Pope Leo XIV met with LGBTQ+ advocate and confirmed the continuation of Pope Francis' course
Kyiv • UNN
Pope Leo XIV met with Jesuit James Martin, a well-known advocate for LGBTQ+ integration. The new pontiff confirmed the continuation of Pope Francis' policy regarding LGBTQ+ acceptance in the church.
Pope Leo XIV held an audience with American Jesuit James Martin, known as a proponent of greater integration of LGBTQ+ Catholics, and assured that he plans to develop Pope Francis' legacy of accepting LGBTQ+ in the church, UNN writes with reference to ABCNews.
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On Monday, Pope Leo XIV met with one of the most prominent advocates for LGBTQ+ integration in the Catholic Church – Reverend James Martin of New York. The meeting took place a few days before an LGBTQ+ pilgrimage to the Vatican as part of the Holy Year and became an important signal of the new pontificate's hospitality.
Martin said that during the audience, the Pope assured him of the continuation of Francis' policy regarding the acceptance of LGBTQ+ in the church.
I heard the same message from Pope Leo as from Pope Francis, namely the desire to welcome all people, including LGBTQ+. It was wonderful. It was very comforting, very encouraging, and, frankly, very fun
The meeting lasted about half an hour and was officially confirmed by the Vatican, which indicates Leo's desire to make it public, the publication writes. It also demonstrated the continuation of Francis' course, who was known for allowing priests to bless same-sex couples.
Leo's own views had previously caused debate. After his election in May, the media recalled a 2012 statement where he criticized the "homosexual lifestyle."
In 2023, already as a cardinal, he acknowledged the importance of Francis' call for inclusion, but emphasized that the doctrine had not changed:
But we strive to be more welcoming and open, and to say that all people are welcome in the church
Martin, who knew Leo from their joint work in the synod, noted that he had always considered him open and benevolent.
He also wanted to remind people that this church is for "everyone, everyone, everyone"
Martin himself is a co-founder of the Outreach ministry, which promotes the acceptance of LGBTQ+ in the church. It will participate in a large pilgrimage to Rome, organized by the Italian group "Jonathan's Tent."
The event will include a Mass in a Jesuit church, led by a high-ranking Italian bishop. Although the pilgrimage is not officially supported by the Vatican, it has been included in the Holy Year calendar.
According to representatives of the Holy See, this is more logistical assistance than formal approval. At the same time, as Martin emphasized, the audience and the event itself are consistent with church teaching: "that Jesus reaches out to people on the margins."
If people are happy with Pope Francis' approach to LGBT Catholics, they will be happy with Pope Leo's approach. And he asked me to continue what I'm doing, which was very encouraging