Pope Francis greets the crowd as he leads the Angelus from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter’'s Square at the Vatican Nov. 8. The pope said people sometimes forget that life’'s ultimate purpose is preparing for the kingdom of heaven. (Vatican Media/CNS)
Pope Francis greets the crowd as he leads the Angelus from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter’'s Square at the Vatican Nov. 8. The pope said people sometimes forget that life’'s ultimate purpose is preparing for the kingdom of heaven. (Vatican Media/CNS)
Archbishop: Pope did not change teaching
During the Nov. 6 Chapel Chat livestreamed from his home prayer space, Archbishop Alexander Sample said Pope Francis clearly has not changed church teaching on unions of people with same-sex attraction.
Secular media last month viewed a new documentary and reported that the pope appeared to advocate for legally recognized partnerships for homosexuals. Sharply criticizing news outlets for sensationalizing the situation before the facts were in, the archbishop said a clarification from the Holy See reveals that documentary makers “disingenuously edited” footage from the pope’s answers to two questions to make it seem he favors civil unions.
“The Holy Father did not change any church doctrine with regard to persons who suffer from same-sex attraction,” Archbishop Sample said. “The Holy Father has again and again and again confirmed that marriage can only be between one man and one woman.”
Responding to questions posed by a Mexican journalist a year ago, Pope Francis said that homosexual persons deserve a family — meaning they should not be rejected by parents, siblings and other relatives. In response to another question, the pope said homosexuals should have legal protection against discrimination.
The pope was not proposing a state-recognized a quasi-replacement for marriage, Archbishop Sample said, reiterating Catholic teaching that homosexual acts are immoral while people who have same-sex attraction deserve love and care.
Archbishop Alexander Sample urged peace and trust as results of the presidential election were becoming clear.

“Keep calm and let Jesus take care of it,” he advised listeners in a talk from his home chapel livestreamed the evening of Nov. 6. That was about 12 hours before media outlets called the election for President-elect Joe Biden.

In his weekly Chapel Chat, the archbishop said he knows that some Americans will be distressed about election results, but encouraged all to trust in God and stop acting as if worldly affairs are of paramount importance.

“We need to trust in God,” he said. “Our ultimate stock is not in this world.”

Archbishop Sample said it is important to work to create a just and good society and to live by Catholic social teaching and Gospel values. “But we shouldn’t get so overworked about these things that they consume us. Do we believe the world is in the hands of God or not?”

The archbishop urged listeners to “stay focused and rooted in Christ and in faith.”

He suggested a novena on surrender, which he learned about at the funeral of Gertrude Helene Cobery Holtzinger Cotter, mother of Father Bill Holtzinger, pastor of St. Anne Parish in Grants Pass. Gertrude prayed the novena often.

In his talk the archbishop also clarified that on All Saints Day the church remembers all who have died and have made it to heaven — including our loved ones who are not officially recognized as saints. On All Souls Day, by contrast, the church remembers those who are still in purgatory going through a cleansing of anything that would hinder their relationship with God.

Chapel Chats with Archbishop Alexander Sample from Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon on Vimeo.