To pick one person as the most influential individual in the fight for gay rights in 2013 seems an impossible feat. History was made countless times this year by so many remarkable men and women.
But gracing the cover of The Advocate this month as their ‘Person of the Year’ is a man who is not only NOT gay himself, he may not even be an ally to the LGBT community at all!
Pope Francis I assumed the papacy in March and went on to make many changes around the Vatican, including the rhetoric being used on certain issues.
He addressed the issue of gay catholics while on a flight from Brazil to Rome earlier this year, saying:
“If someone is gay and seeks the Lord with good will, who am I to judge?├óΓé¼┬¥
His comments made international headlines and left many wondering if this was the start of a shift within the Church in regards to how they view homosexuality.
Pope Francis similarly spoke about gay rights in September, after being asked if he approved of homosexuality or not. He replied:
“Tell me: when God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love, or reject and condemn this person? We must always consider the person.├óΓé¼┬¥
To say the Pope has turned a new leaf in 2013 would be putting it mildly. It wasn’t long ago that Francis was still serving as Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, Argentina’s archbishop who publicly opposed marriage equality, opposed same-sex couples adopting children and even called laws bestowing rights to LGBT individuals as, “a destructive attack on God’s plan.”
This is the man whom The Advocate has named their ‘Person of the Year.’ And we can’t help but wonder why?
The direction in which the Catholic Church is now headed is undeniably a good one, thanks largely in part to their new Holy Father. But are the words of Pope Francis so worthy of this title? Has his condemnation of hate changed the Church and the world that much already? And what’s more, has it erased his past views on gays?
What do you think, Perezcious readers???
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[Image via Facebook.]