Pope Leo the Fourteenth met with LGBTQ+ Catholic advocate Father James Martin, who says queer members of the Church will be encouraged by the new pontiff’s stance. After Leo’s election in May, controversy resurfaced over past comments in which he criticized entertainment media for showing sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel, citing the homosexual lifestyle and alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children.
These remarks marked a clear difference from Pope Francis, who, while complicated in his relationship with queer people, moved the Church toward more inclusion. But now, according to the Associated Press, Leo has told Father Martin he intends to carry forward his predecessor’s outreach.
Leo, the first U.S.-born pontiff, has affirmed Catholic doctrine that marriage is a union between a man and a woman, but also emphasized dignity and respect for all, “from the unborn to the elderly, from the sick to the unemployed, citizens and immigrants alike.”
While Francis condemned criminalization of homosexuality and said being gay was “not a crime,” he stopped short of supporting same-sex unions and at times used language that drew criticism.
At this early stage, many queer Catholics will be watching closely to see whether Pope Leo’s promise of welcome translates into lived change.
