“The MAGA Circus Clowns Will Cancel the Pope for Being Woke”: Pope Francis Suggests the Catholic Church Could Recognize Same-Sex Couples

Michelle HollandNov 7, 2023

Minute Read

The Catholic Church is known for its strict position on homosexuality and same-sex relationships, believing the Bible defines marriage to be a sacred covenant between a man and a woman. Despite centuries of this tradition, the church and many within it are evolving their views to be less harsh. Pope Francis, who has long been praised for his inclusive stances, hinted that the church may be open to blessing same-sex unions for the first time.

Hope for the LGBTQ+ Community

The news comes as a win for the LGBTQ+ community, especially gay Christians, whom the Catholic Church has historically rejected. The Catholic Church is one of the most socially conservative churches within Christianity.

Addressing the Pope

Image Credit: Alessia Pierdomenico / Shutterstock.

Before a meeting to discuss LGBTQ+ Catholics, five conservative cardinals requested Pope Francis “affirm church teaching on homosexuality.” Pope Francis wrote in response that same-sex blessings could be introduced, but not to confuse these with “sacramental marriage.”

An Important Distinction

The letter, published by the Vatican, made it clear that the church would not legalize same-sex marriage; however, blessings are certainly a step in the right direction and signal changing attitudes towards homosexuality and LGBTQ+ people.

The Reaction From LGBTQ+ Advocates

LGBTQ+ rights groups have praised the move, declaring that the letter helps to “significantly advance” the matter of LGBTQ+ Catholics being welcomed and respected within the church. New Ways Ministry, which has campaigned for the LGBTQ+ community within the church, described it as “one big straw towards breaking the camel’s back” toward gay acceptance within Catholicism.

Pope Francis and LGBTQ+ Rights

Despite Catholic tradition, Pope Francis has voiced support for civil laws offering legal benefits to gay couples. Some Catholic priests throughout Europe have even chosen to bless same-sex partnerships without the Vatican’s permission.

Bible Teachings

Christians, and especially Catholics, often invoke Bible teachings against homosexuality, such as Leviticus 18:22, which says: “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” Only in 2021 did the Catholic Church’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reaffirm that the church could not bless same-sex unions as “God cannot bless sin.”

Changing Attitudes

Though the pope maintained that marriage is between a man and a woman, he stressed the importance of patience and understanding through “pastoral charity.” He accused priests of being judges “who only deny, reject, and exclude,” and said they had no right to ban the blessings of same-sex unions.

Representing the People

The pope insisted Catholic leaders listen to “1.4 billion Catholics all over the planet,” and that the church needed to welcome “everyone, everyone, everyone,” indicating he believes that Catholics have largely become more favorable of LGBTQ+ people and couples.

A Step Forward

Francis DeBernardo, the executive director of New Ways Ministry, celebrated the implication that “the church does indeed recognize that holy love can exist between same-gender couples, and the love of these couples mirrors the love of God,” calling the recognitions “not completely what LGBTQ+ Catholics would want” but an “enormous advancement towards fuller and more comprehensive equality.”

Reactions Within the Church

Reactions within the church have been mixed. Jamie Manson, a women’s rights activist and devout Catholic in a same-sex relationship, stated that “affirming and embracing everyone only makes the church stronger. It is a very slim minority of Catholics who are opposed to same-sex unions.”

Conservative Backlash

More conservative members of the church have criticized the pope’s ruling. Father Gerald Murray, a reverend from New York, stated “For the pope to say that priests and bishops can find a way to do this, it’s wrong. He shouldn’t do it. The harm is that it contradicts Catholic teaching.”

“The Catholics Have Lapped the Republicans”

Many people online compared the pope’s stance to that of the GOP. “The Catholics have lapped the Republicans,” one person commented, whereas another concurred that the “pope has been more progressive than GOP for quite a while.”

Not a Reflection of Catholics

Someone, however, replied, “Just the pope. There’s a whole section of American Catholics who think he’s a heretic.” Other commentators from Catholic families came forward with anecdotes about Pope Francis’ unpopularity within their communities.

A Falsely Positive Spin

Others felt that the announcement was not as optimistic as headlines suggested. “So the statement is that SOME PEOPLE in same-sex couples could, theoretically, receive “some” blessings,” one forum user wrote. “The pope is not, and never will, say that the church will bless the coupling itself,” adding that he was saying “certain people in very specific circumstances may be eligible for some of the blessings afforded to straight people.”

The Church’s Immovable Position

The commenter went on to write, “The pope has reinforced, over and over and over, the church’s immovable position that homosexuality is a terrible sin.” Another supported this claim, sharing that “multiple times Pope Francis has said that gay people are disordered.”

Anticipating Allegations of “Wokeness”

Image Credit: Aaron of L.A. Photography/Shutterstock.

Many commenters expressed delight in imagining how the news would be received by conservatives in the US. “The MAGA circus clowns will cancel the pope for being woke,” one person speculated. “I can’t wait to see my conservative Catholic friends decrying this is “woke”, #notmypontiff, etc…”

Some Were Unimpressed

“How magnanimous of him, recognizing us as people. That must have been super difficult for him,” one person said sarcastically, whereas another wrote: “It’s only because religion is dying and they are desperate to keep people funding them.”