Pope Francis Is Got Two Frame of Mind on Gay Marriage

VATICAN CITY (CNN) - Did the man who would become pope find middle ground on the issue of same-sex marriage? At the height of the same-sex marriage fight in Argentina in 2010, Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio--now Pope Francis--got into a very public verbal battle with the country's president.

Bergoglio called her gay marriage bill "a destructive attack on God's plan." But privately, his stance may have been different.

Monday saw a cordial Vatican meeting between the president of Argentina and the new pope with the two argentines exchanging gifts. But their get together was in sharp contrast to the war of words between the two leaders less than three years ago.

In mid-2010, Argentina was polarized over a same sex marriage bill supported by Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who called the church's actions against the measure, "attitudes reminiscent of medieval times and the Inquisition.”

Then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio blasted the bill, dubbing it "a destructive attack on God's plan.”


"The church has asked Catholics to oppose this and that's exactly what I'm doing as Catholic," Bergoglio said at the time.

But some have said the future pontiff was much more conciliatory than he appeared.


Marcelo Marquez, a gay rights activist and former theology professor at a Catholic seminary near the Argentine capital.

Marquez said Bergoglio told him in private in 2010 that he favored gay rights and went as far as saying he didn't oppose gay civil unions.

"He told me that he understands that homosexual people should have their rights protected in society. He also said he believed that Argentina was not ready for a gay marriage law, but said he would favor a law granting civil unions," Marquez said.

Marquez said the meeting happened after he sent Bergoglio this letter on behalf of gay Catholics supporting the same sex marriage bill.

The New York Times reported Wednesday that at a private meeting of bishops in 2010, Cardinal Bergoglio advocated that the church in Argentina support the idea of civil unions for gay couples.

A senior Vatican official said the Roman Catholic Church could neither confirm nor deny the report at this point. The official added that while Pope Francis might have expressed such view while he was a cardinal, he should be given time to develop his policy position as pontiff.

CNN Rafael Romo