Pope Francis has voiced confidence that those who criticize his decision to provide blessings to same-sex couples will eventually come to understand it, except Africans, whom he referred to as a “special case.”
According to Reuters, Pope Francis said in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Stampa that was released on Monday that homosexuality is seen badly by Africans from a cultural standpoint.
He said: “Those who protest vehemently belong to small ideological groups. A special case is Africans: for them, homosexuality is something bad from a cultural point of view, and 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.”
Fiducia Supplicans, or the Suplicating Trust, a Vatican document that permitted blessings for same-sex couples, caused a great deal of controversy last month in the Catholic Church and around the globe.
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Blessings, however, should not be connected to marriage or civil unions or included in ordinary church rituals, according to the Vatican.
It emphasised that it continues to view marriage as between a man and a woman.
Reuters reports that last week, Francis appeared to acknowledge the backlash the document caused, especially in Africa, where engaging in same-sex activities can carry serious penalties including incarceration or even the death penalty.
He 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 Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria announced that Catholic churches within 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 bishops assert that the decision made by Pope Francis to approve same-sex marriages was misunderstood.
“The Declaration reinforces the truth about God’s mercy. For one to willingly ask for a blessing demonstrates one’s trust in God and the desire to live according to God’s commandments.
“Asking for God’s blessing is not dependent on how good one is. Imperfection is the reason for seeking God’s grace.
“Therefore, those in irregular unions are invited never to lose hope but rather to ask for God’s grace and mercy while remaining open to conversion.”
