Pope Francis has criticized laws criminalizing homosexuality as "unjust", saying God loves all his children as they are and called on Catholic bishops to welcome LGBTQ people into the Church.
"Being homosexual is not a crime
," Francis said in an interview with the Associated Press.
It is always necessary to distinguish "between a sin and a crime"
, highlighted Bergoglio.
"Being homosexual is not a crime. It is not a crime. 'Yes, but it is a sin' - said the Pope as if to anticipate a reply to what he was saying - First let us distinguish between a sin and a crime", he invited the Pope. Then he added: "It is also a sin to lack charity with one another".
Francis called it a "sin" for bishops who support laws that criminalize homosexuality or discriminate against the gay community.
"These bishops must go through a process of conversion", he said, adding that they should use "tenderness, please, as God has for each of us".
The attitude of criticism of the pontificate "I would not refer to Benedict, but due to the wear and tear of a ten-year government", said the Pope. At first, his election was greeted with a sense of "surprise" for a South American pope, then came the discomfort "when they started to see my flaws and they didn't like them," he said.
"
The only thing I ask is that they say it to my face, because that's how we all grow up, right?"
.
Francis praised Benedetto as a "gentleman" and said of his death: "I lost a father", "for me he was a security", "I lost a good companion".
"
I am in good health. For my age, I am normal
, "said the pope among other things in the interview.
But he revealed that
the diverticulosis, for which he had surgery for in July 2021, had "returned"
.
The Pontiff also revealed that he had suffered a small bone fracture in his knee due to a fall;
the fracture healed without surgery after laser and magnetotherapy.
“I could die tomorrow, but it's under control. I'm in good health,” the Pontiff added with his usual sense of humor.