Pope Francis urges parents to support their gay children – not condemn them
Pope Francis has urged parents worldwide to unconditionally support, not condemn, their children if they are gay.
The leader of the Catholic Church made his latest gesture of outreach to the LGBT+ community in off the cuff statements during his weekly general audience on Wednesday (26 January).
"Parents who see that their children have different sexual orientations, how they manage that and accompany their children and not hide behind a condemning attitude,” Pope Francis said.
He told parents “never condemn” and not to be afraid of their children.
Pope Francis said Catholic Church officials encountered parents who struggled with how to support their gay child “all the time in the confessional”. He added that he had experienced such confessions “several times” when he worked in “Buenos Aires”.
“We have to find a way to help that father or that mother to stand by their son or daughter,” he said.
The leader of the Catholic Church made his latest gesture of outreach to the LGBT+ community in off the cuff statements during his weekly general audience on Wednesday (26 January).
"Parents who see that their children have different sexual orientations, how they manage that and accompany their children and not hide behind a condemning attitude,” Pope Francis said.
He told parents “never condemn” and not to be afraid of their children.
Pope Francis said Catholic Church officials encountered parents who struggled with how to support their gay child “all the time in the confessional”. He added that he had experienced such confessions “several times” when he worked in “Buenos Aires”.
“We have to find a way to help that father or that mother to stand by their son or daughter,” he said.