Note the deadly ambiguity: "...if they are willing to accept that reality..." What does that mean? If they "accept" it intellectually, then they are home free??? "Full participants in the life of the Church"? You mean, receive Communion??? Of course not. But the bishop wants to give that impression.
Translated into Catholic:
The Church will never teach that sodomy is anything but a mortal sin. When people are not committing the sin of sodomy, or other mortal sins, they can receive Communion.
“He added though, that he “cannot promise them that we will ever be likely to recognize the nature of their unions as sacramental, but if they are willing to accept that reality, then they can be full participants in the life of the Church.””
What struck me about that was the phrase “will ever be likely to recognize the nature of their unions as sacramental”.
Excuse me, but “will ever be likely”? Your Eminence, shouldn’t that at least be “cannot say such unions will ever be sacramental”? Or even better, “such unions can never be sacramental?”
“Will ever be LIKELY”? I think his Eminence let his true colors slip there.
St Michael, defend us!