During a three-hour meeting with over 800 of Rome’s priests and deacons, Pope Francis “responded to questions about blessing homosexual couples, stating that the doctrine on the Sacrament of Marriage between a man and a woman has not changed, saying that people are blessed, not sin,” according to Vatican News, the agency of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication.
“To a question from an African-born priest, [the Pope] said that African culture does not accept these blessings because there are different sensitivities,” Vatican News continued. “Pope Francis stated that many do not read well the texts of the Church. Good listening is required, he emphasized, noting that conflicts must be managed but not hidden.”
The Vatican has not released a transcript of the priests’ questions and the Pope’s responses.