Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

Homosexuality Isn't A Crime, Those Criminalising It Are Wrong: Pope Francis

Homosexuality Isn't A Crime, Those Criminalising It Are Wrong: Pope Francis

In an interview published on Wednesday, the pope had said being homosexual was "not a crime ... but it's a sin".
People who criminalise homosexuality are "wrong", Pope Francis said in a letter published on Saturday, seeking to clarify earlier comments about homosexual acts being a "sin".

In an interview published on Wednesday, the pope had said being homosexual was "not a crime ... but it's a sin".

In the letter published on Saturday, which was written to a Jesuit priest, Francis said he had wanted in the interview "to clarify that it (homosexuality) is not a crime, in order to stress that criminalisation is neither good nor just".

"When I said it is a sin, I was simply referring to Catholic moral teaching, which says that every sexual act outside of marriage is a sin," he wrote.

The pontiff was responding to a letter from US priest James Martin, who asked for clarity on comments the pope made during the interview with the Associated Press news agency.

The issue of homosexuality has caused a major rift in the Catholic Church between modernisers and conservatives.

Francis, 86, has stirred controversy since being appointed pope in 2013 with his relatively liberal attitude towards sexual orientation.

Francis' letter, written in Spanish, was translated into English and published by the website Outreach, a Catholic LGBTQ resource of which Martin is the editor.

"I would tell whoever wants to criminalise homosexuality that they are wrong," the pope wrote.

In the AP interview, Francis had said being homosexual was "not a crime".

"It's not a crime ... but it's a sin," he said, adding: "It's also a sin to lack charity with one another."

In his letter to Martin, Francis said his comments about "sin" were referring to overall moral teaching within the Catholic Church.

"When I said it is a sin, I was simply referring to Catholic moral teaching, which says that every sexual act outside of marriage is a sin," he wrote.

"Of course, one must also consider the circumstances, which may decrease or eliminate fault."

"As you can see, I was repeating something in general. I should have said 'It is a sin, as is any sexual act outside of marriage.'"

The pope's comments on homosexuality came ahead of a trip next week to Africa, where the criminalisation of homosexuality is common.

Francis plans to visit the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan during his six-day visit to the continent.

Although Francis has often received gay people and instructed that they must be given a benevolent reception within the Church, he remains firmly in line with Catholic teaching on marriage.

That defines the union between a man and a woman in order to procreate.

In an earlier letter to Martin in June 2021, Francis thanked the priest for his work in reaching out to LGBTQ people, stressing the inclusive nature of Catholicism and writing that God "loves each of his children".

Months earlier, the Vatican had reaffirmed that it considered homosexuality "a sin" and said gays were unable to receive the sacrament of marriage.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
×