In December, Pope Francis, 87, remarked that allowing blessings for same-sex couples can be seen as an expression of the Church’s maternal heart. These comments followed his earlier statements suggesting openness to Catholic priests blessing same-sex unions, which stirred significant discussion.
In an exclusive interview with Norah O’Donnell for PEOPLE, Pope Francis elaborated on his position. “What I allowed was not to bless the union. That cannot be done because that is not the sacrament. I cannot. The Lord made it that way,” he explained. “But to bless each person, yes. The blessing is for everyone. For everyone.”
Pope Francis condemned anti-gay laws worldwide, reiterating, “Being homosexual is not a crime.” He emphasized that while blessing a same-sex union contradicts Church law, blessing individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation, is permissible. “The blessing is for all. Some people were scandalized by this. But why? Everyone! Everyone!” he asserted.
The pontiff affirmed his earlier statement that “Homosexuality is not a crime,” describing it as “a human fact.” He emphasized his ongoing efforts to make the Catholic Church more inclusive.
“In our rare and wide-ranging conversation, we speak to Pope Francis about his efforts to open up the Catholic Church to everyone – including to those who have long been shunned by the institution,” O’Donnell noted.
