Pope Leo XIV has met with a prominent LGBTQ+ Catholic advocate, in what many see as a hopeful sign for queer members of the Church.
In a private audience on 1 September, Leo met with Reverend James Martin, a Jesuit author and editor based in New York who has long championed LGBTQ+ inclusion within Catholicism. Following their meeting, Martin told the Associated Press that Pope Leo had expressed a desire to continue the welcoming approach introduced under Pope Francis.
“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,” said Martin.
“It was wonderful, very encouraging, and frankly a lot of fun.”
Past Comments Raised Concerns
Following Leo’s election to the papacy in May, several past comments surfaced that appeared to criticise the portrayal of LGBTQ+ people in entertainment media. At the time, he spoke against what he saw as media sympathy for “beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel,” citing the “homosexual lifestyle” and “alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children”.
These views marked a noticeable shift from Francis’ more open posture — though Francis himself walked a careful line, promoting blessings for same-sex couples while still affirming Church doctrine that defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
“People Are Going to Be Happy with Pope Leo’s Approach”
Despite initial concerns, Martin said his experience of Leo — including their previous work together before his papacy — had always been positive.
“He’s a very open, welcoming, inclusive person,” Martin said.
“If people were happy with Pope Francis’ approach to LGBTQ Catholics, they’re going to be happy with Pope Leo’s approach. He asked me to continue what I’m doing, which was very encouraging.”
Upholding Church Doctrine — But With Compassion
Since becoming the first US-born pope, Leo has affirmed the Catholic Church’s core teachings on marriage, stating the family is “founded upon the stable union between a man and a woman”. However, he also stressed the Church’s responsibility to respect the dignity of every individual.
“No one is exempted from striving to ensure respect for the dignity of every person, especially the most frail and vulnerable — from the unborn to the elderly, from the sick to the unemployed, citizens and immigrants alike,” Leo said.
Pope Francis also walked this line, once calling being gay “a human fact” and saying “it is not a crime”, while criticising the criminalisation of LGBTQ+ people worldwide. Yet Francis also stirred controversy, including when he was reported to have used the Italian slur frociaggine, meaning roughly “f****try” — a remark the Vatican later downplayed.
While Church doctrine remains unchanged on same-sex marriage, Pope Leo’s warm reception of Martin and his continuation of outreach efforts signal a likely continuation of Francis’ approach: doctrinal conservatism paired with a message of dignity, welcome, and compassion for all.
