In what would have repercussions that would shake the very core of Catholic teachings, a gay man says Pope Francis told him God made him gay and his sexuality doesn’t matter.
The man, Juan Carlos Cruz, is a survivor of sexual abuse by a Catholic priest, and last month spent three days with the Pope in an unprecedented event.
“You know Juan Carlos, that does not matter. God made you like this. God loves you like this. The Pope loves you like this and you should love yourself and not worry about what people say,” Cruz told CNN Pope Francis told him.
The Pope is viewed by Catholics as God’s representative on earth. Actually embracing gay people would mean the world’s largest Christian body would have to drop its claim that gay people are “objectively disordered,” which is currently part of the Catholic Catechism.
The Pope’s remarks are giving some hope – and infuriating the anti-gay right.
The Roman Catholic Church would not address the Pope’s remarks directly, saying it does not comment on his private conversations.
Video via CNN:
UPDATE: 9:04 AM –
Some on social media are saying the Pope is merely putting Catholic beliefs into a kinder frame.
This article has been updated and corrected to remove references to conversion therapy and marriage.
Image by Aleteia Image Department via Flickr and a CC license