The Vatican and the pope appear to seek the media’s attention. It is not as though a pattern has not been developed by the media to lie. So why keep feeding them fodder, unless the purpose is to seek attention? I think the pope is playing mind games.
Does this mean the Pope is a homophobe?
Here is a tip to Pope Francis from this Catholic - Shut up. Stop making “off-the-cuff” statements on a daily basis. Everything you say needs to be carefully reviewed and vetted, and then READ from a printed document. Your predecessors understood this quite clearly. Otherwise, your statements can and will be misinterpreted, especially by those who desire to stir the pot.