▁raise ▁aw aren ess ▁around ▁the ▁world ▁of ▁the ▁damage ▁done ▁to ▁children ▁and ▁young ▁people ▁when ▁they ▁are ▁given ▁the ▁sense ▁that ▁to ▁be ▁L GB T ▁is ▁a ▁mis fort une ▁or ▁a ▁disappoint ment . ▁Francis ▁was ▁asked ▁during ▁the ▁press ▁conference ▁what ▁he ▁would ▁say ▁to ▁the ▁father ▁of ▁a ▁son ▁who ▁says ▁he ▁is ▁hom osex ual . ▁In ▁his ▁reply , ▁the ▁Pope ▁said ▁" Don ' t ▁condem n . ▁Dialog ue , ▁understand , ▁make ▁space ▁for ▁your ▁son ▁or ▁daughter . ▁Make ▁space ▁so ▁they ▁can ▁express ▁themselves ," ▁" You ▁are ▁my ▁son , ▁you ▁are ▁my ▁daughter , ▁just ▁as ▁you ▁are !" ▁and ▁" that ▁son ▁and ▁that ▁daughter ▁have ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁a ▁family ▁and ▁of ▁not ▁being ▁ch ased ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁family ." ▁ ▁On ▁ 3 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁a ▁book , ▁The ▁Str ength ▁of ▁a ▁V ocation , ▁consisting ▁of ▁a ▁trans cription ▁of ▁a ▁four - hour ▁interview ▁between ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁and ▁Spanish ▁Mission ary ▁Fernando ▁Pr ado ▁was ▁published . ▁In ▁it , ▁the ▁Pope ▁is ▁quoted ▁as ▁saying ▁that ▁" hom osex ual ity ▁is ▁a ▁very ▁serious ▁issue ", ▁" is ▁fashion able ▁and ▁that ... ▁also ▁influ ences ▁the ▁life ▁of ▁the ▁church " ▁and ▁is ▁" something ▁[ he ▁is ] ▁concerned ▁about ". ▁He ▁further ▁goes ▁on ▁to ▁say ▁" In ▁consec r ated ▁and ▁priest ly ▁life , ▁there ' s ▁no ▁room ▁for