“We will try to make [it] known that if anyone wants to talk, we’ll be happy to talk to them one-on-one – nothing in your face, no ‘lobbying, ‘ as the archbishop calls it”, says Word.
Advertisement
Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, an advocacy group for LGBT Catholics, said Chaput and other U.S. bishops “are putting their heads in the sand”.
When he visited Francis early past year, Obama contradicted the official Vatican account of their meeting by saying they hadn’t discussed social issues in any detail. “The entire Catholic community in the U.S.is having a discussion on this now”.
The president’s relationship with the Catholic Church has a mixed history.
But rather than retreat, the group will be hosted at a nearby Methodist church instead.
65 percent oppose a policy that would allow small-business owners to refuse, based on their religious beliefs, to provide products or services to gay and lesbian people.
In an interview with The Related Press, Ambassador Kenneth Hackett stated he anticipated migration, revenue inequality, household issues and the surroundings to be raised by Francis throughout his September 22-27 go to to Washington, New York and Philadelphia.
He cited Francis’ views on “marriage situations where people are under stress” – because of divorce, or violence in the family, or where single parents are raising children. He showed his deep desire for a more equal world in his most recent publication, Laudato Si.
Context is important. Francis was speaking specifically about gay celibate priests, and he was only echoing the existing position of the Catholic Church, which condemns “homosexual acts” but says “homosexual inclination” is not in itself immoral. The survey of 1,331 U.S. adults, released Tuesday, had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points. In fact, typical Catholics are not only more left-leaning than the Church, but also more progressive than average Americans on most major issues – sometimes by significant margins.
Then there’s Equally Blessed, a coalition of LGBT-rights organizations that want the Church to be more accepting, including even sacramental weddings for same-sex couples. Though no official speakers will convey their viewpoints, they hope to engage in conversations with other attendees. They’d been working for months organizing a makeshift hospitality center to welcome the dozen LGBT Catholic families who plan to travel to Philadelphia to see the pope from as far away as El Salvador. She’ll attend with her wife and two daughters.
“That would be a huge improvement over what we have today”, he said.
In his catechesis, delivered in Italian, the Holy Father observed how many Christians know they need prayer, but do not have the time.
Throughout his pontificate, the Catholic leader “has displayed a deep interest in worldwide affairs”, CNN noted.
The open question, said Jones, is whether “Pope Francis will function more like the Dalai Lama”.
Another area where more conservative-leaning Catholics haven’t been thrilled with Pope Francis is abortion, mostly because of comments he made just months after being elected in which he said the Church had been too obsessed with abortion and same-sex marriage.
Former Catholics are reported to have a much more positive view of Pope Francis (64 percent approve) than of the church (43 percent).
Advertisement
“She is one of the few people that have inquired about the tickets”, he said.
