Pope Francis gave a TED talk last Tuesday on "a revolution of tenderness." This is a powerful message of peace coming from one of the world's most prominent religious figures.
What struck me about his message was how contrary it ran to his recent decision to deny gay men the ability to be priests. In December, the Vatican released "The Gift of the Priestly Vocation", a document outlining rational and protocol for priests. Namely, that practicing homosexuals cannot become them.
In his TED talk, Pope Francis said:
“Please, allow me to say it loud and clear: the more powerful you are, the more your actions will have an impact on people, the more responsible you are to act humbly. If you don’t, your power will ruin you, and you will ruin the other.”
Pope Francis clearly acknowledges his power. But what message does he send by denying gay man access to priesthood? How transformative could it have been if they were granted access? What role should religion play in sexuality?
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