Pope Francis touched on one of the most divisive topics affecting the Catholic church when he said on Monday "Who am I to judge" gay people? Asked about reports of a "gay lobby" within the Vatican, Francis said he had "yet to find anyone who has a business card that says he is gay. They say they exist. If someone is gay, who searches for the Lord and has goodwill, who am I to judge?" But he affirmed the official position of the Catholic Church that while homosexual desires or attractions are not a sin, the physical acts are. Mary Ellen Lopata, who co-founded a networking ministry with Catholic parents of LGBT children, welcomed the comments as a “good first step to understanding and love.” Other observers said that while the remarks signaled a new tone of openness, they likely did not forecast a change in policy, NBC News reported.
