Pope sticks to Church stand on same-sex marriages

Pope Francis on Friday reiterated the Catholic Church's view that marriage can only be between a man and a woman, adding the institution of marriage is threatened by advocates for same-sex marriages.

 

Speaking at a meeting of families at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Friday, the pope said the church's concept of marriage is threatened "by growing efforts on the part of some to redefine the very institution of marriage, by relativism, by the culture of the ephemeral, by a lack of openness to life."

 

The Church's stand was also stressed in a press briefing by Father Federico Lombardi, S.J., director of the Vatican Press Office, who said "there are maybe stronger democratical, political natures or also vision that comes in diminution [of the] very important central place of a family in the society."

 

"A family is for us a union of a man and a woman and the children that come form this union. This is for us a family. Then, if there are persons who decide to have a community on other ways, this is not for us a family," Lombardi added.

 

Diliman-based LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) organization UP Babaylan said the pope's statement "might be used as an argument opposing the LGBT cause."

Nevertheless, they understood "that this is a very contentious issue and that the church won't change its position overnight."

UP Babaylan president Claire De Leon told GMA News Online that their organization still appreciated Pope Francis' opening the Church's doors to LGBTs. 

 

"We implore people to acknowledge that acceptance is not just a binary of yes or no, but a gradation in between," De Leon added.

 

Earlier Friday, LGBT activists trooped to the Mall of Asia waving rainbow flags to welcome the pope.

 

"We want to frontline the message of LGBT rights. The Pope has openly expressed support for our group and he said we should not be judgmental and the Church should be more open to discuss things welcoming the LGBT community," Evan Tan, one of the activists had said. — with Jonathan de Santos/GMA News