MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / July 30, 2013) – The Progressive Organization of Gays in the Philippines or ProGay praised somewhat positive replies given by Pope Francis to Rome reporters who quizzed him after his tour in Brazil for the World Catholic Youth festival.
“The Pope’s declaration of non-judgmental position about integrating gays into society is a marked improvement over his predecessor’s harsh bitchy remarks each time the media interviewed the ex-pope about homosexuality,” said Clyde Pumihic, ProGay spokesperson, in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
He said ProGay is still disappointed that the Pope insisted that old Catholic doctrine on homosexual acts as a sin despite allowing sexual orientation, as well as slamming the door on ordination of women into priesthood.
But he also praised the Pope for signs of increased activism against poverty and social and political oppression, based on his speech before the youth gathering in Rio de Janeiro calling on young Christians to lead revolutions against the old order.
“If Pope Francis ever decides to visit the Philippines, we wish the Pope to seek out the urban poor lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender jobless and underpaid youth who are experiencing triple oppression of gender discrimination, poverty, and vulnerability to sexually transmitted diseases that are worsened by old Catholic-inspired stigma against us,” Pumihic said.
Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 declared gays should not become priests.
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