OPINION | Barry Richard: Pope Says God Made and Loves Homosexuals

Pope Francis and I don't have a lot in common, but if remarks being attributed to Francis are accurate, we may have found something that we agree on.

Juan Carlos Cruz, a victim of a Chilean pedophile priest, says the Pope told him following a meeting at the Vatican last month that gays are part of the church. The Associated Press says Cruz, the whistle blower who blew the lid off of the clergy sex abuse scandal in Chile, was discussing his homosexuality with Francis when the Pope reportedly told him, "Look, Juan Carlos, the Pope loves you this way, God made you like this and he loves you."

Needless to say, some of the faithful are aghast at the remarks,while others, particularly gay members of the church, have embraced them.

Pope Francis recognizes what most people have come to believe, that homosexuality is a natural occurrence and not a learned or acquired behavior. In other words, God created homosexuals as part of his master plan. It is taking the church too long to catch up and adapt its teachings to reflect such.

As we mark the 14th anniversary of same-sex marriage here in Massachusetts, it's time to rethink some outdated and uninformed beliefs that have been wrapped in the cloak of religion for far too long.

Love and acceptance of all people are supposed to be among the cornerstones of Christianity. Besides, why is it our business if someone is gay anyway?