Pope Francis criticized laws criminalizing homosexuality as “unjust”, saying God loves all his children as they are, and called on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church.
“Being gay is not a crime,” Francis said during an exclusive interview Tuesday with The Associated Press.
Francis acknowledged that Catholic bishops in some parts of the world support laws that criminalize homosexuality or discriminate against the LGBTQ community, and he himself referred to the issue in terms of “sin.” But he attributed such attitudes to cultural backgrounds and said bishops in particular must undergo a process of change to recognize the dignity of everyone.
“These bishops must have a conversion process,” he said, adding that they must apply “gentleness, please, as God has for each of us.”
Francis’ comments are the first by a pope on such laws, but they are consistent with his general approach to the LGBTQ community and his belief that the Catholic Church should welcome all and not discriminate.
About 67 countries or jurisdictions around the world criminalize consensual same-sex sexual activity, 11 of which can or do impose the death penalty, according to The Human Dignity Trust, which works to end such laws. Experts say that even where the laws are not enforced, they contribute to harassment, stigmatization and violence against LGBTQ people.
In the US, more than a dozen states still have anti-sodomy laws on the books, despite a 2003 Supreme Court ruling that declared them unconstitutional. Gay rights advocates say outdated laws are being used to harass gays and point to new legislation such as Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law, which bans instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten until third grade, as a test. of ongoing efforts to marginalize LGBTQ people.
The United Nations has repeatedly called for an end to laws criminalizing homosexuality, saying they violate rights to privacy and freedom from discrimination and are a violation of countries’ obligations under international law to protect rights of the human being of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation. or gender identity.
Declaring such laws “unjust,” Francis said the Catholic Church can and should work to end them. “It has to do it. It has to do it,” he said.
Francis cited the Catechism of the Catholic Church saying that homosexuals should be welcomed and respected and should not be marginalized or discriminated against.
“We are all children of God and God loves us as we are and for the strength that each of us fights for our dignity,” Francis said, speaking to the AP at the Vatican hotel where he lives.
Francis’ remarks come ahead of a trip to Africa, where such laws are as common as they are in the Middle East. Many date back to British colonial times or are inspired by Islamic law. Some Catholic bishops have strongly supported them as consistent with Vatican teachings, while others have called for them to be overturned as a violation of basic human dignity.
In 2019, Francis was expected to issue a statement opposing the criminalization of homosexuality during a meeting with human rights groups that conduct research on the effects of such laws and so-called “conversion therapy.”
In the end, after the flow of audience speech, the Pope did not meet with the groups. Instead, the Vatican’s second-in-command did and reaffirmed “the dignity of every human being and against every form of violence.”
There was no indication that Francis talked about such laws now because his more conservative predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, died recently. The issue had never been raised in an interview, but Francis answered willingly, citing statistics on the number of countries where homosexuality is criminalized.
On Tuesday, Francis said there should be a distinction between a crime and a sin regarding homosexuality.
“It’s not a crime. Yes, but it’s a sin,” he said. “Okay, but first let’s distinguish between a sin and a crime.”
“It is also a sin to lack charity to one another,” he added.
Catholic teaching says that while homosexuals should be treated with respect, homosexual acts are “inherently disordered.” Francis has not changed that teaching, but he has made outreach to the LGBTQ community a hallmark of his papacy.
Starting with his famous 2013 statement, “Who am I to judge?” — when he was asked about an alleged gay priest — Francis has continued to serve the gay and trans community consistently and publicly. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, he favored giving legal protection to same-sex couples as an alternative to endorsing gay marriage, which Catholic doctrine forbids.
Despite such outreach, Francis was criticized by the LGBTQ Catholic community for a 2021 decree from the Vatican’s doctrinal office that said the church cannot bless same-sex unions.
In 2008, the Vatican refused to sign a UN declaration calling for the decriminalization of homosexuality, complaining that the text went beyond the original intent. In a statement at the time, the Vatican urged countries to avoid “unjust discrimination” against homosexuals and end punishments against them.
