Pope Francis Calls for Civil Union Between Same-Sex Couples

During the premiere of the documentary "Francesco" about his life, Pope Francis called for the passage of civil union laws for same-sex couples. 

Francis stated, "Homosexuals have a right to be part of the family. They’re children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out, or be made miserable because of it. What we have to create is a civil union law. That way, they are legally covered. I stood up for that."

While Pope Francis had never come out publicly in favor of civil unions as pope, he previously endorsed civil unions for gay couples as an alternative to same-sex marriages while serving as archbishop of Buenos Aires. 

Source: NBC News