Pittsburgh’s Catholic Bishop Supports Pope Francis' Message of Inclusion for LGTBQ Community

PITTSBURGH — Following Pope Francis' comments, which endorse same-sex civil unions, Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik is urging members of the church to understand it calls for all people to be treated with dignity and love.

Bishop Zubik tells Channel 11, “His comments in no way signal a departure from the teaching of the Catholic Church concerning marriage or homosexuality. It speaks, rather, of a pastoral approach to these issues.”

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The Pope’s comments were made during the documentary “Francesco,” which features new interviews with the pontiff and focuses on issues Francis has focused on during his tenure.

“Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God,” Francis said. “You can’t kick someone out of a family, nor make their life miserable for this. What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered.”

According to Bishop Zubik, “Pope Francis has not promoted change in the moral or sacramental teaching of the Church. He has simply called for all people to be treated with the dignity and love which is their due by being created in God’s image and likeness and being children of the Heavenly Father. The message of Jesus is He came to save us all. It is with the grace of God that we focus on the beauty of the person and that we are called to treat each other with fairness and dignity.”

Francis' outreach dates to his first foreign trip in 2013, when he uttered the now-famous words, “Who am I to judge,” when asked during a news conference returning from Rio de Janiero about a purportedly gay priest.

Pope Francis comments on homosexuality: ‘Who am I to judge?’ Pope Francis comments on homosexuality: ‘Who am I to judge?’

Cox Media Group