A homeless centre has released a heartbreaking video showing the harm done by religious homophobia – after the Pope shunned an invitation to speak out on his US tour.

New York’s Ali Forney Centre took out an open letter to the Pope in the New York Times last April, inviting him to see for himself the harm done by Catholic anti-gay doctrine on his US tour that took place this month.



The centre invited the Pontiff “to meet our abandoned youths and see for yourself how their lives have been devastated and made destitute by religious rejection”.



The Pope recently spent ten days touring the US, including multiple appearances in New York and pre-planned photo opportunities with homeless people – but as expected he shunned the invite to condemn homophobia from the Ali Forney Centre.

He instead warned lawmakers that “the very basis of marriage and the family” is being called into question, and claimed that Kentucky clerk Kim Davis has a “human right” to block same-sex weddings.

However, the Ali Forney Centre has not taken the snub lying down – releasing a heartbreaking six-minute film titled Not A Sin.

The clip features a number of young people who were shunned because of their sexuality, on the basis of religion.

It explains: “Over 200,000 LGBT youths are homeless in America. The biggest reason LGBT youths cannot remain in their homes is due to the religious beliefs of their parents.



“Watch brave clients of the Ali Forney Center describe the abuse and rejection they suffered. Every child deserves to be loved.”

(h/t JoeMyGod)