ARGENTINA: Welcome pope's message of change surrounding gays, abortion and contraception

Record ID: 449127

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Welcome pope's message of change surrounding gays, abortion and contraception
  • Date: 20th September 2013
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GAY PRIDE CELEBRATIONS
  • Embargoed: 5th October 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA323RX5CXRDI2PUQTE5J45PP2F
  • Story Text: Residents of Pope Francis' native Buenos Aires, Argentina told Reuters they were generally receptive to the pontiff's recent remarks that the Church must shake off an obsession with teachings on abortion, contraception and homosexuality and become more merciful or risk the collapse of its entire moral edifice "like a house of cards".
    Newspapers in Buenos Aires led with the story of the comments the former Archbishop of the Argentine capital made in a dramatically blunt interview with an Italian Jesuit journal.
    Pope Francis, the first non-European pope in 1,300 years, the first from Latin America and the first Jesuit pope, did not hold out the prospect of any changes soon to such moral teachings.
    But, in the 12,000-word interview with Civilta Cattolica, he said the Church must find a new balance between upholding rules and demonstrating mercy.
    The president of local LGBT organization the Argentine Homosexual Community, Cesar Cigliutti, said the pope should step into his role and go even further.
    "There is an identity issue with Francis and it seems like he hasn't fully stepped into being the pope of the Vatican and that he can bring the cardinals together and make a document, debate the issues and change these dogmas, because they are dogmas. Saying, 'I don't want to be dogmatic.' It is; the Church is dogmatic. What's more, anything that it objects to is a dogma, it is a heresy," Cigliutti said.
    In a remarkable change from his predecessor Benedict, who said homosexuality was an intrinsic disorder, Francis said that when homosexuals told him they were always condemned by the Church and felt "socially wounded," he told them "the Church does not want to do this."
    In the interview, 76-year-old Francis, said the Church must shake off an obsession with teachings on abortion, contraception and homosexuality and be merciful and welcoming with those not able to live up to some rules.
    Homosexual acts, abortion and artificially preventing conception remain sins worthy of damnation - but sinners may still hope for God's forgiveness.
    At Buenos Aires' central Plaza de Mayo, outside the Buenos Aires Cathedral where Pope Francis used to give mass as when he was still Jorge Maria Bergoglio, residents told Reuters they thought the comments were good if it meant the Church was opening up.
    "This is a special world and the world is opening up to these things and it is good that the Church, which is always the most reluctant, is opening up to these things at its opportune moment, which it is doing right now," one unidentified resident said.
    "I think as an institution it represents a ton of people around the world and it is good because it is sending a message of tolerance to differences," added another unidentified person.
    Buenos Aires is known for being accepting of LGBT persons. Argentina became the first Latin American country to grant full marriage rights to same-sex couples in 2010.
    Pope Francis' comments were welcomed by liberal Catholics; but they are likely to be viewed with concern by conservatives who have already expressed concern over the pope's failure to address publicly the issues stressed by his predecessor, Benedict.
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