Vatican On Gay Rights: Church, Under Conservative Pressure, Recants Tolerance Report, Says It Was A ‘Working Document’

Following furious remarks from conservative Catholics, the Vatican has seemingly given into pressure and has backtracked on the shockingly positive and accepting comments made on Monday regarding the treatment of homosexuals and same-sex couples. CNN reports that in a report the Vatican stated that gays and lesbians have “gifts to offer” the Christian community, the surprising yet, progressive statement continued stating, that same-sex couples can provide “precious support” to one another.

The comments were made by a top Vatican panel that assists Pope Francis, and shocked not only the public but also Vatican experts, who believe the comments put the world’s largest Catholic Church in the midst of the mainstream argument about sexuality and marriage, as opposed to the Vatican’s former stance which has bound them in their beliefs and ways for centuries. The comments maintain historical significance, the document marks the first time in history that the Vatican has said anything positive about gay relationships according to CCN in addition; one longtime Vatican journalist called the statement a "pastoral earthquake."

However not all are happy with the Vatican’s new document of acceptance and understanding, Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier, the archbishop of Durban, South Africa stated, “Just like you, I was surprised that it was published, you people got the document before we got it, so we couldn’t have possibly agreed on it.” Following multiple comments like these and obvious increased pressure, the Vatican did respond and has since backtracked on its progressive statements, which are only one day old.

The Vatican released a follow up document on Tuesday stating that the report on gays and lesbians was a "working document," and should not be considered the final word from Rome. The document continued stating that homosexuals are welcome in the church, but the Vatican does not wish to give “"the impression of a positive evaluation" of same-sex relationships or of unmarried couples who live together. Despite the Vatican’s recantation of the progressive statements, its sentiments still lie within a top Vatican panel. The statement read, "Homosexuals have gifts and qualities to offer to the Christian community. Are we capable of welcoming these people, guaranteeing to them a fraternal space in our communities? Often they wish to encounter a church that offers them a welcoming home. Are our communities capable of providing that, accepting and valuing their sexual orientation, without compromising Catholic doctrine on the family and matrimony?"

The new progressive and accepting outlook on same-sex marriage, sexuality, and even unmarried couples co-habiting has begun to shift since the papacy of Pope Francis. In 2013, the public was once again shocked when the Pope famously questioned, “Who am I to judge?” in regards to the sexuality of the LGBT community.

The backlash continues but so does the praise for the new direction of the Catholic Church under Pope Francis’ leadership. Chad Griffin, President of the Human Rights Campaign, commended the Pope and urged American Catholic Bishops to align themselves with his open-minded thinking and teaching. Griffin stated, “It is clear that Pope Francis' message of mercy and inclusion is alive and well, and I hope the American Catholic bishops who have recently spent millions of parishioner dollars in political campaigns targeting their LGBT brothers and sisters are listening closely."