Following the Pope’s endorsement of same-sex civil union legislation, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone recounted a conversation with the Pope in January. “The Holy Father clearly differentiated between a civil arrangement which accords mutual benefits to two people, and marriage,” he said. “The former, he said, can in no way be equated to marriage, which
remains unique. I would add that a civil union of this type (one which is not equated to marriage) should be as inclusive as possible, and not be restricted to two people of the same sex in a presumed sexual relationship. There is no reason, for example, why a brother and a sister, both of whom are unmarried and support each other, should not have access to these kinds of benefits.”