POPE SEES 'HYPOCRISY' IN THOSE WHO DISMISS LGBTQ BLESSINGS

Perhaps the strongest defense of his decision to permit priests to bless same-sex couples, Pope Francis stated that he finds "hypocrisy" in those who criticize it.

A Vatican statement known as Fiducia Supplicans (Supplicating Trust) authorized LGBT blessings last month, but the Catholic Church has strongly opposed it, especially from African bishops.

"Giving my blessings to a businessman who may be abusing people doesn't cause scandal, even though it's a very serious transgression. However, if I offer them to a homosexual, they become scandalized," Francis stated to the Italian Catholic publication Credere.

"This displays hypocrisy," he declared.

A day before it was published, on Wednesday, Credere made excerpts of the interview public.

Additionally, according to a different excerpt released by Vatican media, Francis stated that he "always" welcomes divorcees who have remarried and LGBT persons to the sacrament of confession."No blessing should be withheld from anyone. The pontiff uttered the three words "everyone, everyone, everyone," which he had used at a Catholic youth gathering in Portugal in August.

Making the Catholic Church more accepting and less judgmental has been one of Francis's main goals as pope. He is well-known for having replied, "Who am I to judge?" in response to a question regarding homosexuality at the start of his pontificate.

Conservatives claim that this could jeopardize the moral precepts taught by the Church.

Francis has supported Fiducia Supplicans on multiple occasions, but he has also acknowledged criticism of the doctrine, stating that, for example, priests should consider local sensitivities when bestowing blessings.