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The statements of Pope Francis, in which he came out in favor of registered homosexual couples, provoke heated discussions. In a passage from a documentary that was shown in Rome on Wednesday, Francis reportedly said: “Homosexuals have the right to live with a family” and: “What we need is a law that allows civil union.”
It is clear that this does not imply a change in the sacramental understanding of marriage in the Catholic Church or its expansion to include same-sex couples; it is a matter of secular law. In previous statements, Francisco has pointed out the details of marriage as a connection between man and woman in contrast to other forms of coexistence.
However, it is clear that the statements that have now been released will deliver a new note. These are not a complete surprise either, as Francis had previously expressed his understanding for homosexuals; for example, your phrase is often quoted in this context: “Who am I to judge here?” without, of course, telling you the word about marriage. .
The family advisor, the diocesan bishop of Innsbruck Hermann Glettler, has spoken on behalf of the Austrian Episcopal Conference. For many years, the Catholic Church in Austria has maintained a “consciously appreciative approach” towards people of homosexual orientation, Glettler recalled. In some dioceses there are also special initiatives and working groups “to end prejudice, enable a spiritual home and be present as a church with and for this target group,” the bishop said.
Pastoral theologian Paul Zulehner emphasizes caesura more strongly and speaks of a “great step forward”, which of course will cause “panic in the Vatican” and “should bring more trouble to the Pope with his conservative ‘friends’. Zulehner positively assessed that “ideological discriminators” could no longer refer to the Pope.
The moral theologian Martin Lintner de Brixen goes in the same direction. The pontiff’s statements should “consequently” lead to a “reevaluation of homosexual relations in Catholic teaching.”
“Contradiction to teaching”
Critical statements come from the United States, among others: For example, the Bishop of Providence (Rhode Island), Thomas Tobin, sees Francis with his statements “in clear contradiction to the long-standing teaching of the Church.”
The Archdiocese of New York published an article titled “How to Deal with the Pope’s Mistakes.” German Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller expressed concern, as did fellow American Cardinal Raymond Burke.
