Pope Francis’ endorsement of same-sex civil unions is nothing new and the reaction to it is “a storm in a teacup”, according to Cardinal-elect Mario Grech. 

The Pope made international headlines last week through comments indicated that he was in favour of a civil union law to cover gay marriages. The position sparked debate across the world, with some saying that the Church was moving away from condemning same-sex unions. 

But for Bishop Mario Grech, the Pope’s statement was nothing new.

“We are all called to proclaim the gospel and all he did was simply put the person at the centre of the message in our effort to bring people closer to God and make them see God’s immensity,” Grech said upon his return to Malta from Rome. 

“We’d have to ask the people who reacted that way to see why. I think it’s all a storm in a teacup,” he told Times of Malta when asked about the matter. 

Pope Francis made his statement about same-sex civil unions in the documentary Francesco which had its premiere at the Rome Film Festival last week.

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.”

Grech was recently appointed secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops. He will be elevated to the rank of cardinal during a ceremony in late November. 

Grech stepped down from his former role as bishop of Gozo last month. He had served as Gozo bishop for 15 years before he was succeeded by Anton Teuma. He will be the first Gozitan to become cardinal. 

The coat of arms of Cardinal-elect Mario Grech.

As cardinal, he will be eligible to vote in the next conclave to elect a new pope. The new cardinals will be formally appointed on November 28. Grech will be the first Maltese cardinal since Prospero Grech died last December. 

Malta has had cardinals in the past. Cardinal Fabrizio Sceberras Testaferrata served between 1818 and 1843. Although cardinal, Prospero Grech could not vote to elect a new pope as he was over the age of 80. He died last year, aged 94. 

Grech was welcomed at the airport by Prime Minister Robert Abela, Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo, Archbishop Charles Scicluna, Auxiliary Bishop Joe Galea Curmi and Gozo Bishop Anton Teuma. 

Cardinal-elect Mario Grech and Prime Minister Robert Abela exchange greetings at Malta International Airport on Friday. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Scicluna did not comment on the Pope’s statement which was described as a “beautiful” by the Malta Gay Rights Movement (MGRM). 

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”.

A spokesperson for Catholic Voices Malta, on the other hand, said the comment by Pope Francis 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 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”. 

“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.

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.

Read the Pope's letter to Bishop Grech in the pdf link below.