Official statement of the RCC in Ukraine regarding Pope's words in 'Francis' documentary about same-sex civil unions

The comment was shared by the Catholic magazine Credo.

On October 21, the documentary "Francis" was presented at the Rome Film Festival. It contains the words of Pope Francis, expressing his personal opinion about "supporting same-sex civil unions."

In this regard, keep in mind that the teaching of the Catholic Church regarding homosexual relations and their legal recognition remains unchanged. Several documents attest to this.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Catholic Church makes clear in the document "On projects for the possibility of legal recognition of unions among homosexual people" (2003): "The Church teaches that respect for homosexual people can in no way lead to approval of homosexual behavior or legal recognition of same-sex unions. The common good requires that laws recognize, promote and protect the marriage union as the foundation of the family, the primary cell of society."

As for people with homosexual propensities, Pope Francis always speaks of them in words full of Mercy, which contains "the fullness of justice and the clearest expression of God's truth" (Amoris Laetitia 311). This is confirmed by his words: "We are all human beings, we have dignity. If a person has one or another tendency, then this does not take away his human dignity."

The Apostolic Exhortation by Pope Francis, "The Joy of Love" (Amoris Laetitia), emphasizes that for proposals to equate homosexual relations with spouses "there is no reason to compare or make analogies, even distant ones, of homosexual relations with God's plan for marriage and family" (Amoris Laetitia 251). Let us embrace our Church and the Holy Father with prayer!

Bishop Vitaly Kryvytskyi SDB,

Chairman of the Commission on Mass Media.