Pope Francis on Monday said who am I to judge? gay people as he discussed one of the most divisive issues affecting the Catholic Church.

Pope Francis, who gave a press conference on his flight back from Brazil, said he had stayed away from the gay marriage debate on his trip because he wanted to stay positive.

I have yet to find anyone who has a business card that says he is gay, the pontiff said at a press conference in which he addressed the reports of a "gay lobby" within the Vatican.

They say they exist. If someone is gay, who searches for the Lord and has goodwill, who am I to judge? he added. "The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains this very well. It says they should not be marginalized because of this (orientation) but that they must be integrated into society."

Francis added that he thought lobbies of any kind -- including political ones -- were bad.

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/29/19751976-pope-who-am-i-to-judge-gay-people?cid=social10231474&lite

Francis, I love you!!!

hito, I think you may have finally found your ideal husband.

My newest bud- St. Francis of the Sissies! Welcome! It's about time.

The next president of Egypt may be an el-Sissi.

For some reason I'm very suspicious of this. I'm not sure we've heard the entire story. I bet people jumped on a statement without hearing the entire context. Later in the day a church spokesperson said that no policies toward gay people were changing. hmmm

You can't turn back the clock. Let him try to walk back from this and his credibility is shot. As for me, I don't think he will. He'd better watch out for assassins though. Think John-Paul I.

There is no doubt this is a different Pope. He feels no alliance to the power structure in the Vatican. He eschews the trappings of the Papacy and wants to be among the people rather then the politicians of the Vatican.

I see many more statements coming from this Pope that the Vatican will try to walk back.

I have a feeling they may have met their match?

Thank Goodness!!!

Boy, does that take the wind out of some sails.

Lets just see if they get him to clarify this and say that we are all going to hell anyway.

Yes, I do see this pope as different than the ones before. But, I have watched too much The Borgias to not know what is coming next if he keeps up rocking the boat.

Malta’s Bishop Charles Scicluna says that when he went to Pope Francis with concerns about a proposed law that would allow same-sex couples to adopt, the Pontiff told him to speak out against it. So while it might not be up to Pope Francis to judge people, he’s perfectly fine working against their happiness here on earth. How’s that Person of the Year award looking now, The Advocate?