For LGBT People, the Pope Is No Hero

For LGBT People, the Pope Is No Hero
Scott Novak
06/20/2014

On Thursday, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco participated in the homophobic March for Marriage across from the Supreme Court, leading thousands of protesters in prayer against same-sex marriages.

The rally, organized by National Organization for Marriage President Brian Brown, promoted the idea that LGBT relationships are somehow lesser than heterosexual relationships, and it had the full support of the Catholic Church. SF Gate reported that Cordileone told the crowd that he has "'the support of Pope Francis for what we are doing today,' citing approval by the Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See to the United States, the Vatican's diplomatic mission in Washington."

Pope Francis has certainly brought some good PR to the Church when it comes to LGBT equality. In response to a question about gay priests in the Catholic Church, he replied, "If someone is gay and seeks the Lord with good will, who am I to judge?" He was later named The Advocate's Person of the Year for setting a new tone of compassion for LGBT people within the Church.

But as incidences like the Church's approval of the March for Marriage shows, Pope Francis is not the LGBT rights hero that some media groups have made him out to be. It's important to note that the "who am I to judge" comment was made in reference to celibate gay priests, not about loving, non-heterosexual relationships, therefore remaining consistent with Catholic doctrine. The pope was not saying that LGBT families are just as sacred as heterosexual families, although you wouldn't get that impression from some of the media reports about his remarks. Rather, homosexual relationships are still "intrinsically disordered," as the Catechism of the Catholic Church so eloquently states.... MORE at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-novak/for-lgbt-people-the-pope-_b_5516144.html