Pope Francis Gives Up on Africa in Push for Same Gender Marriages: "It's a Special Case"

• Pope Francis said African bishops who have refused to bless same-sex couples are part of a minority group
• The pontiff said that the critics of his reforms, apart from Africans who are deeply immersed in cultural beliefs, would gradually change tune
• He also disclosed his lack of concern for the cultural conservatives who have opted to leave the Catholic faith because of the new reforms

Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church has lost hope in convincing African bishops to bless homosexual couples a month after he allowed priests to bless the unions.

Why is Pope Francis giving up on Africa about LGBTQ?

According to Reuters, the Vatican leader said that the opponents of his reforms, apart from Africans, who are tied up with cultural beliefs, would gradually understand and concur with them.

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"Those who protest vehemently belong to small ideological groups. A special case is Africans; for them, homosexuality is something 'bad' from a cultural point of view; they don't tolerate it," said the pope.

"But in general, I trust that gradually everyone will be reassured by the spirit of the 'Fiducia Supplicans' declaration by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith: it aims to include, not divide," the pope added.

Last week, he acknowledged the criticism when discussing the document's rejection in Africa, where bishops have essentially opposed it.

In Uganda, engaging in same-gender marriages can lead to imprisonment or even the death penalty.

Additionally, he expressed his lack of concern about conservative wings divergence from the Catholic Church because of his reforms, dismissing the notion of a schism as typically fuelled by smaller groups.

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"We must leave them to it and move on...and look forward," he said.

Tokyo recognises same-sex relationships

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Tokyo began issuing partnership certificates to same-sex couples who live and work in the capital on Tuesday, a long-awaited move in a country without marriage equality.

The certificates allow LGBTQ partners to be treated as married couples for a range of public services in areas such as housing, medicine and welfare.

More than 200 smaller local authorities in Japan have already made moves to recognise same-sex partnerships since Tokyo's Shibuya district pioneered the system in 2015.

Source: TUKO.co.ke