Pope Francis Asks Bishops: How Can the Church Help Same-Sex Couples?

Culture • November 2013 • Views: 1,371

The Vatican on Tuesday launched an unprecedented worldwide consultation on the new realities of family life including gay marriage as part of Pope Francis’s efforts to reform the Catholic Church.

A questionnaire has been sent to bishops around the world asking them for detailed information about the “many new situations requiring the Church’s attention and pastoral care”.

“Concerns which were unheard of until a few years ago have arisen today as a result of different situations, from the widespread practice of cohabitation… to same-sex unions,” it said.

The 39 questions are unusual because of their non-judgemental, practical nature in what could be a signal of greater openness and increased pastoral care regardless of a believer’s background.

More: Pope Francis Asks Bishops: How Can the Church Help Same-Sex Couples?

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7 comments

HappyWarrior Wed, Nov 6, 2013 12:00:26pm

I still have a lot of beef with Francis but this is quite revolutionary for the church. And subsequently also why I think if he keeps it up, we’ll see a renewal of fundamentalist Christianity hostility to Catholicism.He’s already pissed off a lot of fundies by not treating non-believers like heathens. Now he’s asking to treat gay couples like human beings. Burn him! But it really does seem to me that he’s just the man to move the RCC more forward on these sort of manners than any of his predecessors.

ProTARDISLiberal Wed, Nov 6, 2013 12:31:17pm

re: #1 HappyWarrior

Catholicism is the best thing going in Christianity right now.

We really need a Muslim version of Francis to counteract the Saudi cornholes.

HappyWarrior Wed, Nov 6, 2013 12:52:41pm

re: #2 ProTARDISLiberal

Catholicism is the best thing going in Christianity right now.

We really need a Muslim version of Francis to counteract the Saudi cornholes.

Thing is though Islam like Protestant Christianity doesn’t have a central figure. I mean I know there are ayatollahs and stuff in Shi’a Islam. It’s double edged of course. I do hope he keeps doing what he’s doing. IF John Paul II was the pope that worked on Catholicism’s repairing best troubles with other religions and non-Catholic Christians. Perhaps Francis can be that man for skeptics and GLBT. What we need are clergy who realize that non-believers and GLBT aren’t heathens or demons. They are people and while I am not religious, I think more people in religion need to subscribe to the golden rule of doing right by others as they woud you.

ProTARDISLiberal Wed, Nov 6, 2013 1:07:19pm

re: #3 HappyWarrior

I know what you speak of about not having a centralized figure.

But we also need a major voice of opposition to the Saudis, MB, and their ilk.

HappyWarrior Wed, Nov 6, 2013 5:27:20pm

re: #4 ProTARDISLiberal

I know what you speak of about not having a centralized figure.

But we also need a major voice of opposition to the Saudis, MB, and their ilk.

No doubt about that.

wheat-dogghazi Thu, Nov 7, 2013 3:04:18am

Francis seems to be inspired by his namesake, Francis of Assisi, who had a very inclusive interpretation of Catholicism (well, back then it was Christianity). It’s too early to tell how the RCC will change under his leadership, but his style is certainly less doctrinaire than Benedict’s and more like John Paul II and John XXII’s.

HappyWarrior Thu, Nov 7, 2013 3:38:03pm

re: #6 wheat-dogghazi

Francis seems to be inspired by his namesake, Francis of Assisi, who had a very inclusive interpretation of Catholicism (well, back then it was Christianity). It’s too early to tell how the RCC will change under his leadership, but his style is certainly less doctrinaire than Benedict’s and more like John Paul II and John XXII’s.

Yeah too early to tell. I do like the steps he’s taken. I just hope he appoints some good cardinals in the process. These will be the men who will choose the next popes in the years to come and if Tip O’Neill said all politics is local, I’d wager to say all religion is local too. I don’t expect the church to embrace SSM, choice, or the ordination of women under this pope but I hope he’s getting the wheels in motion where the church won’t consider it an attack on its authority to give homosexuals the right to marry.

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