As a Catholic, I find it objectionable the news that alleges that Pope Francis now supports same-sex civil union. Unfortunately, this misinformation is being peddled mainly by the western media. It’s god-awful for the western media to twist the Holy Father’s words to suit their narrative. The aim is no more than to malign the Pope to the faithful. Already, some Catholics, especially traditionalists in Nigeria have taken the news literally. One even threatened, “if this is true, then the Pope should resign!” Another said, “No, the Pope cannot be bigger than the Catholic Church!” Perhaps, to Francis, like Jesus, it’s now, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!” In a new film documentary entitled “Francesco”, directed by the Russian Evgeny Afineevsky, who has a history of films that dwelt on homosexuals, he had asked Pope Francis whether a homosexual could take his children to church, the media quoted him to have replied, “Homosexual people have the right to be in the family, they are children of God, they have the right to a family.
No one can be thrown out of the family or made life miserable for that. “What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered.” But the pontiff spoke in Spanish, and used the phrase, “convivencia civil”. Convivencia is a Spanish word for coexistence. He probably meant a “civil coexistence”. In other words, being allowed to live peacefully with other people in the society. These statements were not said at the same time. But he had also been meaning that homosexuals should not be thrown out by their own families, but embraced by their own families. In the documentary, the Pope also said: “You must accompany people as Jesus would accompany them. When a person with this condition goes before Jesus, he will not answer him: ‘Go because you are homosexual!’, No”. Unfortunately, it’s no different from the things that shocked the Jews. Eating with sinners — and tax collectors — and forgiving them. In other words, the Pope is asking, “What would Jesus do?” If Jesus did not condemn the adultress, he won’t condemn a homosexual. If Jesus did not condemn Zacheaus the tax collector, he won’t condemn a gay.
The Pope in no way equates homosexual union with Catholic marriage, or has he endorsed civil union for homosexuals, rather he wants to show that everyone, irrespective of their sexual orientation has dignity. Perhaps, the Pope wants a law that guides the relationship between homosexuals in their dealings with the society. A law that allows them to “coexist” with the rest of society, without being discriminated against. A law that says, “don’t deny a person housing because they are gay”. A law that says, “do not assault someone because they are homosexuals”. A law that says, “do not deny someone job opportunity because they are lesbians.” A law that says, “do not deny a person healthcare services because they are homosexuals”. Just as a medical doctor, or any healthcare worker should not be judgemental when it comes to people’s sexual orientation. It’s along this same line the Pope, as a man of God, thinks.
The Pope understands that homophobia is common in many parts of the world. In such places, there is no legal protection for a homosexual person who has been discriminated against. Even if a homosexual is beaten up by a mob, they are unlikely to get justice. Earlier on in his papacy, he was asked his thoughts on homosexuality, and he replied, “If a person is gay and seeks out the Lord and is willing, who am I to judge that person?” He also once said, “let us not forget that God loves all his creatures and we are destined to receive his infinite love.” The Pope sees the Church as a “field hospital” for sinners. “Mercy is God’s identity card. God of Mercy, merciful God. For me, this really is the Lord’s identity,” he says. Yet, Pope Francis has not departed from what the Catholic Church upholds. In 1975, the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued what is called the Declaration Concerning Certain Questions on Sexual Ethics, (Persona Humana), it maintained the Catholic Church’s doctrine on marriage and sexuality.
However, that same year, the Vatican noted that some people don’t choose to be homosexuals, but that it was inborn. “A distinction is drawn, and it seems with some reason, between homosexuals whose tendency… is transitory or at least not incurable; and homosexuals who are definitively such because of some kind of innate instinct… In the pastoral field, these homosexuals must certainly be treated with understanding and sustained in the hope of overcoming their personal difficulties and their inability to fit into society.” (Section 8). Worthy of note too is that the Vatican does not say that being innately homosexual is sinful. But that these people also needed pastoral care and the Church’s compassion. Though the Catholic Church calls homosexual orientation, “an objective disorder”, it does not mean that homosexuals should be defined only by their sexuality, but that there was more about them.
The Church began to see that ostracizing them altogether added to the stigma attached to them, which made many to lose their jobs, lose family relationships and friendship, and get thrown out of houses. Some were physically and psychologically abused. The Church stands for the protection of the civil and human rights of people, and queer people are no exception. The Church acknowledges their right to justice, and that they have a right to be part of the community. If they can’t get this in the Church, where else can they get it? The Church teaches that discriminating and having prejudice against homosexuals is a sin, and should not be. The central message of Jesus is love. And this love should be unconditional. In other words, condemn the act of homosexuality itself, but still show love and compassion to homosexuals. The Pope cannot endorse the maltreatment of any human being, irrespective of sexual orientation. Like Jesus, it’s the Pope’s milk of human kindness — that mischiefmongers now want to turn sour. This is the same love, compassion and magnanimity that brought the gospel to us the gentiles. Come on, give the Pope a break! Just in case you are wondering, I am straight.
• Dr Odoemena is a Lagos-based medical practitioner. @cuzdetriumph
