Pope Francis and Homosexual Relationships: “A Storm in a Glass of Water”
No, the pope is not a heretic. What is more, his statement about homosexual relationships is consistent with the logic of the Gospel and his pastoral line.
There have been many comments over the last few days regarding Pope Francis' statements from the movie Francesco. Some journalists and Internet users were restrained and waited for events to unfold, while others expressed concern about the alleged change in Church doctrine. Still others went so far as to say that the pope had fallen into heresy and should lose his office.
Meanwhile, the matter is simple and poses no threat to Catholic teaching.
In relation to the question raised, I invite you to reflect - you must understand the words of Holy Father Francis in the whole context of his teaching and the main lines of the pontificate, and above all the Gospel.
Context of the statement
First the known facts. The production of Yevgeny Afiniejewski is an attempt to show Francis' approach to the significant difficulties and threats of the modern world. This is clearly shown in the film, referring to social, moral, ecological and ideological problems. PopeFrancis is not afraid of these areas, as he constantly reminds us that the periphery of the modern world should not be overlooked. The controversial statement of the Pope consists of words that are more or less these: "Homosexual persons have the right to be in a family, they are children of God, they have the right to a family. No one can be kicked out of the family or made impossible to live because of [their sexual orientation]. What we need to do is the right to live together. These persons are entitled to legal protection”. And here we have a storm in a glass of water. There is nothing wrong in Francis' statement.
Commentary by the Cardinal Oswald Gracias
The words of Pope Francis have been misunderstood and misinterpreted - emphasizes Cardinal Oswald Gracias, member of the Council of Cardinals, assisting the Pope in reforming the Roman Curia and governing the Church:
“In Francis' statement there is "no change in the teaching of the Church" and the Pope's words "are consistent with what he repeats: show compassion, go to the periphery, protect the weak, etc." When the Pope says that homosexuals have a right to a family, he "refers to the family in which they were born." This is confirmed by a further statement in which Francis declares that such people cannot be kicked out of the family because of their sexual orientation.
The papal words that homosexuals living together "must be legally protected" do not imply a call to recognize gay marriages, and certainly not "recognition by the Catholic Church". For on this point, "the ecclesiastical doctrine based on Scripture and Tradition is clear and must not be watered down in any way." Francis, on the other hand, "expresses his concern that these people may live in a difficult position and seek some legal protection to protect their interests (eg insurance, social security, etc.).”
First, homosexuals are loved by God, they are God's children (through baptism). As people, they have the right to live in a family - to relationship, love, acceptance, integration.Unfortunately, there are situations in which people with a homosexual (or other, e.g. transsexual) orientation are excluded from the family because of their identity. Meanwhile, they have the right to be in society, respect, welcome, work and housing. After all, like all people, they have feelings and emotions, sensitivity and desires. It would be inconsistent with the Gospel to reject them, in any form of stigmatization. This is simple and obvious.
The words about the legal guarantee of living together are a problem for some. Francis does not talk about partnerships (which in Spanish-language literature is expressed by the phrases "unión civil" or "unión registrada"), but about a broadly understood common life - Francis used the phrase "convivencia civil". This includes living, spending time, receiving mail, information about another person's health, etc. After all, there is no question of sinful sexual intercourse. Reality is wider than sex. This "life together" is about normal functioning in society.
Enough words. Now more important - the context. As we know from media publications, the Pope speaks in the context of a gay couple bringing up children and having a question (doubt) about bringing children raised by them to a parish. And why not? If the answer were "no", it would mean excluding someone from the Church. Aren't homosexuals (and transsexuals and others), if baptized, part of the Church community? Yes, they do. And neither the pastors nor the faithful can exclude them. Because sexual orientation is not a criterion for belonging to a community. Do homosexual people have the right to participate in the liturgy, prayer and sacraments? Yes, because they are Christians, Catholics. This is the teaching of the Catholic Church.
Unfortunately, the problem, first mental and then expressed in words, is the tendency to exclude, to be indignant. It is true that people who live in sin consistently and stubbornly cannot receive the sacraments (although Francis rightly points out in "Amoris Laetitia" that sometimes it is possible for heterosexual couples to receive sacramental help in the event of an impossible situation, pastoral discernment), but this applies to every human being.
Going beyond comfort zone
We cannot understand Francis’s words without reference to his programmatic document, Evangelii gaudium. In number 24, one of the most important in my opinion, are the words: "The Church which “goes forth” is a community of missionary disciples who take the first step, who are involved and supportive, who bear fruit and rejoice.". In the original Italian there are words - "La Chiesa in uscita", that is literally "Church in exit". This is a key task for the existence of the Church - we need to go out to the world, go out where people are, regardless of their views and way of life. If we want to tell people the Good News, we have to take the initiative - invite, go out to people, and not just wait for them to come, because they will not come. Go out, join the life of the world (be yourself all the time) and accompany. It means respect, listening to others’ voice, accepting feelings of others, understanding the other person. Only then it is possible to meet and become part of the community
The key to understanding Francis' words is the fact of his pastoral orientation. The Pope is not primarily concerned with doctrine (here he is faithful to the heritage of the Church) but is a good shepherd and he draws attention to this pastoral aspect. For this reason, in an increasingly secularized world, he directs the Church on the brave paths of new evangelization, towards reaching the peripheries and towards a renewed pastoral ministry.
He wants to fulfill the missionary mandate - that every person hear the Word, meet Jesus and entrust his life to Him. And this is the essence - if you start with doctrine and morality, many doors are closed. After all, the world does not like to be judged. So, if the voice of the Church is constantly associated with judgment, with showing sin, evangelism will be ineffective. To be effective, however, we must constantly remind ourselves that this encounter with God's love transforms the human heart.
You need the right language and a healthy heart. Professor Massimo Borghesi of Perugia, author of the book on the intellectual biography of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, aptly stated that true repentance comes from the grasp of the merciful Father, not from judgment. That is why Francis, following the footsteps of John Paul II and Benedict XVI, continues to talk about mercy. This is not some shallow kindness. It is simply the Father's still valid gesture.
Reality more important than ideas
Moving on - the world is what it is. The fact is that there are homosexual unions, in many countries they are civil unions or same-sex marriages, often with the right to adopt children. This happens regardless of the Church and her voice. That is why Francis in Evangelii Gaudium states that "Reality is more important than ideas." One has to start from what is, from the concrete, in order to arrive at what gives essential meaning to life. By accepting the world as it is and loving it, and only under this condition, we can carry the Gospel, that is, Jesus and the salvation that He gives. And that is always positive.
The experience of God and the joy of the Gospel attract people, intrigue and inspire. God's love is unconditional - He loves a gay man not on condition of being chaste or breaking a relationship with another man, because God loves man regardless of his attitude. The proclamation of the message of the Gospel, if it reaches an open heart and mind, will result in a renewed life. It is the way of the Gospel.
That is why we invite people living in homosexual relationships to live with us in the Church. In this context, I postulate once again what I keep saying: MORE JESUS, JESUS, JESUS.
We should also remember about the category of gradation of the truths of faith and the condition of people's lives. This applies to any situation. If we have a world where many people live in contingent relationships, civil unions or remarriages, then this is a reality we will not jump over. Their life is like that. Therefore, it takes time, accompaniment, understanding, receiving, even if the people do not meet all moral standards. Therefore, in Evangelii Gaudium, Francis wrote that "Time is more important than space." We must be patient, knowing that the Gospel will be more and more close to people.
How to sum it up?
Holy Father Francis is a realist. He wants the Church to be open to everyone. Meanwhile, the exclusion of some people or other takes place many times. This is shameful. Opposition to such rejection and multi-dimensional concern for homosexual people does not imply acceptance of sin and immorality. However, if at the outset homosexual people hear "Your life is sinful", they close themselves, they do not want to listen to the Gospel, the Word of God cannot reach them. And here is our responsibility, clergy and laity. So, I ask: Is our way of preaching the Gospel attractive? For we cannot say: "Too bad, this is their business." Jesus' disciple and friend will not say so.
Many Catholics have equated "the Gospel" with "doctrine or morality, or the teaching of the Church," but this is not the same. First the Good News, first the meeting with Jesus, and then catechesis, doctrine, Catholic identity.
Therefore, let people living in homosexual relationships feel invited and wanted in the Church, just like men and women living in informal relationships or in another marriage. Being open to them, not constantly reminding them of their sin, helping them in life, also in the legal dimension, IS NOT CHANGING THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH. It is simply an expression of humanity and an imitation of Jesus' gesture. After all, this encounter with the goodness of God and the openness of Christians (the Church) will bear fruit in a new quality of life. Therefore: let us not force, but propose, and let us not reproach, let us inspire. Let life go on. If The more people will have Jesus in the river of their life, the better, though not immediately they will be "exemplary Catholics."
It is also worth remembering that Francis has a good understanding of the Second Vatican Council, in which the antinomy between truth and freedom was undertaken. The beauty also must add (in the broad sense of the word). The Pope connects them all - truth, freedom, goodness, beauty. Only then is what Christianity is all about - harmony and order. Meanwhile, I believe that "traditionalists" focus on truth without freedom (and beauty), and "modernists" focus on freedom without truth. Both extremes are wrong. And this is what Francis points out.
One more thing. Openness to homosexuals, as witnessed by Francis, must be clearly distinguished from harmful political and social movements with an ideological basis (e.g. parades of equality or profanation of religious symbols).
Francis talks about people in specific life situations, not about ideologies that objectify LGBT people. The Pope empowers every human being. LGBT activists, in my opinion, objectify homosexual or transsexual persons.
That is why Francis is right in his approach to homosexuals, also in the search for various legal solutions, and Bishop Athanasius Schneider is right in pointing to the dangers of a pernicious ideology. Both are about life, about man, and ultimately about man's relationship with God. Therefore, let us change our language, let us be more open.
And let us stick to Pope Francis, whose voice is prophetic to the world of the 21st Century.
I am walking with Jesus, with the Holy Father and the Church. I thank God for the pastoral and human courage of Holy Father Francis, who is a Good Shepherd.
Dear friends, we are not the majority and we are not giving the world the main course of discussion. Saint John Paul II many times remind us that with our life, the Gospel and true humanity, we can re-enter the modern Areopagus, take our place on the bench of views, philosophy and ideas, to tell everyone that there is hope because the Lord lives. May everyone, regardless of the views held today, seeing our authentic faith and the legibility of our attitude, say: "We want to go with you, because we have understood that God is with you" ( cf. Zec 8:23).
Until Tomorrow
fr. george