New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan has given his blessing to comments reportedly made by Pope Francis to a gay Chilean man that “being gay doesn’t matter,” breitbart.com reports.

“What he says is beautiful. Jesus could have said that. That’s sort of conservative, traditional, Catholic, orthodox teaching,”the archbishop added.

“Yes, yes, while any sexual expression outside of a man and woman in marriage is contrary to God’s purpose, so is not treating anyone, including a gay person, with anything less than dignity and respect.”

Juan Carlos Cruz, an alleged victim of clerical sex abuse, recently revealed that when he met with Pope Francis in April, the pontiff said: “Juan Carlos, you being gay doesn’t matter. God made you like this and loves you like this and it doesn’t matter to me. The pope loves you like this, you have to be happy with who you are.”

Pope Francis has made it a point to occasionally meet and counsel victims of Catholic clergy members.