Pope Francis supports civil unions for same-sex couples

It’s a significant shift in public rhetoric from the Catholic Church which has historically been strictly against homosexuality. In 2003 the Vatican’s doctrinal body, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, publicly warned that ‘respect for homosexual persons cannot lead in any way to approval of homosexual behaviours or to legal recognition’.

Pope Francis has pushed against this in the past, though. In 2010 he opposed Argentina’s legalisation of same-sex marriage, opting instead to advocate for civil unions, but was only archbishop of Buenos Aires at the time. These recent remarks are the first time he’s publicly endorsed legalising same-sex couples as pope.

Official comments like these are likely to be met with strong disapproval from conservative opponents within the Catholic church who still remain firmly resistant to any recognition of homosexuality.

Currently, the Catholic doctrine still describes gay relationships as ‘deviant behaviour’ and it’s unclear as to whether we’ll see any fundamental change in the immediate future.

These seem more like offhand, passing public comments as opposed to a call for systematic reform. As BBC analysist Mark Lowen notes, ‘any significant doctrinal change would typically be presented in a more formal way after much internal debate’. The news will be welcomed by liberal members of the church, however, and this could be the faint beginnings of reform – but it doesn’t look set to happen soon.

For now, this will most likely help to improve public perceptions of the Catholic church. Paedophilia scandals and increasingly outdated values at its core has alienated many, especially younger Millennials and Gen Zers – regardless of faith – and Pope Francis has been a progressive breath of fresh air for a new millennium.

Hopefully his more accepting and liberal stance will extend out to the wider doctrinal body in time, and the church can become a place for everyone. We’ll have to wait and see.