Pope Leo XIV On Monday, on Monday, one of the best -known supporters for a larger LGBTQ+ connection to the Catholic Church met and encouraged his service and sent a strong welcome signal in the first few months of his pontificate.
The Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit author and publisher based in New York, told him, he intended to continue the policy of the Pope Francis of the LGBTQ+ nationality in the church, and encouraged him to maintain his attendance.
“I heard the same news from Pope Leo that I heard of Pope Francis, which is the desire to all people, including the LGBTQ People, ”said Martin of the Associated Press after the audience.“ It was wonderful. It was very comforting and very encouraging and frankly a lot of fun. ”
The meeting, which lasted about half an hour, was officially announced by the Vatican, in a sign that Leo opened it. It came only a few days before LGBTQ+ Catholics took part in the Vatican in another welcoming sign on a holy year.
The audience was significant because it showed a strong sign of continuity with Francis, who worked more than every Leo’s predecessors to make the Catholic Church a more inviting place for LGBTQ+ Catholics. From his 2013 Quip: “Who am I to judge?” Francis was characterized by a supposedly gay priest to make priests to bless same -sex couples with his welcome message.
During his 12-year papacy from 2013 to 2025, Francis met Martin several times and appointed him an advisor in the communication department of the Vatican and a member of his great several years of meeting the future of the church. Nevertheless, Francis has never changed the church classes that homosexual actions are “intrinsically disorganized”.
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Leo’s position on LGBTQ+ Catholics was a kind of question. Shortly after he was elected in May, the remarks from 2012 appeared in which the future Pope, who was known as Rev. Robert Prevost at the time, criticized the “homosexual lifestyle” and the role of mass media in promoting the acceptance of same -sex relationships that come into conflict with Catholic teaching.
When he became cardinal in 2023, the Catholic intelligence service asked Prevost whether his views had changed. He recognized that Francis’ call for a more integrative church said that Francis had “made it clear that he does not want people to be excluded due to decisions that they make, whether it is lifestyle, work, away to attract or whatever.”
Prevost then underlined that the doctrine had not changed. “But we want to be more inviting and open and say that all people in the church are welcome,” he said.
The news of the audience was criticized and hoped that Francis had criticized and hoped that Leo would be less accepting. Taylor Marshall, a podcaster active in Catholic social media, only published the official Vatican photo of the encounter on X. John-Henry Weston, co-founder of the Lifetessite News Site, the audience as a “nightmare scenario”.
Francis Debernardo, Managing Director of the New Ways Ministry, which is committed to LGBTQ+ Catholics, said the audience was a great first step. In an explanation, he called “a strong indication that Leo confirms the inviting model of Pope Francis and that previous repressive approaches are now only history”.
Martin, who knew Prevost from her time in the Synod in the future of the church, said that he was not worried about Leo’s views, since Martin had always found him as a “very open, inviting, inclusive person”.
“But it is wonderful to hear this sequel,” said Martin, adding that Leo told him that his priorities were to work for peace and unity, and in particular quoted the conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and Myanmar.
“But he also wanted to remind people that this is a church for ‘Todos, Todos, Todos’,” said Martin and quoted Francis’ famous line in Spanish about how the church is open to everyone.
Martin Half near Outreach, a ministry that promotes LGBTQ+ Acceptance, which will be sponsored by the Italian LGBTQ+ Catholic Group “Jonathan’s Tent” on Friday and Saturday. Significantly, the pilgrimage of around 1,200 people comprises a trade fair in the Jesuit Church in Rome, which is celebrated by the second highest member of the Italian Bishops’ Conference.
The pilgrimage is not officially sponsored by the Vatican, but is listed in the Vatican Calks of the events of the Holy Year. Vatican officials say that such a list does not mean confirmation, but is only a logistical help for the groups, organize pilgrimage and go through the holy door of the basilica of St.
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