I thought this article from Slate was interesting, showing the Left's growing realization that the pope's blessing-dispensing kindness toward gays "as members of the human family" in no way makes him a LGBT political ally (LINK).
(I, too, bless gay people in the sense of praying for God to aid them in soul-cleaning repentance, well-being and redemption. I pray these blessings for near and dear ones who call themselves "gay," and for those I don't even know. I pray with this exact same intention for myself as well.)
Slate's bottom line is correct:
Upon close examination, though, the pope's words are calculated, precise, and unforgiving. Same-sex families are not legitimate in the eyes of the Vatican. In the Catholic Church, gays --- being humans --- have inherent human rights. Gay rights, however, are not human rights.
BTW, a number of the main speakers at that huge anti-Civil-Union rally--- rally-organizer Massimo Gandalfini, Lavinia Mennuni of Mothers of Italy, and Kiko Arguello of the Neocatechumenal Way--- all quoted Pope Francis in their talks in defense of the Natural Family.
God bless them. I love them: Catholic, dedicated, and smart.
But where was their Bishop of Rome?
He resides there, in the same city and has a queer housemother by his own choosing.
I'll repeat an excerpt from the posted article:
P.S. An influential Italian Catholic leader present at the massive rally tells us the mood: "An ecstatic and defiant crowd at #familyday2016! However, never since the Rennissance have Italian Catholics despised a Pope more than Pope Francis. Those present here are the backbone of Italian Catholicism, and they cannot believe the Pope abandoned them to the secular lions in Parliament, abandoned the few faithful bishops and did not even say a single word at his Jubilee General Audience today. Yet, they are not angry at Francis, it's more a mix of deep disdain and a strong sentiment of Fremdscham, as the Germans say."