Archbishop Charles Scicluna has not commented on Pope Francis’s endorsement of same-sex civil unions, which have sparked debate across the world.

The Pope’s position made headlines on Wednesday after an interview from the feature-length documentary Francesco, premiered at the Rome Film Festival.

Malta’s Archbishop, who also serves as the Adjunct Secretary of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, has in the past rarely shied away from commenting on controversial issues, but a request for comment on Francis’ stance by Times of Malta was not met.

A Curia spokesperson said questions on the issue should be forwarded to the Vatican’s press office.

Meanwhile, the Malta Gay Rights Movement (MGRM) welcomed the “beautiful statement” by Pope Francis.

It said the comments “put to shame those who are trying to use false interpretations of the Bible to influence parliament in its efforts to recognise the diversity of our country and its people”.

The papal thumbs-up came midway through the film that delves into issues he cares about most, including the environment, poverty, migration, racial and income inequality, and the people most affected by discrimination.

“Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God,” Francis said in one of his sit-down interviews for the film.

“What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered... I stood up for that.”

Archbishop Charles Scicluna. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Catholic Voices Malta said the producers, in seeking to promote the documentary, were “trying to portray Pope Francis as somehow having shifted the Church doctrine on marriage... in fact he has not”. 

“Actually, the comment made by Pope Francis in this interview is not new and is completely consistent with what he has said both when he was cardinal of Buenos Aires, and, subsequently, when he became Pope.

“The Pope always insisted that gay people are also children of God, and the Church in its catechism clearly teaches that homosexual tendencies are something which is deep-seated in an individual and in themselves do not constitute a sin,” the spokesperson said.

The Pope was not redefining marriage and had not brought about any shift in Church doctrine, the spokesperson said.

“The Church does not have a document on the legal standing of secular marriage or other forms of unions. What the Church teaches and speaks about is sacramental marriage and defines it as a relationship between a man and a woman, that is permanent and open to new life,” he said.

“Pope Francis has always defended this doctrine and actually has on many occasions expressed a concern when civil union is equated to marriage.”

Malta introduced gay marriage in 2017 after legalising civil unions in 2014.

According to the Church’s teachings, homosexual people must be treated with dignity and respect but it cannot lead to approval or legal recognition of unions.