Pope against attaching aid to homosexuality

Head of the Roman Catholic Church Pope Francis has condemned the tendency by Western countries to force poor countries such as Malawi to adopt homosexuality as a condition to receiving aid.

Francis made the observation recently in his address to eight Catholic bishops from the ecclesiastical provinces of the Archdioceses of Blantyre and Lilongwe when they visited him.

The bishops also visited the tombs of St. Peter and St Paul in Rome.

Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) secretary general Father George Buleya said in a press statement that the Pope also took advantage of the meeting to clarify his stand on homosexuality.

“He emphatically said the doctrine of the Catholic Church will not and cannot change for it belongs to God.

“He, however, explained that there is need to find pastoral responses to reach out to homosexuals,” he said.

Buleya said the Pope faulted the media for misinterpreting efforts by the Church to reach out to homosexuals as signaling a change in the doctrine of the Church.

“He has since instituted a committee to look into the media strategy to report correctly what the Church says,” Buleya said.