POPE LEO XIV SIGNALS CONTINUED OPENNESS TO LGBTQ COMMUNITY

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Agency Report

Pope Leo XIV has indicated he will continue his predecessor Pope Francis’s inclusive approach toward the LGBTQ community, according to American Jesuit priest James Martin, who met the pontiff in a private audience on Monday at the Vatican.

Father Martin described the 30-minute meeting as “warm, welcoming, friendly and relaxed”, noting that the pope expressed his intention to build on Francis’s legacy of openness.

“Pope Leo spoke about his desire to continue Francis’s legacy, which also includes synodality listening to people, listening to everybody, including LGBTQ people,” Martin told AFP ahead of a planned pilgrimage of LGBTQ Catholics in Rome later this week as part of the Jubilee celebrations.

During his 12-year pontificate, Pope Francis often emphasized a Church “open to all,” making symbolic gestures toward LGBTQ Catholics, though without altering church doctrine. His 2023 decision to permit blessings for same-sex couples sparked backlash among conservative factions, particularly in Africa and the United States.

While Pope Leo XIV has not yet publicly stated his position on the matter since assuming the papacy on May 8, his comments to Martin suggest continuity in tone and outreach.

The Vatican confirmed the meeting in an official announcement but did not provide further details.

The LGBTQ Catholic pilgrimage scheduled for Friday and Saturday forms part of the official Jubilee calendar.