Pope Francis Earning Praise For Comments To Gay Man
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PHILADELPHIA (CBS/CNN) -- Pope Francis is receiving praise for his reported comments to a gay man from Chile.
Juan Carlos Cruz, a survivor of sexual abuse, spent three days with Pope Francis at the Vatican in April, in which he discussed his sexuality and the abuse he suffered at the hands of a Chilean priest.
Describing his encounter with the Pope to CNN, Cruz said: "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."
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Pope Francis has tried to make the church more welcoming to gay people.
The church teaches homosexuals should be respected, loved and not discriminated against, but considers homosexual activity, "intrinsically disordered" and contrary to God's law.
Fernando Karadima, the man who abused Cruz, was found guilty of abuse by the Vatican in 2011.
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