Gov. Jared Polis called it joyous news Wednesday when Pope Francis said gay people should have a right to be part of their own family as children of God.

“Pope Francis has spoken up for the protection of our environment, our planet and now His Holiness is using this voice to speak in support of LGBTQ people,” said Colorado’s first gay and first Jewish governor. “America has undergone a remarkable transformation as a country when it comes to expanding and protecting LGBTQ rights but it didn’t happen overnight and it is our shared hope that the Pope’s statements can help ensure more equality around the world with members and leaders of the Catholic Church leading the way with love and acceptance.”

The pope broke with the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church to express support for same-sex civil unions in a documentary ‘‘Francesco’’ that debuted Wednesday at the Rome Film Festival, breaking new ground for gay people of faith and shifting the debate around the globe.

The pontiff spoke of the kind of law Colorado passed in 2013 to allow same sex couples the right to civil unions.

“What we have to create is a civil union law,” he said in the film. “That way they are legally covered. I stood up for that.”

While short of the legal status of marriage, civil unions allow recognition of same-gender unions for matters such as health care benefits and adopting children.

Francis, who became pope in 2013, has signaled support for gay Catholics before, but this is the clearest expression that he or any other pope has delivered to date.

This story will be updated with Colorado reaction as it becomes available.