Pope Francis and his contradictory positions on homosexuality | Politics and Economics | In-depth analysis with a broader perspective from DW | DW

It happened on the return trip from Rio de Janeiro to Rome. After the events of the World Youth Forum in the Copacabana region of Rio de Janeiro in July 2013, Pope Francis addressed the journalists on board and asked: “Who am I to judge homosexuals?” Seven years later, you are now adding more to your statement. In the new documentary “Francisco”, the Pope says: “Homosexuals have the right to live with the family. They are children of God.”

The Catholic ChurchAnd gay marriage

Same-sex marriage? No one, not even priests or Catholics, is allowed? One thing is certain: the relationship of the Catholic Church with homosexuality is characterized by contradictions and double standards. Because the same Pope Francis who advocates for couples for the legal life of homosexuals rejects marriage between persons of the same sex and it is the same Pope Francis who criticized the exclusion on grounds of sexual orientation, denying priests of the same sex the right to enter a seminar.

After all, Pope Francis has stayed true to his contradictions. As Archbishop of Buenos Aires from 1998 to 2013, he advocated for legal lifelong associations for homosexuals. First, however, he advocated preventing greater equality of same-sex marriage.

This strategy failed on May 5, 2010, when the Argentine Parliament approved the approval of same-sex marriage at the national level, and other countries followed the example of Argentina, such as Germany, which passed the Marriage for All Law on 1 October 2017.

Pastor Seminars Exclusion

In contrast to legal equality, homosexuality is and remains taboo within the Catholic Church. In March 2015, Francis, a Polish priest, was expelled from the Vatican after being declared gay.

The pope’s positions are contradictory towards homosexuals, will his recent statements change that, at least a little?

In the book “The Power of Vocation”, which includes an interview between Pope Francis, the Vatican Pope and the Spanish priest Fernando Prado, published in 2018, the Pope explained: “In consecrated and priestly life, there is no place for these types of inclinations People with “these tendencies” are not accepted in seminars and seminars.

The church blesses gay couples

In addition to the clergy, LGBT people are also marginalized by the Catholic Church. The Central Committee of German Catholics (Zdk) has been demanding for years that “same-sex couples should not be deprived of the rite of blessing,” and the committee said in an official request: “We are committed to developing formal rites of blessing for same-sex couples in the near future. ” There may be little hope of responding to this request. Yet Mannheim priest Theo Heep sees Pope Francis’ new campaign as at least another attempt to revive the intense debate over homosexuality in the church. Heep is convinced that “Francis wrote on the record of every pastor and clergyman that he must defend a life worth living and defend the legal rights of homosexuals.” This position will have an impact on church and politics.

The largest church in the world.

Pastor Heyb prepares many priests from Poland, Brazil, India, Tanzania, and other countries who come to Germany to serve in Germany due to the priest shortage in German Catholic churches.

Almost half of the 1.3 billion Catholics in the world live on the American continent, mainly in Latin America. In Europe, about 20 percent of the population is Catholic.

But while the number of Catholics in Europe is steadily declining, Asia and Africa are experiencing strong growth rates, according to Vatican Fides News Agency, and the percentage in Africa is now around 18%.

“Angry African Catholics“

In regions where Catholics are increasing in numbers, Pope Francis’ recent remarks are sparking anger rather than enthusiasm. In this regard, Pastor Heyb says: “African Catholics or Christians in the Middle East, when they ask for equal partners between people of the same sex in marriage.” But despite the main opposition to dogmatists in the Vatican and to conservative dignitaries, especially in Asia and Africa, Pastor Hebe believes that there is a need for more internal debate in the Church on the issue of homosexuality.

Deep suffering

Pastor Hebe believes that this discussion will show some that we in the church are actually creating some inhumanity through our beliefs. “He added:” It’s good that we don’t have political authority. “The Catholic and the head of representation of the homosexual interests in the Christian Social Democratic Party, Alexander Vogt, spoke of Deep suffering to homosexual Catholics, in an interview with DW and because of what he said: “We are happy, especially since we have waited for these words for a long time.” He added: I’m waiting for some words of apology from the Pope. Because the teachings of the Catholic Church have caused a lot of suffering and pain in the past for gay Catholics. “

Astrid Branghe de Oliveira / EM