By: Kasey Vangelov
On October 3rd, High ranking Vatican priest Monsignor Krzysztof Charamsa lost his position in the Catholic Church after coming out as gay on October 3rd. This took place on the day before the Catholic Church’s Synod on the Family, a meeting called by the Pope in which important bishops discuss the church’s teachings on family life. This would cover topics such as how the church should treat homosexuality, cohabitation before marriage, and divorce.
Krzysztof Charamsa came out with pride, hoping his actions would change the Church’s “backward” views on “homosexuality”. Charamsa said that he knew doing so would cause him to lose his job, but he felt it was his duty as a sexual minority to do so.
He is being condemned by the chief Vatican spokesman. His actions are being described as “very serious and irresponsible, since it aims to subject the synod assembly to undue media pressure.”
However, there are hints that the Church is softening its views towards traditional values.
Pope Francis recently stated, “if a person is gay and seeks God and has goodwill, who am I to judge him?”
He also spoke of women’s importance to the Church, and said that despite their inability to be priests, their role in the Church should not be limited.
However, nothing officially has been done, and it is still apparent that the church censures non-traditional behavior. The Church’s teachings ban artificial conception and promote the idea that marriage is insoluble. And, despite the Pope’s comments against judging homosexuals, the Church does not accept gay marriage. This can be noted in the recent controversy regarding Pope Francis’ meeting with Kim Davis.
Kim Davis was a Kentucky clerk who was fired and jailed for refusing to hand out gay marriage licenses; she claimed she should not have to because it is against her Christian faith. The Pope did not speak against Kim Davis, nor tell her what she did was wrong. He thanked Kim Davis for her actions, and told her to stay strong for reinforcing her beliefs. He also said that to be a “conscientious objector” such as this is a “human right”.
Pope Francis said, “It is a right. And if a person does not allow others to be a conscientious objector, he denies a right.”
This meeting has been written off by many, saying it was brief and not a special occurrence. This means the Pope has not been following her case nor organizing the meetings with his supporters. Also, a few days prior to this Pope Francis met with a gay former student of his whom he treated with the same respect that he did Davis.
