Pope Francis accused of ‘communications issue’ on same sex marriages

Pope Francis said "the Gospel is for everyone" including all sinners, and warned that if the Church sets up "customs checkpoints", it ceases to be the Church of Christ.

He clarified that while blessings are for individuals, same sex unions cannot be blessed because it would go against "the law of the Church".

Speaking to GBN America, Princess Gloria said the Pope is "trying every effort" to get people back towards the faith when they are "obviously living in non-Catholic circumstances".

In discussion with host Jacob Rees-Mogg, Princess Gloria claimed his main intention is to "bless each and every person on their own" in the hope of keeping them "on the road of Catholic faith".

Gloria von Thurn und Taxis explained: "I think that with this blessing of same sex couples, the main intention is to bless each and every person on their own and by the blessing, hoping and praying that they get on the road to coming back to the Catholic faith.

"Because let's not forget, who lives in a same sex relationship or who aborts babies is automatically excommunicated."

She added: "You don't need a third party to excommunicate someone. So what the Pope is saying, it's a communications issue."

Jacob then argued that Pope Francis "quite likes" creating an "element of uncertainty" about precisely what he means, and that it "allows him to impress the liberal secular world".

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He added: "At the same time, he's not moving too far away from Orthodox Catholic teaching, and therefore this degree of confusion is intended?"

Gloria agreed, responding: "Yes, I think he has a very much a pastoral approach. It's a pedagogical approach.

"He wants, first of all, to get a communication line open with the people who now live far away from the Catholic faith. And by blessing them, the first step is already there. There is a contact with the parish priest. You have to come and seek for that blessing."

Princess Gloria added that although the blessing is the "first step" to rebuilding a path back to Catholic faith, the Church would still "not approve" of same-sex couples.

She told GBNA: "When you ask God's blessing and you start a prayer life, you will automatically realise that you have to change your life somewhat.

"It's in no way saying that homosexuals living together is a good thing, and the Catholic Church approves of it - it cannot, because you are automatically excommunicated.

"You are excommunicated if you sin, if you do a deadly sin, and sex outside marriage is a sin, there is no way to go back. It's a sin.

"Abortion is certainly a mortal sin, and the people who do it are automatically excommunicated."