Lgbtq pope francis
What Pope Francis said about controversial issues from gay rights to immigration
Pope Francis, one of the more progressive pontiff's in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, died on Monday morning at the age of 88, the Vatican confirmed.
Francis’ willingness to take a more progressive stance on issues from LGBTQ rights to same-sex marriage to immigration make him one of the most progressive and influential popes of the modern era.
Here are memorable moments from Francis' moment where he voiced his opinions on those topics.
Francis' stance on members of the LGBTQ community
In December 2023, Francis formally signed off on allowing Catholic priests to protect same-sex couples, he said in a declaration released by the Vatican's office.
The declaration stated, "When people ask for a blessing, an exhaustive moral study should not be placed as a precondition for conferring it. For those seeking a blessing should not be required to possess prior moral perfection."
"A blessing offers people a means to increase their confide in in God. The request for a blessing, thus, expresses and nurtures openness to the transcendence, mercy and the closeness
Today, April 21, 2025, Pope Francis passed away. Pope Francis has repeatedly urged acceptance of LGBTQ people and considered how top the Roman Catholic Church can support and minister to them.
GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said: “Pope Francis was a transformational leader who included LGBTQ people in historic ways. Having had the honor of conference with Pope Francis twice, I witnessed first-hand his dedication to make a Church for all, not just some. His principles of empathetic listening, inclusion, and compassion are exactly what this divided society needs right now. When Pope Francis spoke out against the act of criminalizing LGBTQ people and when he famously spoke ‘who am I to judge,’ he created an example of unity that faith and civil leaders should follow.”
In 2023, and 2024, Pope Francis met with GLAAD staff, LGBTQ advocates from Uganda and Ghana-where the LGBTQ collective is being targeted by anti-LGBTQ legislation, and gender diverse people, including transgender actress Nava Mau. Mau spoke about the meeting at this year’s GLAAD Media Awards: “(Pope Francis) told us he wishes us all the love and success we desire, and he told us that we should keep fighting.”
Francis' tenure as pope has also been notable by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans person and queer (LGBTQ+) society 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 2013. So where does Pope Francis stand on LGBTQ+ people? [07/2013] Let's start off with one of the most pivotal 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 have 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 dioceses on LGBTQ+ equality to this day. But more importantly, his comment place the tone and a 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 2019, which Mr Pendergast said caused controversy. "More conservative Catholics were up in arms because they saw this as the Pope affirming an LGBT team 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+ community. "It was a personal affirmation, but it was also an affirmation of the kind of ministr By Linda Bordoni “God’s style is closeness, mercy and tenderness” Pope Francis said answering three questions put to him by Jesuit Father James Martin who ministers to LGBT Catholics. On 5 May Father Martin had written to the Pope in Spanish asking him to answer some questions that he is most commonly asked by LGBT Catholics and their families. He received a hand-written response a couple of days afterward, that was published in the form of a short interview on Father Martin’s website “Outreach”. “With respect to your questions,” the Pope wrote, “a very simple response occurs to me.” Outreach: What would you tell is the most important thing for LGBT people to know about God? Pope Francis: God is Father and he does not disown any of his children. And “the style” of God is “closeness, mercy and tenderness.” Along this path you will uncover God. Outreach: What would you like LGBT people to know about the Church? Pope Francis: I would like for them to browse the book of the Acts of the Apostles. There they will detect the image of the living Church. Outreac
Seven Quotes That Create Pope Francis Complicated for LGBTQ+ People
ON INCLUSION
"If they accept the Lord and have goodwill, who am I to judge them?"'Pope Francis was game-changer for LGBT Catholics'
Pope to LGBT Catholics: 'God is Father who does not disown any of his children'