Pope’s Francis’ recent comments on gay civil union are misunderstood and misinter-preted, says Cardinal Oswald Gracias, the head of the Catholic Church in India and one of the seven advisers of the pontiff.
“There is no change in the Church doctrine at all. The Holy Father’s comments are in full consonance with what he has repeatedly said: Show compassion, reach out to the peripheries, protect the weak etc.,” explains the cardinal in a press release issued on October 27 in response to “enquiries from several quarters” in connection with the Pope’s comments.
The Indian cardinal said he has received enquiries from several quarters in connection with the Pope’s comments incorporated in a film “Francesco” that was just released.
The Pope’s “remarks got wide publicity and there have been different reactions. I considered it necessary to issue a clarification from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India,” Cardinal Gracias says.
According to him, the Pope said homosexual persons have a right to a family. “It is clear that the Holy Father is referring to the family of birth. This is further clarified when he later states that such a person should not be thrown out of’ the family, just because of the sexual orientation,” the Indian cardinal explains.
Cardinal Gracias also asserts that Pope has not called for the recognition of call marriages when he said some protection should be given to those living together. The comment is “certainly” not the Catholic Church’s recognition of them. “Church doctrine drawing from Sacred Scripture and Tradition, is clear and has not in any way been diluted,” explains Cardinal Gracias was on October 21 re-nominated to the seven-member Council of Cardinals to advise the Pope.