Pope Francis, in some surprising statements, has highlighted the need to support the creation of laws that protect civil unions between people of the same sex.
The Pope's words emerge from a documentary released today in Rome directed by the Russian Evgeny Afineevsky.
Homosexuals have the right to be in a family.
They are children of God and have the right to a family.
What we have to do is create a civil union law.
This is how they are legally covered.
I supported that, ”he says in the film.
It is not the first time that Jorge Mario Bergoglio has spoken in that direction.
That is probably what the Pontiff himself was referring to in the documentary when he pointed out: "I supported that."
His biographer, Austen Ivereigh, recalls that when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires, he opposed the legalization of same-sex marriage, but was in favor of a law regulating unions.
“He did it because he believes that basic rights must be respected, such as being able to inherit, visiting the other in the hospital… It is a question of civil justice.
That was his nuanced position, but he lost the vote with the other bishops, ”the author of The Great Reformer recalls by phone.
It is the first time, however, that Francis has shown such clear and direct support for this type of union since he was appointed Pope in 2013. Furthermore, the explicit reference to the “family” delves deeper into a concept hitherto taboo for the Church in relation to coexistence between people of the same sex.
Francisco asks that these laws be promoted referring, it is assumed, to countries where they do not yet exist.
The Russian nationality of his interviewer also suggests that the Pope thinks of places where not only these laws do not exist, but homosexuals are persecuted.
Francis's position on the integration of homosexuals into the Church has always been somewhat ambiguous, but much more advanced than that of his predecessors.
The first time was on a return flight from his trip to Brazil in 2013. Then he said: "If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge him?"
He explained that said sexual orientation was not a sin, although he clarified that the acts were.
