Pope Leo XIV has stated his intention to continue the Catholic Church’s policy of inclusion for LGBTQ parishioners, reaffirming the approach set by his predecessor, Pope Francis. The announcement comes as LGBTQ Catholics prepare for a Holy Year pilgrimage to Vatican City.
The pope met with Rev. James Martin, editor and author from New York, for 30 minutes at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City. During their meeting, Pope Leo XIV confirmed he would maintain policies supporting inclusion. “We are looking to be more welcoming and more open and to say all people are welcome in the church,” Pope Leo said, according to Catholic News Service.
Rev. Martin is co-founder of Outreach, a Catholic ministry that advocates for LGBTQ inclusion within the church. He will participate in the upcoming pilgrimage on Friday and Saturday, which is expected to draw about 1,200 attendees. The event is not officially sponsored by the Vatican.
Pope Francis had previously taken steps toward greater inclusion of LGBTQ individuals by refusing to judge or expel a gay priest in 2013 and later allowing priests to bless same-sex couples. However, he did not alter the church’s teaching that homosexual acts are considered “disordered.”
There had been uncertainty regarding Pope Leo XIV’s stance on LGBTQ issues due to remarks he made in 2012 criticizing what he described as the “homosexual lifestyle” while serving under his previous name, Rev. Robert Prevost. After becoming a cardinal in 2023, Prevost told Catholic News Service that he did not oppose Pope Francis’ inclusive approach toward members based on their personal lives but also affirmed that official church policy on homosexuality remained unchanged.
The meeting between Pope Leo XIV and Rev. Martin took place as part of ongoing efforts within parts of the church hierarchy to address questions around inclusion and pastoral care for LGBTQ Catholics.
