Academic Martin M. Lintner hails Francis’ “significant step forward” in new documentary: “You cannot demand a legal possibility for something which you reject in and of itself and condemn as sin”
“Were the Pope to put his same-gender civil unions support in an official document, he could remove all doubt as to where he – and the Church – stand”
The pontiff’s remarks in a new documentary are “a way to express what Catholics believe about human dignity in response to new social and political conditions”
Also, ‘We Are Church’ Ireland “warmly welcomes… wonderful news”, “hugely significant step” of Francis’ statement in new documentary: “Homosexuals have a right to be a part of the family… They’re children of God”
Pontiff also endorses same-gender civil unions in new film ‘Francesco’: “Homosexuals are children of God and have a right to a family”
“As a Church we have done a great job in making sure that homosexual people never even have the idea of turning to a priest”, laments Dresden cleric Christoph Behrens
Young theologians are denouncing discrimination in the Church, asking “how could a loving God want that?”.
A German bishop is backing blessings for gay couples, asking: “How can I refuse?”
In 2012 Fr Tony Flannery was punished by the C.D.F. for publishing articles about the ordination of women, the priesthood and LGBTQ+ people. Since then he has been removed from public ministry.
A former Irish president has blasted the “self-serving… little old men” running the Church, warning them “people are walking away” from Catholicism “in droves”.
As Catholics working together for a renewed Church, we stand proudly in solidarity with Irish Redemptorist Fr. Tony Flannery in the face of continued threats and bullying from the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) over his support for women’s ordination and the full dignity of LGBT+ persons.
Church reform groups have blasted the Vatican for bullying a “courageous” Irish priest in favour of women’s ordination and gay marriage, telling Roman authorities to “get a grip”.
Pope Francis has told parents of LGBTIQ+ offspring that “the Lord loves your children just as they are”.
Rainbow Catholics are urging the Pope and the Vatican to rein in LGBTIQ+-phobic prelates, warning that it is “literally a matter of life and death”.
A Global Catholic group is calling on the Polish Bishops to use “every means available” to them to “protect the dignity” of LGBTIQ+ people.
A German bishop is hoping for change in what he regards as “discriminatory” Catholic sexual morality.
Criticism is raining down on the Polish Bishops after they affirmed that Church doctrine on homosexuality is infallible and supported gay ‘conversion therapy’.
A Polish gay couple pleaded with the Pope to “take action” on the homophobic bishops of their country before the prelates there endorsed so-called gay ‘conversion therapy’.
A Catholic parish in Germany has hoisted a 8-metre-high rainbow banner to show that LGBT+ people “can be at home in our church”.
Rome’s gay community has criticised a bishop for disciplining a priest who celebrated a same-sex civil union.
An Italian Catholic group is backing a new homotransphobia law, saying that in the proposed legislation there is “no real risk to anybody’s fundamental freedoms”.
“We became priests to bless people, not to curse them”, a Spanish priest has explained of his LGBTQ outreach.
The Spanish Jesuits have shown their support for LGBT Pride, publishing an article on their website encouraging homosexual people by saying “each person has to be proud to be as God created them”.
The Church has “got to answer” for its teaching on gays that “empowers the homophobic bully”, a former Irish president has insisted.
A Maltese LGBTQ Catholic organisation, together with rainbow Catholics around Europe and beyond, have come out in support of two LGBTQ-positive groups – Dignity and Fortunate Families – recently expelled from the Archdiocese of Detroit, in the US, calling the actions of the archbishop there “discriminatory”, “heartless” and “insensitive”.
“We have much to learn from your courage”, a Catholic priest and head chaplain of the Irish armed forces has told LGBTQI+ soldiers.
The Italian Bishops’ newspaper has been accused by Catholics of allowing only a “one-way debate” on a new homophobia law.
The new Austrian Bishops’ chair started a process to look into same-sex blessings but did not commission or approve a book in favour of the same, his spokesperson has claimed.
Warsaw Jews are standing up for LGBT people against the “hostility and hatred” directed at them by the Polish government and also by the Church.
The new head of the Austrian Bishops appears open to a rethink of Catholic doctrine on homosexuality and has commissioned a book on gay blessings.