"Pope Francis again defends blessing homosexual ‘couples,’ downplays idea it causes ‘schism’"

"Pope Francis has once again defended blessing homosexual couples, as outlined in Fiducia Supplicans, adding that the global controversy and international rejection of such blessings does not signal 'a schism.'

'I just want to say that God loves everyone, especially sinners,' Pope Francis stated in a book-length interview soon to be released, a preview of which was released by Corriere della Sera and Vatican News on March 14.

'I envision a mother church that embraces and welcomes everyone, including those who feel wrong and those who have been judged by us in the past. I am thinking of homosexual or transgender people who seek the Lord and instead have been rejected or cast out,' Francis is further reported as saying.

The preview noted that Francis repeated his multiple prior comments defending same-sex blessings and the declaration Fiducia Supplicans...

Authored by Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Congregation (now Dicastery) for the Doctrine of the Faith, Fiducia Supplicans states in section 31 that 'within the horizon outlined here is the possibility of blessings of couples in irregular situations and of same-sex couples.'

On at least three occasions publicly known... Pope Francis has defended the text which he formally approved, and attacked Catholics who have opposed it."