(Christian News) — The head of the Roman Catholic religion, “Pope Leo XIV”—whose real name is Robert Francis Prevost and who is the first American “pope”—has sparked deep concern among traditional religious followers following his decision to elevate a prelate who previously defended controversial, so-called pastoral blessings for same-sex couples to lead a major European archdiocese.
According to an official announcement delivered by Vatican diplomat Nicola Girasoli at St. Elizabeth’s Cathedral, the Vatican named Auxiliary Bishop Marek Forgáč, 52, as the new metropolitan archbishop of Košice, Slovakia. The appointment follows the accepted resignation of Bernard Bober, placing Forgáč as head of an archdiocese encompassing nearly 500 Catholic priests and approximately 700,000 Catholics.
The promotion raised immediate alarms across conservative circles due to Forgáč’s past public support for controversial Vatican directives regarding so-called same-sex unions.
In a July 2024 interview with the Focolare-linked outlet Nové Mesto titled “Blessing couples in irregular unions? In Slovakia we are poorly prepared for that,” Forgáč confirmed he thought that indeed in “Slovakia we are poorly prepared for” this novelty.
He framed the Vatican document—which permits non-liturgical blessings of couples in “irregular situations,” including homosexual pairs—as reflecting Prevost’s vision of a Church “that has open doors for all” while insisting this does not deny “the values of the Gospel or of moral life.”
Critics contend that elevating prelates who align with progressive trends sends alarming signals regarding institutional fidelity to clear scriptural commands. While Vatican officials framed the move as a routine administrative transition, others warn of the progressive drift within the organization.
Born in Košice in 1974, Forgáč was ordained in 1999 and holds advanced degrees in social psychology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Prevost originally appointed him auxiliary bishop in 2016. With his elevation to metropolitan archbishop, Forgáč now assumes full spiritual and administrative governance over eastern Slovakia’s largest Catholic population.
According to Scripture, marriage is strictly the union of one man and one woman, and homosexual behavior is condemned as sinful, leading to eternal separation from God apart from repentance and true saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
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