Creating a global earthquake yesterday, the media reported that 83-year-old Pope Francis [Jose Mario Bergoglio] backed same-sex unions, something taken out-of-context by gay Italian documentary filmmaker Eveny Afineesky whose film “Francesco” was introduced at the Rome Film festival Oct. 21. Afineesky took Francis’ remarks from a 2019 Mexican interview in which he gave some of his personal opinions, not stating any change to the Holy See or the office of the Bishop of Rome. Francis called homosexuals “children of God,” but didn’t say he endorsed same-sex civil unions or, for that matter, same-sex marriage. “You can’t kick some out of a family, nor make their life miserable for this,” Francis said in the interview. “What we have is a civil union law that way they are legally covered,” Francis said, saying nothing about any change to Vatican II or any possible change to an eventual Vatican III.
Since his papacy began March 13, 2013, Pope Francis has not called for any change with regard to the Vatican’s position of same-sex marriage or civil unions. While serving as the archbishop of Buenos Aires, Bergoglio expressed support for civil unions, not marriage, for same-sex couples but since becoming Pope, do his past personal beliefs to signal any change in Vatican policy. Pope Francis Communication adviser Rev. Antonio Spadaro insisted that the Pope’s remarks made to Mexico’s “Televisa” in May 2019 were old news, saying nothing new about Vatican policy. “There’s nothing new because it’s part of that interview,” Spadaro told the AP. “It seems strange that you don’t remember,” questioning why the Pope’s comments from an old interview would signal to the frenzied press a change in Vatican doctrine. Afineesky included his comments to show Francis receptive to same-sex unions.
Even the Mexican broadcaster Televisa didn’t include the Pope’s remarks about same-sex unions because they could be misinterpreted, as they were in Afineesky’s new documentary. Afineesky didn’t use Francis’ quotes opposing same-sex marriage. “I always defended the doctrine [Vatican]” in Argentina, Francis said in the interview. No where in Afineesky’s documentary do you hear Francis confirming his support of the Vatican’s doctrine against same-sex marriage or civil unions. “Francesco” has Francis saying his support “a law of civil cohabitation,” something said in the Televisa interview. In the Vatican’s official transcript of the Televisa interview, there’s no mention of Francis backing “a law of civil cohabitation. “ Afineesky was asked by the AP if he knew his film was going to produce sensational headlines. Afineesky denied that he was trying to distort or misrepresent Pope Francis.
Afineesky tried to slant his documentary to suggest that Francis backed same-sex unions or would be inclined in make changes in Vatican doctrine. “If journalists will be focusing on the move only on that, that it will be a pity,” said Afineesky. “But I think that’s one of the issues in our world needs to understand that we’re all equal,” hinting about his artistic bias in hinting that Francis support same-sex unions as official Vatican policy. Vatican’s head of communication Paolo Ruffini refused to speak with Afineesky as a screening of “Francesco,” signaling the Vatican wanted no part of any message that Francis lends support to same-sex civil unions. While same-sex marriage is legal in some countries, it’s not legal in Italy, where only same-sex civil unions are legal since 2016. Operating under Vatican II since 1965, the Roman Catholic Church has made no changes to its views of homosexuality.
Under current Vatican doctrine gay people should be treated with dignity but that homosexual acts are considered “intrinsically disordered.” Afineesky stretched the views to Francis to fit his documentary that Francis leaned toward recognizing the rights of same-sex civil unions. In a 2003 document, the Vatican stated clearly that respect for homosexuality “cannot lead in any way to approval of homosexual behavior or to legal recognition of homosexual unions,” putting to rest any suggestion in “Francesco” that as leader of the Holy See Francis would back same-sex unions for as official Vatican policy. Afineesky projected his own personal wishes on Pope Francis but there’s zero change to any Vatican policy when it comes to approving same-sex civil unions. While there’s nothing wrong with gays seeking the same legal protections as heterosexuals, there’s something wrong with misrepresenting the Pope.
Artists working in film have a right to express their views in anyway they wish. But they don’t’ have a right to advance their agenda by taking statements out of context to the extent they distort the true meaning. Like all filmmakers, documentary or dramatic, they control the splicing of video to express their message. Afineesky got ahead of himself thinking that Cardinal Bergoglio’s personal view about legal protections for homosexuals meant that he was seeking to change Vatican policy. “I’m so proud that “Francesco” is on its way to the road to change hearts and minds,” Afineesky said at the Vatican gardens. “Finally I am happy that I can bring voice from the Rohingya refugees, refugees from Syria, the voices of victims of sexual abuse, voices from different corners of the world,” Afineesky said. No one thinks that Affineesky will change “hearts and minds” in the Vatican.
