Regarding The Blessing Of Same-Sex Couples, Pope Francis: Sometimes Decisions Are Not Accepted Because They Don't Understand

Pope Francis. (Wikimedia Commons/Xonn)

JAKARTA - Pope Francis said people in the Catholic Church who reject blessing for same-sex couples have taken a "mistake conclusion" for not understanding it, as he defended the important decision.

In a television interview, Pope Francis made his first public comments since the December 18 declaration sparked widespread debate at the Church, with bishops in several countries, particularly in Africa, refusing to allow its implementation.

"Sometimes decisions are not accepted, but in many cases, when decisions are not accepted, it is because the decision is not understood," Pope Francis said when answering specific questions about the December declaration.

"The danger is that if I don't like something and I put it (the opposition) in my heart, I become an opponent and immediately draw bad conclusions," he continued when contacted from his residence at the Vatican by the "Che Tempo Che Fa" program on Channel 9 Italy.

"This is what happened with the latest decision on blessings for all," he said, referring to a declaration known as the Latin title 'Fiducia Supply' (Supplicing Trust). It was issued by the Vatican Department of doctrine and approved by him.

Since the initial declaration, the Vatican has worked hard to emphasize that this blessing does not mean consent to same-sex sex, it should not be seen as something equivalent to the sameample of marriage for heterosexual couples.

The clarification earlier this month by the Vatican Doctrine Department did not affect bishops in Africa, where in some countries same-sex activities could result in prison sentences to the death penalty.

They issued a letter last week saying the December declaration had caused "surgery in the minds of many people" and could not be applied because of the continent's cultural context.

Meanwhile, some bishops in France told priests they could bless gay individuals, but not for couples.

The church teaches that same-sex is sin, irregular and people who have an interest in same-sex should try to remain holy and the Pope seems to allude to this in response.

"God bless everyone," Pope Francis said.

"But then people have to have a dialogue with God's blessings and see the path God proposes. We (the church) must join their hands and lead them along that path and not condemn them from the start," he said.

It is known, since being elected in 2013, Pope Francis has been trying to make a church with 1.35 billion congregations, more LGBT-friendly, without changing the moral doctrine.