Pope Francis expressed his benevolence on Wednesday for the registered partnership for same-sex couples.
Pope Francis has for the first time publicly spoken out in favor of same-sex partnership. The Swiss dioceses, however, are reacting cautiously.
Pope Francis said in an interview on Wednesday that homosexual people have the right to live with a family. “They are children of God. You should neither throw someone out of a family, nor make their life hell for it. We need a partnership law for this, in this way they are legally protected.”
Francis’ statement makes you sit up and take notice. It is the first time that he has publicly spoken out in favor of same-sex partnership while in office as Pope.
The news from the Vatican seems to have surprised the Swiss dioceses. In Chur as well as in Vaduz, Basel, St.Gallen and Sitten, people keep silent. Reference is made to the Swiss Bishops’ Conference (SBK). But even a media inquiry to SBK remains unanswered by the editorial deadline.
“We want to wait until we get the statements made by Pope Francis confirmed,” said spokeswoman Encarnacion Berger-Lobato. As soon as you get the exact wording from the Vatican, you would also be able to comment.
In neighbouring Liechtenstein, they don’t even want to talk to “foreign media”.“Pink Cross”, the umbrella organization for gay and bisexual men in Switzerland, is nevertheless pleased with the Pope’s statements: “This is an important sign for devout gays and lesbians. Especially for those who live in predominantly Catholic countries, ”says managing director Roman Heggli.
However, Heggli does not fall into euphoria. “The Catholic Church arrived with this commitment in 2000.” At that time, the subject of registered partnership had become topical in Switzerland. Same-sex couples have been able to register officially since 2007.
In the statements of the Pope, however, Heggli also draws a little hope for the topic of children. «Francis said that homosexual people also have a right to a family. Perhaps he was cautiously implying that gay and lesbian couples should have the right to adopt children ”
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