Pope Francis, in a press conference, reached out to gay priests by saying he wont judge them for their sexual orientation.

Francis says: "If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?"

This is a bold statement coming from the leader of the Vatican. AP reported that in 2005, his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, signed a document that said men with deep-rooted homosexual tendencies should not be priests. Francis was much more conciliatory, saying gay clergymen should be forgiven and their sins forgotten.

During the conference, Pope Francis was candid in answering questions. He even responded to an allegation that one of his Monsignors was involved in a gay affair ten years ago.

Francis responded by saying that he investigated the allegation but found no evidence to back it up.

Pope Francis further stated that homosexuality is a matter of sin not crimes like sexually abusing children.

And when someone sins and confesses, he said, God not only forgives but forgets.

"We don't have the right to not forget," he said.

Trending Topic

Following Pope Francis' statement, the Pope has become a worldwide trending topic in social networking site Twitter. Most of the netizens expressed admiration for Pope Francis and commended that he is being progressive on his statement.

Twitter users @stephen_abbots said that "This pope is turning out just great"; @aledtavera53s tweeted "Saw the Pope 3 times!!!! He was like seven feet away!!!!! He is so cute!!! I love Pope Francis!!!"; @siriuslyD37s said "Suddenly I really like Pope Francis' views."; and @JimmyT_551m tweeted "Now if everyone in the Catholic Church would just listen to Pope Francis, the world would be a better place."

Yes For Gay but No For Women Priests?

However, the Pope was criticised for his other statement saying that the Church's door is closed for women priests.

"We cannot limit the role of women in the Church to altar girls or the president of a charity, there must be more," the Pope said.

"But with regards to the ordination of women, the Church has spoken and says no. Pope John Paul said so with a formula that was definitive. That door is closed," he said referring to a dictum of late Blessed John Paul II saying the ban was an infallible teaching of the Church.

Twitter user @KerilynnEngel, a women's history writer tweeted "I don't know why ppl think Pope Francis is so liberal. He says women shouldn't be priests & gay ppl shouldn't lobby for equal rights." Twitter users @MusicbyMeiosis tweeted ""Pope Francis is a fucking prick"; @graeme9348m said "So what's modern about Pope Francis again...? - no women priests, no contraception, same old crap different century!"; @Zach1213 tweeted "And this is why I've left the church"; and @bobby360 tweeted |flagrant gender-based discrimination" referring to Pope's statement.