Archbishop Piero Marini, the chamberlain to former Pope Benedict, has said the Catholic Church is changing and called for civil unions for gay couples.

Marini, who was a senior official for the conservative Benedict, recognized ‘same-sex couples need civil rights and civil unions. But we can not call them “marriage”’.

Speaking at a bishops’ meeting in Costa Rica, Central America, Marini commented also on the new Pope, Francis: ‘Now we can breathe fresh air, the church is changing.’

Marini’s stance recalls Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia’s words. Two months ago, Paglia said ‘same-sex couples are in urgent need of rights’.

Marini added: ‘Many same-sex couples are suffering because their civil rights are not recognized. But we can not allow gay marriages.’

Marini, 70, was chamberlain to two of the church’s greatest conservatives John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Now he is the Vatican’s delegate for bishops’ meetings all over the world.

Marini said also ‘the Pope has got to be very careful in writing on Twitter. I would not have done it, Twitter is a dangerous instrument.’

In recent weeks, Pope Francis has started using the social network which was introduced to the Vatican by his predecessor Benedict XVI.

Benedict used Twitter to defend the church’s stance on traditional family and homosexuality.