Pope Francis has spoken on his view regarding debates on intercourse, LGBT rights, and porn, describing sex as ‘one of the beautiful things that God has given to the human person.’
The 86-year-old pope made the comment in the Disney+ documentary ‘The Pope: Answers’ captured in Rome, during which interview he was seen with ten young people in their early 20’s.
The youngsters questioned Francis on numerous topics, including LGBT rights, abortion, the porn industry, sex, and faith and sex abuse within the Catholic Church.
During the interaction, the pope said: “Sex is one of the beautiful things that God has given to the human person. To express yourself sexually is a richness.”
Regarding masturbation, he commented: “Anything that detracts from real sexual expression lessens you and depletes this richness.”
The ten youths had met with Pope Francis to relate and discuss with him about “the main concerns of their generation.”
Francis also attested to knowing about ‘non-binary persons’.
He said that LGBT people must be welcomed by the Catholic Church.
“All persons are the children of God, all persons. God does not reject anybody, God is a father. And I have no right to expel anyone from the Church,” he said.
Francis, though condemning the act, said that priests should be ‘merciful’ towards women who have had an abortion.
“It good to call things by their name. It is one thing to accompany the person who had one (abortion), quite another to justify the act,” he said.
The pope’s remarks were published by L’Osservatore Romano, the official Vatican newspaper. The newspaper described the conversation between the pope and the youngsters as candid and frank, ‘an open dialogue.’
It comes after The Pope an intense four days in the lead up to Easter, renewing vows and urging priests to avoid causing any divisions in the Church.
On Holy Thursday, Francis and dozens of cardinals and bishops, and some 1,880 priests, gathered in St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, to restate the vows and commitments that they had made on their ordination.
The Pope later travelled to the jail of Casal del Marmo on the outskirts of the city, where he washed and kissed the feet of 12 young prisoners, an act to remember Jesus’ humility towards his apostles on the night before he died.
