Pope Francis has sparked controversy among Catholics by appointing pro-LGBT Father Roberto Pasolini as the preacher of the Papal Household. Father Pasolini replaces Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, who held the role for 44 years.
In his new position, Father Pasolini will deliver sermons during Advent and Lent to the Pope and the Roman Curia.
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Concerns about Father Pasolini stem from past statements in which he speculated about same-sex relationships in biblical narratives. In one instance, he encouraged imagining a homosexual relationship between Jonathan and King David, saying, “We can imagine it, we can think about it, we can like to think about it, but it is not written.”
Similarly, he suggested that the Roman centurion’s concern for his servant could hint at a romantic bond, rhetorically asking, “Why was he so dear to him? Was he working well?… Maybe there was a relationship between the two of them.”
Pasolini went further, suggesting that homosexuality might have existed “within the circle of the disciples, between Jesus and the disciples, Jesus and Lazarus,” citing strong expressions of love in Scripture, such as when it is written that “Jesus loved Lazarus.”
In his interpretation, Pasolini argued that the Bible’s condemnation of homosexual acts was shaped by the limited cultural understanding of the time: “The Bible does not even hypothesize a world in which there is a tendency that is not heterosexual.” Thus, he claimed, homosexual acts were stigmatized because “they were acts that were immediately cataloged as something that did not exist.”
This appointment follows Pope Francis’ recent decision to elevate gay-rights advocate Father Timothy Radcliffe to the rank of cardinal. Radcliffe has controversially described gay sex as potentially “Eucharistic,” stating that it can be “generous, vulnerable, tender, mutual and non-violent,” and even reflective of “Christ’s self-gift.”
He also encouraged Catholics to engage with gay culture, recommending “watching ‘Brokeback Mountain,’ reading gay novels, living with our gay friends and listening with them as they listen to the Lord.”
These developments have left many faithful Catholics deeply troubled, viewing them as significant departures from traditional Church teaching.
This article originally appeared on American Faith, and is reposted with permission.
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