Rome, August 27 - Italy's Gay Center said Monday Pope Francis was wrong to say gay kids could be helped by psychiatry. "We're not ill," said the group's spokesman Fabrizio Marrazzo. On his flight back from Ireland Sunday evening, the pope recommended parents seek psychiatric help for children who show homosexual tendencies. A journalist asked Francis what he would say to parents who observe homosexual traits in their children. "I would say first of all pray, not to condemn, to dialogue, to understand, to give space to the son or the daughter," he responded. Parents must also consider the age of their child, he said. "When it shows itself from childhood, there is a lot that can be done through psychiatry, to see how things are. It is something else if it shows itself after 20 years." He emphasised that parents should not respond with "silence". "Ignoring a son or daughter who has homosexual tendencies is an error of fatherhood or motherhood." </s> Pope Francis has recommended parents seek psychiatric help for children who show homosexual tendencies, during a press conference on his plane taking him back to Rome from Ireland.

A journalist asked the pontiff on Sunday what he would say to parents who observe homosexual traits in their children.

“I would say first of all pray, not to condemn, to dialogue, to understand, to give space to the son or the daughter,” he responded.

Parents must also consider the age of their child, he said.

“When it shows itself from childhood, there is a lot that can be done through psychiatry, to see how things are. It is something else if it shows itself after 20 years.”

He emphasised that parents should not respond with “silence”.

“Ignoring a son or daughter who has homosexual tendencies is an error of fatherhood or motherhood.” </s> VATICAN CITY: The Vatican today rolled back on Pope Francis' recommendation that parents seek psychiatric help for children who show homosexual tendencies.

The pope made the comments to journalists as he was flying back to Rome from Ireland, but the Vatican later removed his phrase from its official account, saying he had not meant to suggest that homosexuality was a mental illness.

Francis was asked by a journalist what he would say to parents who observe homosexual traits in their children.

"When it shows itself from childhood, there is a lot that can be done through psychiatry, to see how things are.

It is something else if it shows itself after 20 years," he said.

The pope added that ignoring a child who showed homosexual tendencies was an "error of fatherhood or motherhood".

However, when the Vatican later published the pope's answer, the reference to psychiatry had been removed.

When asked why, a Vatican spokeswoman told AFP it had been done in order to not "change the thoughts of the Holy Father".

"When the pope referred to 'psychiatry', it is clear that he was doing it to highlight an example of 'things that can be done'.

But with that word he didn't mean to say that it (homosexuality) was a 'mental illness'," she said.

Francis' trip to Ireland was fraught with controversy amid accusations that he ignored sexual abuse allegations against prominent US cardinal Theodore McCarrick. </s> Speaking on his flight home after his two-day visit to Ireland, the pontiff said parents should not ‘condemn’ gay children but said there was ‘a lot that could be done’ with professional medical input.

Source: Pope Francis says psychiatrists can help gay children but tells parents not to ‘condemn’ them | Daily Mail Online </s> Pope Francis says parents of gay children shouldn’t condemn them, ignore their orientation or throw them out of the house. Rather, he says they should pray, talk and try to understand. Speaking to reporters after closing out a Catholic family rally in Ireland, Francis said: “There have always been gay people and people with homosexual tendencies.” Francis was asked what he would tell a father of a child who just came out as gay. Francis said he would first suggest prayer. “Don’t condemn. Dialogue. Understand, give the child space so he or she can express themselves.” Francis said it might be necessary seek psychiatric help if a child begins to exhibit “worrisome” traits, but that it’s something else if an adult comes out as gay. He urged parents not to respond with silence. “Ignoring child with this tendency shows a lack of motherhood and fatherhood.” He said: “This child has the right to a family. And the family not throwing him out.” </s> Pope Francis says parents of gay children shouldn’t condemn them, ignore their orientation or throw them out of the house. Rather, he says they should pray, talk and try to understand.

Speaking to reporters after closing out a Catholic family rally in Ireland, Francis said: “There have always been gay people and people with homosexual tendencies.”

Francis was asked what he would tell a father of a child who just came out as gay. Francis said he would first suggest prayer.

“Don’t condemn. Dialogue. Understand, give the child space so he or she can express themselves.”

Francis said it might be necessary seek psychiatric help if a child begins to exhibit “worrisome” traits, but that it’s something else if an adult comes out as gay.

He urged parents not to respond with silence. “Ignoring child with this tendency shows a lack of motherhood and fatherhood.”

He said: “This child has the right to a family. And the family not throwing him out.” </s> Pope Francis says parents of gay children shouldn’t condemn them, ignore their orientation or throw them out of the house. Rather, he says they should pray, talk and try to understand.

Speaking to reporters after closing out a Catholic family rally in Ireland, Francis said: “There have always been gay people and people with homosexual tendencies.”

Francis was asked what he would tell a father of a child who just came out as gay.

Francis said he would first suggest prayer. “Don’t condemn. Dialogue. Understand, give the child space so he or she can express themselves.”

Francis said it might be necessary seek psychiatric help if a child begins to exhibit “worrisome” traits, but that it’s something else if an adult comes out as gay.

He urged parents not to respond with silence. “Ignoring child with this tendency shows a lack of motherhood and fatherhood.”

He said: “This child has the right to a family. And the family not throwing him out.”

For all the latest World News, download Indian Express App </s> KNOCK, Ireland (AP) — Pope Francis says parents of gay children shouldn't condemn them, ignore their orientation or throw them out of the house. Rather, he says they should pray, talk and try to understand.

Speaking to reporters after closing out a Catholic family rally in Ireland, Francis said: "There have always been gay people and people with homosexual tendencies."

Francis was asked what he would tell a father of a child who just came out as gay. Francis said he would first suggest prayer.

"Don't condemn. Dialogue. Understand, give the child space so he or she can express themselves."

Francis said it might be necessary seek psychiatric help if a child begins to exhibit "worrisome" traits, but that it's something else if an adult comes out as gay.

He urged parents not to respond with silence. "Ignoring child with this tendency shows a lack of motherhood and fatherhood."

He said: "This child has the right to a family. And the family not throwing him out."

Pope Francis has declined to confirm or deny claims by the Vatican's retired U.S. ambassador that he briefed the pope in 2013 about sexual misconduct allegations against disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick.

Francis said the 11-page text by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, which reads as a homophobic manifesto and attack on Francis allies in parts, "speaks for itself" and that he wouldn't comment on it.

Francis was asked during an airborne press conference Sunday if Vigano's claims that the two discussed McCarrick in 2013 were true. The pope was also asked about Vigano's claims that McCarrick was already under sanction at the time, but that Francis rehabilitated him.

Francis said he had read Vigano's document and trusted journalists to judge for themselves and said: "I won't say a word about it." </s> Police entered an apartment where a priest lived. The priest reportedly serves as a secretary to Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, the head of the Pontifical Council for Legislative texts.

An Italian newspaper said police raided the apartment in June after complaints from neighbors who reported unusual behavior.

The police reportedly found drugs and several men having sex when they entered the apartment. The priest was reported on suspicion of drug offenses.

Sex between men in private is not a criminal offense in Italy or in the Vatican City, which is a nominally independent state within the city of Rome.

The apartment reportedly belonged to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which investigates sexual abuse by priests.

Cardinal Coccopalmerio had reportedly recommended the priest for promotion to bishop but that has now been put on hold.

The incident is symptomatic of a difficult period for the Pope.

He remains under huge pressure as a result of sex abuse involving the Roman Catholic Church.

The Pope's critics have reportedly blamed him for picking the wrong people for key positions.

In June, Cardinal George Pell, the highest-ranking Catholic official in Australia, agreed to step down from his job as the Vatican's treasurer to return to Australia after being charged with multiple sexual offenses by Australian authorities.

"I stand by everything I've said at the royal commission [on child sexual abuse] and in other places. We have to respect due process, wait until it's concluded and obviously I'll continue to cooperate fully," he told reporters. He is to appear in court on July 18.

For decades, the Catholic Church has been subject to accusations from numerous activists, organizations and victims for not doing enough to fight pedophilia within its ranks.

In July 2014, Pope Francis referred to child sexual abuse as a "leprosy" that infects the Catholic Church, stating that one in every 50 Catholic priests is a pedophile.

In 2015, Pope Francis approved the creation of a tribunal to hear cases in which bishops have been accused of failing to prevent the sexual abuse of children and "vulnerable adults" by priests.
After returning from his visit, the Pope says that, when parents discover their child is homosexual, they should not judge or condemn them. However, he also remarks that "many things can be done by psychiatry".