The Catholic Church’s teachings on homosexuality has caused “soul murder in the lives of young people,” according to a former priest.

Father Bernárd Lynch was speaking after the Pope publicly backed same-sex civil unions for the first time.

In an interview for the documentary “Francesco,” Pope Francis said homosexual people “have the right to be in a family” and are the “children of God.”

Fr Lynch became the first Catholic priest in the world to have a civil partnership in 2006 and, following the Marriage Equality Referendum, married his long-term partner in 2017.

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, he said it was “wonderful news” that the leader of Church had spoken out after the “hostility of years and years” put forward by his predecessors.

“I would make the immediate comment that it is a Papal commentary,” he said. “It is not the same as Papal teaching.

“The teaching, unfortunately and terribly, still remains the same – in other words, that we are disordered in our nature and evil in our love.

“But I don’t underestimate what he has done at all and I think the man is really up against it and is going to have a lot of hostility and opposition in his regard because of saying this – but we need more.”

Fr Bernárd Lynch. Image: Penn State Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity

He said the Church’s stance on homosexuality has been extremely damaging to young people over the years.

“Young LGBTQI people, because of this teaching and because of the way they have been treated, a lot of them have walked away,” he said.

“When I worked with people with AIDS, which is a long time ago but something I will never forget, this teaching was promulgated by Pope Benedict and, to me, it caused soul murder in the lives of young people.

“So, it is not on. It is in no way reconcilable. This teaching of second-class citizenship or disorder or evil is just, to me, completely anti-Gospel and dehumanising.”

He said he still regards himself as a priest even though he has retired from active ministry and said Pope Francis’ comments do not go nearly far enough.

“We are not talking simply about civil unions,” he said. “We are talking about the love between people and everybody and anybody, be they Catholic or not, knows that the Gospel of Christ is about love.

“Those of us in loving relationships, we want to be treated simply as people who love each other in a committed relationship.”

He said it is time for the Church to offer its blessing to same-sex couples in the same way it does for straight couples.

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