“The pope’s statement clearly contradicts what has been the long-standing teaching of the church about same-sex unions,” he said in a statement. However, conservative Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence, Rhode Island, called for clarification. “The pope’s speaking positively about civil unions also sends a strong message to places where the church has opposed such laws,” Martin said in a statement. James Martin, a Jesuit who has sought to build bridges with gay Catholics, praised the comments as “a major step forward in the church’s support for LGBT people.” However, he had never come out publicly in favor of civil unions as pope, and no pontiff before him had, either. While serving as archbishop of Buenos Aires, Francis endorsed civil unions for gay couples as an alternative to same-sex marriages.
