During the premiere of the documentary Francesco at the Rome Film Festival, Pope Francis is seen calling for civil unions of same-sex couples in the film, according to Catholic News Agency. This is a departure from ideology on the issue set forth by previous popes.
In a portion of the documentary that speaks about pastoral care for individuals for the LGBTQ+ community, Pope Francis says:
Homosexuals have a right to be a part of the family. They’re children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out, or be made miserable because of it.
What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered.
I stood up for that.
The film addresses Pope Francis’ pastoral outreach to the LGBTQ+ community, including a story of the pontiff encouraging two Italian men in a same-sex relationship to raise their children in their parish church. The couple adopted three children.
One of the men, Andrea Rubera, said:
He didn’t mention what was his opinion on my family. Probably he’s following the doctrine on this point.
Pope Francis wrote to the couple inviting them to introduce their children to the Catholic church, but to be prepared to face opposition.
When he was archbishop of Buenos Aires, Francis endorsed civil unions for gay couples as an alternative to same-sex marriages. However, as pope, he had never come out publicly in favor of civil unions.
CUE THE GAY WEDDINGS!
Francesco is directed by Oscar-nominated (Winter Fire) Evgeny Afineevsky, a Russia-born Jew, and the film places Pope Frances at the heart of a narrative that focuses on the world’s most challenging issues.
Afineevsky says:
I’m looking at him not as the pope, I’m looking at him as a humble human being, great role model to younger generation, leader for the older generation, a leader to many people not in the sense of the Catholic Church, but in the sense of pure leadership, on the ground, on the streets.
The documentary addresses topical issues such as the climate change, racism, human trafficking, migration, the growing rich-poor gap, and sexual abuse, which Pope Francis admits to misjudging on both scale and severity.
Our love for others, for who they are, moves us to seek the best for their lives. Only by cultivating this way of relating to one another will we make possible a social friendship that excludes no one and a fraternity that is open to all. #FratelliTutti
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) October 9, 2020
Francesco makes its North American debut on October 25th.
Source: Catholic News Agency
