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Pope Defends LGBTQ Blessings Points Out 'Hypocrisy'. In a recent interview, Pope Francis said he sees "hypocrisy" in criticism of the Vatican's recent decision to allow priests to bless same-sex couples. NBC reports that the pope's comments come as the pontiff's strongest-worded defense of the decision. Last month, the Vatican granted authority to priests to offer LGBTQ blessings, however the decision has been met with resistance within the church. "Nobody gets scandalized if I give my blessings to a businessman who perhaps exploits people, and this is a very grave sin. But they get scandalized if I give them to a homosexual." "This is hypocrisy." Pope Francis, via 'Credere'. However, conservatives have decried the decision, which they say undermines the church's moral teachings. While acknowledging the pushback, the pope has defended the decision and stressed that blessings are not the same as approval of same-sex unions. "When a couple comes forward spontaneously to ask for them, one does not bless the union, but simply the people who together have requested it. Not the union, but the persons." Pope Francis, via NBC. In another recent interview, Francis expressed hope that critics will eventually come to understand and accept the decision. NBC points out that bishops across much of Africa, where some countries carry severe punishments for homosexuality, have outright rejected the Vatican's decision. THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT