Juan Carlos Cruz is a victim of horrific sexual abuse by a Chilean Catholic priest. He was recently invited by Pope Francis to the Vatican to receive a heartfelt apology. He got much more than that.
Pope Francis told him that God made him gay and that his sexuality “does not matter.”
Cruz spent three days with the Holy Father at the Vatican in April. He discussed his sexuality and the abuse he suffered at the hands of Father Fernando Karadima.
Cruz reported to CNN these words from the Pope:
“You know Juan Carlos, that does not matter. God made you like this. God loves you like this. The Pope loves you like this and you should love yourself and not worry about what people say.”
Departure from Historic Teaching
The Vatican has neither confirmed or denied these words from Pope Francis. If he said this, it signifies a departure from the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. Historically, the Church views homosexuality “objectively disordered” and contrary to God’s law.
Vatican spokesman Greg Burke told CNN on Monday: “We do not normally comment on the Pope’s private conversations.”
Fernando Karadima, the man who abused Cruz, was found guilty of abuse by the Vatican in 2011.
Last Friday, all the bishops in Chile offered their resignation to the Holy Father after a three-day emergency summit at the Vatican to discuss Chile’s sex-abuse scandal. Thirty-one active bishops and three retired bishops said in a statement that they offered to resign. They placed the issue “in the hands of the Holy Father so that he might freely decide for each one of us.”
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