The AP: Pope Francis criticized laws that criminalize homosexuality as “unjust,” saying God loves all his children just as they are and called on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church.

“Being homosexual isn’t a crime,” Francis said during an exclusive interview Tuesday with The Associated Press.

Francis acknowledged that Catholic bishops in some parts of the world support laws that criminalize homosexuality or discriminate against LGBTQ people, and he himself referred to the issue in terms of “sin.” But he attributed such attitudes to cultural backgrounds, and said bishops in particular need to undergo a process of change to recognize the dignity of everyone.

Why is the pope even talking about laws? Isn’t that the province of the state? Had someone approached him with a legal brief about local laws against homosexuality? Is he planning to testify at someone’s trial as a law professor?

No? No.

Jesus depends on the pope to point out bad laws, right? As a legal scholar?

Wait. That would be new. Remember when Dobbs overturned Roe v. Wade. Our Argentinian legal scholar in white had this to say:

Pope Francis has responded to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, which returned power to regulate abortion to the individual states, saying he respected the decision, but had not studied it enough to comment on it from a juridic point of view. “I tell you the truth. I don’t understand it from a technical point of view,” he explained, adding, “I have to study it because I don’t really understand (the details of) the ruling 50 years ago and now I can’t say whether it did right or wrong from a judicial point of view.” However, he said, “I respect the decisions.”

Ah, non-commital legalese from the pope. Just what we need in this time of moral confusion.

He’s just sowing confusion which is what he does. That is his intention.

Are there Catholics out there who hate homosexuals? Sure. The vast majority of Catholics understand that we are all sinners. But you know what is actually being forgotten by many Catholics right now? The Church’s teaching on sexuality. Many are confused. One can go on Twitter right now and hear priests, bishops, and cardinals say varying things about sexual ethics and about life. Confusion reigns right now. And the pope takes this moment to add to the confusion.

We don’t need a third rate lawyer. We need a pope who will clarify Church teaching and promulgate it.