Pope Francis has informed the parents of LGBTQ+ children that God loves them, regardless of their sexuality or gender identity. Per a report by <a href="https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/09/17/pope-francis-lgbt-gay-transgender-parents-love-vatican-god-parenting-catholic-church/">Pink News</a>, his Holiness met with the Tenda di Gionata, an Italian LGBTQ+ Christian support group, consisting of around 40 mothers and fathers, at the Vatican this week. <img class=" wp-image-12612429" src="https://img.vt.co/2020/09/22273324-pope_2.jpg" alt="An image of Pope Francis." width="780" height="465" />[[imagecaption|| Credit: PA Images]] The Pope reportedly told the assembled parents: <blockquote>"God loves your children as they are. The church loves your children as they are because they are the children of God."</blockquote> Meanwhile, Mara Grassi, the Vice President of Tenda di Gionata, told Pope Francis that the group wanted to promote a more accepting and tolerant faith, stating: <blockquote>"We wish to create a bridge to the church, so that the church too can change its way of looking at our children, no longer excluding them, but fully welcoming them."</blockquote> His Holiness seems to hate having his ring kissed. Don't believe me? Watch this video: [[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/EzTTJ7Q1-Q0L14jDU.mp4||EzTTJ7Q1]] However, the Pope's views on the subject of homosexuality, trans rights, and LGBT+ people have been viewed as somewhat inconsistent by some over the years. For instance, the Catholic leader shot down the idea of LGBT+ members of the clergy in 2018, and even went so far as to call homosexuality "fashionable". <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/02/gay-people-should-not-join-catholic-clergy-pope-francis-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Per The Guardian</a>, Pope Francis wrote: <blockquote>"Homosexuality is a very serious issue that must be adequately discerned from the beginning with the candidates. "In our societies, it even seems that homosexuality is fashionable and that mentality, in some way, also influences the life of the church."</blockquote> [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/Fearless_NGO/status/1307323679643230208]] He added: <blockquote>"In consecrated and priestly life, there’s no room for that kind of affection. Therefore, the church recommends that people with that kind of ingrained tendency should not be accepted into the ministry or consecrated life. The ministry, or the consecrated life, is not his place."</blockquote> Despite this, it's clear that the Pope's recent words will be a great comfort and reassurance to many religious and areligious people throughout the world.

Pope tells parents 'God loves LGBTQ kids the way they are'

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