Posted October 22, 2020

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Office for Communications released the following statement Wednesday evening, Oct. 21, on comments made by Pope Francis in a documentary film, “Francesco.” Read details from coverage of the issue here and here by Catholic News Service.

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There has been much recent attention paid to comments attributed to the Holy Father in a documentary that premiered in Rome this week. It is important to note that the remarks appeared in the context of a film and not a church teaching document.

Further, the references involved civil unions. The Holy Father has consistently affirmed the sacrament of marriage as a union between one man and one woman on many occasions just as he has affirmed the need to treat all people with respect and dignity.

The recent comments underscore the Holy Father’s previous calls for pastoral and cultural sensitivity to the many different journeys of those who walk through life around us.