At the core of this issue is one irrefutable fact: The Bible condemns homosexual sodomy, in all its forms.
The Pope can say silly things like, "Who am I to judge?" and "Everyone is a child of God," and all that happy horse shit, but where the rubber meets the road, if you are an "active" homosexual - engaging in homosexual sodomy on a regular basis - then there is no room for you in the Church. You are living in Sin. You cannot receive the sacraments (other than Penance). This is true in Africa, Italy, the U.S., and even in the Pope's native South America.
A priest can "bless" a same-sex couple, just as he can bless a house or a house pet. But that does not change the fact mentioned in my first paragraph above.
Is it sinful to BE a homosexual - defined as someone who is sexually attracted to people of the same gender? No. Of course not. Just as it is not sinful to believe that your neighbor's wife is sexy, or to like his car (or Ox, or Ass, etc.), or to enjoy the occasional drunken night out. But if you show by your lifestyle, mannerisms, or public declarations that you engage in homosexual sodomy as a regular part of your life (that is to say, if you "marry" your boyfriend), there is no room for you in the Church.
I suppose it is possible to "marry" the person you love and agree to live celibate lives "as brothers," but unless both are very old, I don't think that happens often enough even to be discussed. For women, it might be a more frequently occurring "lesbian" relationship.
Pope Frank is a terrible Pope for many reasons, but his habit of floating morally ambiguous thoughts does neither him nor the Church any good. It is a tiny bit discouraging that he has salted the College of Cardinals with dozens of people just like him, closeted homosexuals with a disfunctional moral compass, so his successor is likely to be no better.
