CURRENT REPORT BLOG Pope Francis, with the exception of Africans, whom he referred to as a “special case,” expressed optimism that those who reject his decision to give blessings to same-sex couples will eventually come to understand it.
In an interview that was published on Monday with the Italian newspaper La Stampa, Pope Francis said that Africans had a negative cultural perception of homosexuality.
“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.
“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 said.
He Added that blessings should not be connected to marriage or civil unions, nor should they be a part of regular church services. He made it clear that he still sees marriage as a union of a man and a woman.
However, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria have made it clear that Catholic churches in the country will not perform blessings for same-sex unions.
“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 statement also added that those that are in same sex unions are invited never to lose hope but rather to ask for God’s grace and mercy while remaining open to conversion.
