If you were paying attention to news out of Rome over the last week, you probably heard about a statement regarding same-sex civil unions attributed to His Holiness, Pope Francis. In a newly released documentary entitled Francesco, the Pope is seen to say:
Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out or be made miserable over it. What we have to have is a civil union law—that way they are legally covered. I supported that.
The origin of these words is an interview granted to a Mexican journalist in 2019 but left on the Vatican’s cutting room floor. The Pope’s comments were a source of encouragement for many supporters of Church reform, as well as those that simply want a more welcoming and loving Church for LGBT Catholics. At the same time, conservative Catholics are left frustrated with the Pope’s unintended sowing of confusion, seeing in it a deliberate effort by the Holy Father to thwart centuries of Catholic moral teaching.
Pope Francis has indicated his support for such unions throughout his life as a shepherd of the Church including his time as Archbishop of Buenos Aires. His support for the legal protection of same-sex couples is always underscored by his affirmation of Catholic teaching on sexuality and marriage. What exactly is Pope Francis’ position? What does it mean for the Church? And what are the faithful’s obligations regarding the acceptance of His Holiness’ words?
Papal Infallibility
The doctrine of papal infallibility is commonly misunderstood by both the Catholic faithful and those from other Christian traditions. The Pope, as Bishop of Rome and head of the Universal Church, is infallible in his teaching on faith and morals. The body of bishops led by the Pope enjoys the same infallibility. This is first and foremost recognized when dogmatic and moral teaching comes out of an Ecumenical Council.
While popes have always had the power to infallibly declare dogmatic truth, it wasn’t until the First Vatican Council convened by Pope Pius IX in 1868 that the doctrine was written down in the First Dogmatic Constitution on the Church of Christ. Two important conditions must be met. First, the Pope must be speaking ex cathedra or “from the chair” of St. Peter. In other words, the Pope must be acting in the capacity of His office and not simply as a member of the Church. Second, the Holy Father must intend for the teaching to be infallible. He cannot accidentally declare an infallible truth.
Pope Francis’ apparent support for same-sex civil unions, while dealing with morality, was not declared ex cathedra nor did His Holiness intend it to be so. This means that the faithful are free to agree or disagree with the Pope’s opinion on this matter.
Pope Francis’ Communication Challenge
The Francis papacy is more vulnerable than others to the wiles of social media and the 24-hour news cycle. Pope Francis frequently breaks with the tradition of well-scripted and -controlled communication practiced by his predecessors. Only the Holy Father knows why he favors a more informal protocol, but it does seem to fit with the pastorally focused mission of his Papacy.
The consequence of this practice ranges from minor misquotations to accusations of scandal and even heresy. I often disagree with the Holy Father on various topics but have also found myself challenged, even made uncomfortable, by his Gospel witness. I strongly encourage the faithful to avoid harsh judgments and to hear Pope Francis’ words with a spirit of discernment and humility.
Sowing Confusion
While we should seek the truth with humility, we are faced with the difficulty of discerning truth among a cloud of heavy smoke. One of the sad irregularities of the Church in our time is the confusion that exists among the clergy as a whole and the bishops specifically. At times, our shepherds do Holy Mother Church a great disservice by speaking with multiple voices.
Issues related to marriage and the family are often at the center of this confusion. Our Lady warned the children of Fatima that the last battle would be for the family. God is not a God of confusion and His Church should always be the foundation of truth (Isaiah 45:19; 1 Corinthians 14:33).
As Cardinal Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Pope Francis fought against the legalization of same-sex marriage but was more supportive of the legitimacy of same-sex civil unions. His position appears consistent upon ascent to the papacy. In 2003, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) issued a document opposing the legalization of unions for homosexual persons, making it clear that there is a disagreement between the view of Pope Francis and the CDF. Such confusion is harmful to God’s people and is attributable to the actions of the Evil One, whose smoke has entered the Vatican (Pope Paul VI).
What Can We Know?
When we cannot see through the smoke, we should get low to the ground. Start with the fundamentals: Holy Scripture and the Catechism. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches that homosexual tendencies are disordered and people with these tendencies are called to a life of chastity (CCC 2357). Such tendencies do not constitute a sin, whereas homosexual actions are a mortal sin.
The Church’s teaching that marriage is between a man and a woman is immutable. Here lies the common ground between the Holy Father’s comments and the document issued by the CDF. Pope Francis has never questioned this truth or proposed re-examining it. Those who oppose same-sex civil unions, however, see them as no more than marriage under a different name, violating the teaching of the Church.
While the Pope hasn’t written or spoken much on the topic, one can infer from what he has said that he supports the legal protection of homosexual persons, including access to healthcare. This view is consistent with Catholic social teaching on the dignity of persons and the principle of solidarity.
Like most issues, same-sex civil unions are not black and white and as such deserve a more careful deliberation than what has been afforded by Pope Francis’ public comments. Civil unions may differ according to national and local laws around the world. One danger of a blanket acceptance of these unions is the ability of same-sex couples to legally adopt children.
Adoption by same-sex couples is another controversial topic within the Church. That topic is worthy of another article, but briefly, Church teaching disallows the adoption of children by same-sex couples because it willfully violates a child’s right to be raised in a loving home with a mother and father. It violates natural law by rejecting the procreative function of the sexual union.
What Could Be Acceptable According to Church Teaching?
The allowance of legal protection for same-sex couples including their right to access to healthcare, the ability to care for a loved one at the end of life, and freedom from discrimination in society is well-supported by the Catholic principles of human dignity and solidarity. Conferring additional rights such as the ability to adopt children, or even the interference of the rights of the faithful, such as forcing clergy to perform civil union ceremonies, would be unquestionably against moral objective truth.
The information that we are being presented within the media lacks sufficient detail and is a conflation and misrepresentation of the conversation at hand. We should approach secular media reports with great caution and refuse to get caught up in the sensationalism of the moment. Doing so leads us to false judgment, unjust anger, and even scandal.
Pope Francis has been given to the Church and he clearly has a way of provoking thought about the Gospel message. Let us pray for the Holy Father and all the bishops, that they provide clarity of teaching and pray for the faithful that we will approach all issues with compassion, humility, and the aid of the Holy Spirit.
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