‘God Loves You Like That,’ Pope Francis Tells Gay Man

Juan Carlos Cruz, a gay man from Chile, was told by Pope Francis that God loves him like that and his sexuality does not matter.

According to CNN, Cruz, a sexual abuse victim, spent three days with Pope Francis at the Vatican in April, in which he discussed his sexuality and the abuse he suffered at the hands of a Chilean priest.

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On what the Pope told him, Cruz said: “You know Juan Carlos, that does not matter. God made you like this. God loves you like this. The Pope loves you like this and you should love yourself and not worry about what people say.”

Homosexuality is addressed in Catholic moral theology under two forms: homosexual orientation is considered an “objective disorder” because Catholicism views it as being “ordered toward an intrinsic moral evil”, but not sinful unless acted upon. Homosexual activity, by contrast, is viewed as a “moral disorder” and “homosexual acts” are viewed as “contrary to the natural law.

Responding to the remark, Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said: “We do not normally comment on the Pope’s private conversations.”

Last Friday, 31 active bishops and three retired bishops in Chile offered their resignation to Pope Francis after a three-day emergency summit at the Vatican to discuss Chile’s sex-abuse scandal.

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In a joint statement, the bishops said they resolved to step down over the scandal and place the issue “in the hands of the Holy Father so that he might freely decide for each one of us.”

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