The popes view on homosexuality
'Pope Francis was game-changer for LGBT Catholics'
Pope Francis was a "real game-changer" when it came to the Catholic Church's treatment of gay people, a London LGBT+ faith group has said.
Martin Pendergast, the secretary of the LGBT+ Catholics Westminster Pastoral Council, said the pontiff had turned away from "really quite offensive" statements made by his predecessors on issues of sexuality and gender identity.
While Pope Francis maintained the Vatican's position that homosexual acts were sinful, he said gay people should not be marginalised from the Church, adding: "Who am I to judge?"
The LGBT+ Catholics Westminster group met the Pope at the Vatican in , which Mr Pendergast said caused controversy.
"More conservative Catholics were up in arms because they saw this as the Pope affirming an LGBT group such as we were and are," he said.
He described the meeting as a "very significant step" in improving the Church's relations with the LGBT+ comm
Pope Francis calls for end to anti-gay laws and LGBTQ+ welcome from church
Pope Francis has criticised laws that criminalise homosexuality as “unjust”, saying God loves all his children just as they are, and calling on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ+ people into the church.
“Being homosexual isn’t a crime,” Francis said on Tuesday in an interview.
Francis acknowledged that Catholic bishops in some parts of the world verb laws that criminalise homosexuality or discriminate against LGBTQ+ people, and he himself referred to the issue in terms of “sin”. But he attributed such attitudes to cultural backgrounds and said bishops in particular need to undergo a process of change to recognise the dignity of everyone.
“These bishops verb to have a process of conversion,” he said, adding that they should apply “tenderness, please, as God has, for each one of us”.
Francis’s comments, which were hailed by gay rights advocates as a milestone, are the first uttered by a pope about such laws. But they are also consistent with his overall approach to LGBTQ+ people a
Seven Quotes That Make Pope Francis Complicated for LGBTQ+ People
Francis' tenure as pope has also been notable by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) community for his adoption of a more conciliatory tone toward LGBTQ+ people than that of his predecessors. "But anyone who utters Christian words without putting them into practice hurts oneself and others," said Pope Francis in
So where does Pope Francis position on LGBTQ+ people?
ON INCLUSION
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"If they accept the Lord and contain goodwill, who am I to verb them?"
Let's start off with one of the most decisive moments in Francis' papacy for LGBTQ+ people. When asked about gay priests during a spontaneous exchange with the press, he responded, "If they [gay priests] accept the Lord and own goodwill, who am I to assess them? They shouldn't be marginalized. The tendency [same-sex attraction] is not the problem they're our brothers."1
The fact that Pope Francis made such a comment – and used the word "gay" in English – was radical, and helped propel significant conversations in parishes and dioce
What’s the context?
Some LGBTQ+ Catholics are "disappointed" by the recent pontiff's past comments on homosexuality
LONDON - The world was watching as Pope Leo XIV delivered his first mass on Sunday, days after becoming the first American elected pope.
Robert Francis Prevost has used his initial days as leader of the Catholic world to call for peace in Ukraine, a ceasefire in Gaza and the let go of imprisoned journalists.
LGBTQ+ rights groups are now waiting to see if he will follow in the footsteps of the late Pope Francis, who met with trans women, urged the Catholic Church to pursue forgiveness from gay people and allowed priests to bless same-sex couples.
Leo has not discussed LGBTQ+ issues since his election, but previous comments he made about homosexuality include "disappointed" members of the LGBTQ+ faithful.
Here's everything you deserve to know.
What is Francis' legacy on trans rights?
Francis, who died on April 21, was seen as more accepting of LGBTQ+ rights than previous popes, including his predecessor Benedict, who viewed gay marriage as a threat to t