30 Nov Pope accepts symbolic rainbow scarf
Austrian Green MP Ulrike Lunacek has handed over a rainbow patterned scarf to Pope Francis.
The symbolic gift was graciously received by the Pontiff but we don’t expect to see it adorning his neck on the balcony of the Vatican any time soon.
Lunacek is co-president of the European Parliament Intergroup on LGBT Rights, and is the first openly lesbian politician in the Austrian Parliament. She said she offered the Pope the present “for gays, lesbians, and for peace” during the European Parliament meeting in Strasbourg.
At the Synod on the Family last month, there was speculation that the Catholic Church was softening its approach to homosexuality and divorce.
Pope Francis stressed the importance of a more caring and pastoral approach to gay people.
However, during his opening address at the Humanum conference last week he said “children have a right to grow up in a family with a father and a mother”.
“It is fitting that you have gathered here in this international colloquium to explore the complementarity of man and woman. This complementarity is a root of marriage and family,” he said.
Source: http://qnews.com.a