Pope Francis has lent support for same-sex relationships. A documentary showing his interview said that he has no qualms with same-sex civil unions. The documentary’s name is “Francesco.” It was released on October 21 at the Rome Film Festival. In this interview, he put out his voice to support gay people for the first time.
Earlier, Pope Francis talked about allowing homosexual individuals to participate in civil unions to some extent. But that was in their context of an alternative to gay marriage. He was then in Buenos Aires as archbishop.
Francis came with support for gay couples for civil unions in this documentary for the very first time. He said that every homosexual individuals are equitable to be in a family, calling them children of God.
Legally gay people must have civil union rights. However, the Vatican’s predecessors expressed different opinions in 2003. The Catholic news said that respecting homosexual preference would not approve civil unions of gay couples through legality.
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Vatican leadership stated different stance over LGBT civil unions
The doctrine office of Vatican in 2003 expressed against the legalization of homosexuality. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was in charge then. After his retirement, Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI came to his post in Rome.
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said then that homosexual marriages would be aberrant. It would create dubious values and would be against the bequest of human nature.
Jesuit priest welcomed the pope Francis support for same-sex civil unions
James J. Martin, an American Jesuit priest, applauded Francis’s stance. He called this a significant step towards making the bridge between the Chatterjee and the LGBT community. Further, the Jesuit priest said that the recent support of Pope Francis could change the opinions of other churches who disapproved of LGBT civil union legislation.
‘Francesco’ Director Evgeny Afineevsky shows such issues which are very close to pope Francis. Moreover, the Pope talked about eliminating discrimination created through poverty, inequality in paychecks, racial behaviors, climate change, and migrations.
The documentary also features refugees who came across Francis on several trips. Some prisoners got blessings from the Pope, along with officials of the Vatican and many people from the LGBT community.
Afineevsky put a lot of effort into research for the documentary
Afineevsky researched a lot with Pope Francis, archives of Vatican’s television, and Cardinal itself. He could use that documentation after a continuous effort to get access. The director also gifted Francis Alfajores cookies and made tea from Argentine.
He said in humor that if one had to access the Vatican, you must be ready with apologies after breaching the rule.
According to Paolo Ruffini, the director of communications from the Vatican, the film’s story proceeds from the point of view of all, probably not just Francis’. Moreover, there are names of people who got influenced by Francis mentioned in the documentary.
