The bottom line is that nothing has changed in Church theology about marriage. The recent interview with the Pope was brief and so, most analysts are examining it in light of his previous statements when he was Archbishop of Buenos Aires. Combining the two together...when asked about gay marriage within the Church, he has consistently said No. He also asked the Argentinian govt not to enact something called gay marriage. Instead he agreed to the use of civil unions to protect their legal needs, especially when they have children. But out of his concern for their safety and dignity (in many countries they are killed or jailed), Pope Francis asked that our mentality toward them be more compassionate and welcoming. He reminded us that many of our families have gays in them. We should treat them as family. In a highly politicized year, left and right are reading into this issue as they choose. It would be best to avoid these fringe people seeking publicity, the press capitalizing on sensationalism and several websites that thrive on innuendo.