Pope Francis criticized laws that prohibit gay marriage as "unjust," saying God is a loving God who loves his children as they are.
He also asked Catholic bishops who are in favor of the law to accept LGBTQ members into the church.
"Being homosexual isn't a crime," Francis stated in an exclusive interview on Tuesday during an exclusive interview on The Associated Press.
Francis acknowledged the fact that Catholic bishops in certain regions of the world have a tendency to support laws which criminalize homosexuality
He himself spoke of the issue as "sin." But he blamed these attitudes on different cultural backgrounds and suggested
bishops are in particular required to undergo a transformation to acknowledge the dignity of all.
"These bishops have to have a process of conversion," he added and added that they must utilize "tenderness, please, as God has for each one of us."
Francis' remarks are the first words spoken by the pope regarding these laws, however they're consistent with his overall stance towards the LGBTQ community
and his belief of the Catholic Church should be open to everyone and not discriminate against anyone.
A total of 67 countries or jurisdictions around the world have laws that prohibit consensual same-sex sexual activities,