Pope Francis has warned bishops to reject gay applicants to the priesthood, according to reports.
The leader of the Catholic Church has allegedly told Italian priesthoods to reject anyone they suspect could be gay.
‘Keep an eye on the admissions to seminaries, keep your eyes open,’ the pope was quoted as saying by newspaper La Stampa’s Vatican Insider service. ‘If in doubt, better not let them enter.’
The Vatican Insider and Il Messaggero says the claimed remarks were made at a closed-door gathering.
The Vatican itself declined to report.
This has come after a gay man allegedly said the pope told him God loves him unconditionally.
Juan Carlos Cruz, who spoke privately with Francis last week, God doesn’t ‘care’ he’s gay.
Cruz told Spanish newspaper El País that the Pope said: ‘Juan Carlos, that you are gay does not matter. God made you like this and loves you like this and I don’t care. The Pope loves you like this. You have to be happy with who you are.’
Pope Francis recently said gays can’t burn in hell because ‘it doesn’t exist.’ He is against same-sex marriage but advocates for civil unions for same-sex couples.
