African priests reject Pope’s endorsement of gay marriages
In a act of defiance, numerous Catholic bishops from Africa and Poland, among other regions, have voiced their refusal to adhere to the Vatican’s recent policy allowing blessings for same-sex couples. This decision was announced by Pope Francis. A faction of these bishops minimizes this directive, interpreting it as a mere reaffirmation of the long-established Vatican doctrine that marriage is exclusively between a man and a woman. This split in responses illuminates the contentious nature of this issue and highlights the ongoing challenge Pope Francis faces. Despite his decade-long efforts to foster a more inclusive church environment for the LGBTQ+ community, he encounters persistent opposition from conservative and traditionalist Catholic factions. Notably, some of the most vehement opposition emerged from African bishops, where the Catholic population is significant, accounting for almost 25% of the global Catholic community of 1.3 billion. In these regions, the societal and legal landscape is often starkly opposed to homosexuality. Read full article