Pope Francis reaches out to gays, eyes visit to PH

Pope Francis has high hopes for the Philippines, the world’s third-biggest Catholic nation. And he is considering a visit as part of an Asian trip that his predecessor failed to accomplish. “I think a trip to Asia can be done, especially because it’s a continent Benedict XVI did not get to, though he wanted to…maybe Sri Lanka, maybe the Philippines, I’m not sure,” Francis said, as quoted by Vatican watcher John Allen on the National Catholic Reporter. In a chat with journalists who flew back to Rome with him from a high-profile trip to Brazil, Francis also reached out to gays, saying it is not his place to judge them.”If someone is gay and seeks the Lord with good will, who am I to judge?” the pope asked.

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