Pope Francis’ support for civil-union legislation is “devoid of any magisterial weight,” but are “simply private opinoins,” Cardinal Raymond Burke has written on his personal web site. After carefully explaining the constant teaching of the Church on the question, the cardinal says:

“It is a source of deepest sadness and pressing pastoral concern that the private opinions reported with so much emphasis by the press and attributed to Pope Francis do not correspond to the constant teaching of the Church, as it is expressed in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, and is guarded, protected and interpreted by the Magisterium.”