The Washington Times

Pope Francis pushed civil unions for gays in 2010 as cardinal

Gay rights supporters may have found a friend in Pope Francis.

Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio — now Pope Francis — came out in support of civil unions for gay couples in 2010, Newser reports. It was during a time of spiritual chaos in Argentina, as the church there was battling attempts to legalize gay marriage. And Cardinal Bergoglio came forward with what he described as the “lesser of two evils” solution, Newser reports.


SEE RELATED: Pope Francis at first Mass: ‘Open horizon of hope’


“He wagered on a position of greater dialogue with society,” his authorized biographer says, in the Newser report. He publicly criticized the gay marriage bill winding through Argentina's legislature, but quietly supported same-sex union rights.

“He listened to my views with a great deal of respect,” one gay activist leader said, the biographer recounted. “He told me that homosexuals need to have recognized rights and that he supported civil unions, but not same-sex marriage.”

His same-sex union proposal was ultimately shot down during a heated gathering of bishops, Newser says. But some religion watchers say those 2010 discussions may indicate a new and more modern direction of the Catholic Church.

© Copyright 2013 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

About the Author

Cheryl K. Chumley

Cheryl Chumley is a continuous news writer for The Washington Times. Previously, she was part of the start-up team for The Washington Times’ digital aggregation product, Times247. She’s also a 2008-2009 Robert Novak journalism fellow with The Phillips Foundation. She can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.

Latest Stories

Latest Blog Entries

Comments
blog comments powered by Disqus

      Independent voices from the TWT Communities

      Wells On Baseball

      This column will cover anything that has anything remotely to do with the game of baseball, from the game itself to mid-summer trades to offseason moves.

      Ad Lib

      Are there profound differences between the Left and the Right? You betcha.

      Haydon's Soccer and Sports Pitch

      Covering the world of soccer, including the World Cup, Major League Soccer, D.C. United and the English Premier League and other interesting sporting events.