The Late Pope Benedict Defended Francis' Views on Gay Marriage


In a book that is to be published today in Spanish, Pope Francis recalled a meeting that included several angry Bishops and Pope Benedict. The Bishops were angry with Francis. Benedict defended Francis. All of this is in response to conservatives who repeat every day, "This never would have happened under Benedict."

Popes have been backing down and shifting positions starting with the time of Galileo. You will recall Popes had repeated for centuries that the sun moved over the earth. Galileo proved them wrong. Yet, to this day there is not an official Rome document that says, "Popes were wrong." Instead they say, "Mistakes were made" etc. 

According to Francis, Benedict said gay people should be allowed civil marriage and the church should not condemn civil marriage. This even though the marriage was not recognized as a marriage within the church. 

All of this is, of course, much to do about nothing. It does not matter one twit what the Catholic Church's position is on gay marriage. It has a position against birth control and that is ignored by its own members. It's hair brained ideas about gay marriage, birth control and abortion are all being ignored. Voters in Catholic countries and in conservative states in the U.S. are voting opposite the public appeals of Bishops and priests. The Catholic Church would do itself a favor by withdrawing and not commenting on political issues like gay marriage and abortion. Each time it is defeated its stature as an important institution falls.

From what I read, Popes Francis and Benedict shared meals often after Benedict retired. It's fun to speculate why Benedict chose in live in the Vatican after he retired and did not return to his home area in Germany. I suppose there are security and health care issues. But perhaps he thought he could continue to influence Catholic affairs if he lived in the Vatican with frequent access to the new Pope. Francis is an opinionated fellow and seemingly quite decisive and persuasive. It might be that he influenced the views of Benedict more than the other way around, 



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