Pope Francis’ stance on LGBTQ acceptance has always been a thing of debate. Perfecting the skill of sitting on the fence over the years, but it appears he has finally decided to set the record straight. During a press conference on his plane taking him back to Rome from Ireland he made a statement advising LGBTQ persons and their parents to seek psychiatric help. He also encouraged LGBTQ parents to not ignore their gay kids but pray with them. This statement makes it clear that even though he thinks gay kids should be treated with love and respect he also doesn’t think homosexuality is a valid sexual orientation and one can easily say he endorses conversion therapy.
When the journalist asked the pontiff on Sunday what he would say to parents who observe homosexual traits in their children. He replied by saying;
“I would say first of all pray, not to condemn, to dialogue, to understand, to give space to the son or the daughter.”
Parents must also consider the age of their child, he said.
“When it shows itself from childhood, there is a lot that can be done through psychiatry, to see how things are. It is something else if it shows itself after 20 years.”
He also emphasised that parents should not respond with “silence”.
“Ignoring a son or daughter who has homosexual tendencies is an error of fatherhood or motherhood.”
This statement comes after a damning 11-page letter calling for Pope Francis’ resignation, written by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò (a conservative critic of Pope Francis who was removed from his position in 2016) got released as Pope Francis was visiting Ireland.
Pope Francis who was in Ireland apologizing for abuses by the Catholic Church, including clergy sex abuse and forced adoption of children born to unwed mothers, was the subject of the extensive letter, published in English on the conservative LifeSite News and in Italian on the National Catholic Register. Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò claims that Benedict knew about former Cardinal McCarrick’s behavior sometime in 2009 or 2010 and imposed sanctions on him “with the obligation of dedicating himself to a life of prayer and penance.”
According to a report by NPR, Viganò claims he personally informed Pope Francis of Cardinal McCarrick’s behavior in June 2013. The controversial letter goes on to call on Francis to resign.
“In this extremely dramatic moment for the universal Church,” Viganò wrote. “He must acknowledge his mistakes and, in keeping with the proclaimed principle of zero tolerance, Pope Francis must be the first to set a good example for cardinals and bishops who covered up McCarrick’s abuses and resign along with all of them.”
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