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God loves gay people and it is fine to be homosexual, Pope Francis has reportedly said.

The Pope is said to have made the remarks, which go significantly beyond his previous tolerance for homosexuality, during a meeting three weeks ago with a Chilean man who had been sexually abused by Catholic priests.

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The Pope offered a heartfelt apology to Juan Carlos Cruz, a victim of Chile’s most notorious abusive priest, Fernando Karadima. Mr Cruz, who is gay, said his conversation with the Pope moved on from the abuse crisis to the nature of homosexuality.

“He told me, ‘Juan Carlos, that you are gay does not matter. God made you like that, and he loves you like that — and I do not care.’

“The Pope loves you as you are. You have to be happy with who you are,” Mr Cruz told the Spanish newspaper El Pais.

The Pope’s words appeared to go further in terms of tolerance than remarks he made in 2013. Speaking to the Vatican press corps on his return to Rome from a trip to Brazil, he said gay people should not be marginalised but rather integrated into society.