On Monday, September 1, Pope Leo XIV met with a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Catholic church. Fr James Martin, a New York-based Jesuit priest, author and editor, received a 30-minute audience with the Pontiff, who encouraged his ministry.
“I heard the same message from Pope Leo that I heard from Pope Francis, which is the desire to welcome all people, including LGBTQ people,” Martin told The Associated Press. “It was wonderful. It was very consoling and very encouraging and frankly a lot of fun.”
Pope Leo, whose papacy lasted from March 2013 to his death in April 2025, was known for making significant progress regarding LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Catholic church. Just months into his tenure, he made international headlines by uttering the now-famous quote: “If a person is gay and seeks God and has goodwill, who am I to judge him?”
Between 2013 and 2025, Francis met Martin several times and named him as an adviser in the Vatican’s communications department. Martin was also a member of the Pope’s multi-year meeting on the future of the church.
Since being elected, Pope Leo’s views on LGBTQ+ inclusion were unclear. In 2012, he criticised the “homosexual lifestyle” and the role of mass media in promoting acceptance of same-sex relationships.
However, in 2023 he acknowledged Pope Francis’ call for a more inclusive church, saying he “made it clear that he doesn’t want people to be excluded simply on the basis of choices that them make, whether it be lifestyle, work, way to dress, or whatever”. He did note that the doctrine hadn’t changed, but added, “We are looking to be more welcoming and more open and to say all people are welcome in the church”.
Monday’s meeting was announced by the Vatican, signalling the new Pope’s desire for it to be public knowledge. It also came just days before the first LGBTQ+ Jubilee Year Pilgrimage, which takes place from September 5 to 7.
Although not officially sponsored by the Vatican, it is listed on its calendar of Holy Year events. Over 1,000 people are expected to attend the special occasion in Rome this week, with one of the organisers, Alessandro Previti, saying, “The core objective is to be there, to pray, to pray together and to feel part of the church, to be welcome as we are, for who we are.”
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