Manila: Pope Francis’ surprise endorsement of same-sex civil unions reverberated through the Catholic world October 22, with his comments prompting criticism but also support.

The supporters included Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, the strongman leader of Asia’s largest Catholic nation. Even before the Pope’s comments, Duterte supported a law that would recognize civil unions in same-sex relationships, his spokesman said in a televised briefing.

Now, even the most conservative of the country’s Catholic lawmakers should “no longer have a basis” to object to them, the spokesman, Harry Roque, said.

The Philippines, a devoutly Catholic nation, has witnessed high acceptance of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) rights, a recent poll has shown. Still, conservative Catholic politicians have resisted legislation to recognize same-sex civil union or marriage fearing the ire of influential church leaders.

Addressing Francis’ remarks, retired Bishop Arturo Bastes of the Philippines said he “had very serious doubts about the moral correctness” of the pontiff’s position.

“This is a shocking statement coming from the pope,” Bishop Bastes told reporters in a cellphone message October 22, The Associated Press reported. “I am really scandalized by his defense of homosexual union, which surely leads to immoral acts,” the Divine Word prelate said.

Catholic teaching holds that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered.”

A 2003 document from the Vatican’s doctrine office, then led by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, later Pope Benedict XVI, stated that the Church’s respect for homosexuals “cannot lead in any way to approval of homosexual behavior or to legal recognition of homosexual unions.”

Following Pope Francis’ remarks in a documentary, Bishop Thomas Tobin of Rhode Island in the United States, a conservative bishop, immediately called for clarification.

“The Pope’s statement clearly contradicts what has been the long-standing teaching of the church about same-sex unions,” Bishop Tobin said in a statement. “The Church cannot support the acceptance of objectively immoral relationships.”

The definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman remains intact regardless of the pope’s remarks on same-sex unions, Brian Burch, president of the conservative group CatholicVote, said.

Pope Francis “has no ability to change that teaching about the permanence and exclusivity of marriage,” Burch told the AP.

NBC News has requested comment from the Vatican on the Pope’s remarks, but has not heard back. The Pope’s comments have not been reflected in any official Vatican documents or sermons.

The Pope’s statement came as part of a documentary about his life that aired in Rome October 21, in which he said homosexuals were “children of God” who have a right to a family, and added that a civil union law is necessary to protect their rights.

While serving as the archbishop of Buenos Aires, Pope Francis opposed legislation to approve same-sex marriage, but supported legal protection for the rights of gay couples.

However, he had never come out publicly in favor of same-sex civil unions as the pope. Neither has any pontiff before him.

Pope Francis has ruffled many feathers during his papacy with his progressive views on inequality, migration and climate change.

In a well-known quote from 2013, he said, “Who am I to judge?” when asked about gay priests.

He has also ministered to gays and transsexual prostitutes, and welcomed people in gay partnerships into his inner circle.

(Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Source: nbcnews.com