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Pope Francis: 'Gay lobby' does exist in Vatican

By CAROLINE LEE, UPI.com
Pope Francis File/UPI/Stefano Spaziani
Pope Francis File/UPI/Stefano Spaziani | License Photo

Pope Francis has acknowledged the existence of a "gay lobby" inside Vatican administration.

This comes months after a slew of rumors surrounding a leaks scandal just before the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. In February, a dossier reportedly exposed a lobby of homosexual churchmen and the potential blackmailing of homosexuals within the church, which may have been part of Pope Benedict XVI's decision to resign.

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"The 'gay lobby' is mentioned, and it is true; it is there," Francis told a group at the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation for Religious Men and Women, which heads Catholic communities there.

The Argentine pope has plans to overhaul the Roman Curia, the administration of the Catholic Church under which the gay lobby falls, but said it would be “difficult.”

The Vatican has not yet commented on his statement, but based on other instances may not publicly back Pope Francis on the matter. Earlier this year, when Pope Francis said that even nonbelievers could be redeemed with good works, Catholic conservatives issued a contradictory statement saying that atheists would still go to hell.

"This was a private meeting held by the Pope, and I will not comment on private meetings," said Federico Lombardi, a spokesman for the Vatican.

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