acebedo Rivera, a psychology scholar of Ateneo de Manila University from Tondo Manila took the opportunity during the event to ask the Vatican to allow the divorce in the Philippines, the only country besides the Vatican that does not permit it..
“Please allow divorce in the Philippines.” He said.
He made the appeal after the House Representatives approved the bill last May which allows couples to terminate their marriage through divorce.
Photo Courtesy: Ernesto De Pedro | Facebook
Rivera also added, “Stop using offensive language against the LGBTQIA+ community. This leads to immense pain.”
Rivera referred to “offensive languages” after the Pope allegedly used homophobic slurs during the private meetings in late May. The Pope was quoted to use the Italian term “frociaggine,” roughly translating as “faggotness” or “faggotry. During the private meeting with the Italian Bishops.
The Vatican issued a public apology stating that he “never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms,” but reportedly used the terms again.
In the Pope’s response, he addresses the issue against discrimination specifically to women but did not talk about Rivera’s plea in homophobic language.
With reports from Rose Cath Ogrimen
