Pope Francis yesterday signalled  a more tolerant era of Vatican thinking after he spoke out in defence of homosexuals. In remarks at odds with traditional rhetoric, the Pontiff refused to condemn homosexuality, saying: ‘We must  be brothers.’ In the most conciliatory words yet from the Vatican on the subject of gay priests, he added: ‘If a person is gay and seeks God and has goodwill, who am I to judge him?’ The new Pope used a talk with journalists covering his visit to Brazil to emphasise Roman Catholic teaching that says  those who have gay orientation should  be accepted.
@highlight
Previous Pope had signed document saying gay men should not be priests
@highlight
But Pope Francis says gay clergymen should be forgiven and sins forgotten
@highlight
Comments came as he returned from wildly successful tour of Brazil
Vatican
Vatican
Nothing said during the 80-minute in-flight interview alters the strong @placeholder opposition to gay relationships or marriage, or the Church ban on actively gay priests.
Roman Catholic
‘We cannot limit the role of women in the Church to altar girls or the president of a charity, there must be more,’ he said in his first public statement on campaigns in the @placeholder for women priests.
Roman Catholic
‘But with regard to the ordination of women, the @placeholder has spoken and says no.