‘Never Condemn A Child’ – Pope Francis Tells Parents To Support Their Children If They Are Gay

Pope Francis today told parents to support their children if they are gay and to ‘not hide in an attitude of condemnation’ during his weekly audience with the public

The 85-year-old pontiff called on families to never condemn their children for whatever reason, including over their sexual orientation. Pictured: Pope Francis waves to the public in the Vatican, with some holding rainbow LGBT flags

The pontiff continued: ‘Parents who see their children not going to school – so many parents’ problems, we think how to help them.

‘To them I say: don’t be afraid… Never condemn a child.’

Francis has frequently defended the rights of gay people and argued they should be accepted in their parishes, while urging parents not to reject their gay children.

He has always, however, voiced opposition to marriage among single-sex couples.

During his speech, the Argentinian pope recalled how, in Buenos Aires, he felt moved seeing a line of mothers outside a prison, waiting to see their sons ‘who had made a mistake’.

‘They showed their faces, they didn’t hide and they supported him, always. What courage,’ he added.

Francis revealed today he is suffering from an inflamed ligament in his right knee that makes walking and going up and down stairs painful.

Francis told his weekly general audience that he had been informed that the inflammation usually only afflicts older people.

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The issue prevented him from personally greeting the faithful following the weekly general audience.

‘I won’t be able to come among you today to greet you, because I have a problem with my right leg, a ligament in my knee is inflamed,’ the pontiff said in a rare public comment on his health.

‘It’s temporary, I hear it happens to old people, I don’t know why it happens to me,’ he joked, drawing laughter from the audience gathered in the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall.

Pope Francis, escorted by his butler Sandro Mariotti, (left) is helped to walk during the weekly general audience. The pontiff revealed he is suffering from an inflamed ligament in his right knee that makes walking and going up and down stairs painful