The Vatican has yet to approve the appointment of an openly gay French ambassador to the Holy See, prompting observers to interpret the silence as a rebuke of the man’s sexual orientation.
Via ABC News:
The Holy See had yet to respond to the nomination of Laurent Stéfanini, which was delivered in January, French newspaper Le Monde reported Thursday.
Vatican experts say they believe the delay in approval is effectively a rejection of Stéfanini, but the Vatican itself won’t comment.
“Any host government has the right to grant agrément or refuse it for their own reasons,” the Rev. Thomas Rosica, a Vatican spokesman, told the Washington Post.
Adds The Washington Post:
How Pope Francis’s Vatican responds to France’s appointment, if at all, will be closely watched, given his famous “Who am I to judge” remark in 2013 when asked about gay priests. That and other moves have left GLBT equality advocates hopeful that they have an ally in him. But Francis’s support is limited. He has reiterated when asked that he supports traditional Catholic teaching on sexuality, earlier this year saying gay marriage advocates “threaten to disfigure God’s plan for creation.”
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