Pope Francis has expressed his belief that people who currently criticize his decision to permit blessings for same-sex couples will eventually come to understand and accept it.
However, he made an exception for Africans, whom he referred to as a “special case.”
The Pope explained that Africans tend to view homosexuality in a negative light due to cultural factors, as reported by Reuters.
“Those who protest vehemently belong to small ideological groups. A special case are Africans; for them, homosexuality is something bad from a cultural point of view; they don’t tolerate it,” Pope said.
“But in general, I trust that gradually everyone will be reassured by the spirit of the ‘Fiducia Supplicans’ declaration by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith: it aims to include, not divide,” he added.
In December, a Vatican document called Fiducia Supplicants (Supplicating Trust) caused a lot of debate in the Catholic Church and worldwide.
The document allowed blessings for same-sex couples. However, the Vatican clarified that these blessings should not be part of regular church ceremonies or connected to civil unions or weddings.
The Vatican still believes that marriage should only be between a man and a woman. Pope Francis seemed to understand the opposition that the document received, especially in Africa, where engaging in same-sex activity can lead to serious consequences like imprisonment or even death penalty.
The Pope said that when the blessings are given, priests should “naturally take into account the context, the sensitivities, the places where one lives, and the most appropriate ways to do it.”
The Nigerian Catholic Bishops Conference, however, said that same-sex unions would not be approved by Catholic churches in the nation.
“That would go against God’s law, the teachings of the church, the laws of our nation, and the cultural sensibilities of our people,” they said in a statement.
The bishops assert that the decision made by Pope Francis to approve same-sex marriages was misunderstood.
