Bishop Thomas J. Tobin Homosexuality, the Church and Pope Francis

Providence – When Church leaders have to respond to situations involving persons living an openly “gay lifestyle” these days, we’re often scolded and told that we should be “more like Pope Francis,” presumably the “Who-am-I-to judge” Pope Francis.
• Perhaps those critics should also remember the Pope Francis who said that same-sex marriage is destructive of families and is the work of the devil.
• And the Pope Francis who has now supported the Mexican Bishops’ campaign to oppose gay marriage in their country.
• And the Pope Francis who rejected the nomination of the Ambassador from France because the Ambassador is openly gay.
• And the Pope Francis whose administration immediately fired and disciplined a priest who was working in the Vatican upon learning that the priest was gay and involved in a relationship.
It seems to me, then, that when we uphold the faith and teachings of the Church about homosexuality, we are indeed a lot like Pope Francis.