Pope Francis, who died Monday, April 21, was a contradiction when it came to LGBTQ people. But by far he was the best leader of the Roman Catholic Church that LGBTQ parishioners have had to date, as Emmanuel Romero, co-chair of the LGBTQ Catholic group Dignity San Francisco told us. "In a political climate where vitriol and cruelty to others are increasingly considered alluring or even fun, the late pope led with compassion and humility," Romero stated. "I don't think people understand how precious that is."
Francis made worldwide headlines four months after he became pope, when, in response to a reporter’s question in July 2013 about gay priests, he said, “If someone is gay, who searches for the Lord and has goodwill, who am I to judge?”
It was the first time a pope had uttered the word “gay.”
That single comment defined much of his papacy in relation to the LGBTQ community. In December 2023, he made headlines again when he approved blessings for same-sex couples, though the Vatican was clear that those did not equate to same-sex marriage. LGBTQ couples nonetheless hailed the new policy, even as some Catholic leaders, like San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, put restrictions on the blessings and tried to say the pope’s directive was fake news. Cordileone also worked hard to make it so that the blessings, at least in churches overseen by the diocese, were difficult to get. He should take a page out of Francis’ playbook.
In 2016, the late pontiff urged an end to “unjust discrimination” against gays, though he reaffirmed the church’s opposition to same-sex marriage. In fact, in 2018, Francis said men with “deep-seated homosexual tendencies” should not be admitted to Catholic clergy. That would be a pattern repeated over the years, and one that was frustrating as other denominations worked to elevate LGBTQ clergy members and opened their doors to marriage equality.
There was a major development in 2020 when he called for the passage of civil unions. That comment was made in “Francisco,” a documentary about his life.
That’s not to say that Francis’ papacy was not without stumbles. He is alleged to have used a slur for gay men in 2024, and one other time, prompting an apology from the Vatican. And, like his actions and comments about gays, his record on transgender people was mixed. The Vatican declared gender-affirming surgery, as well as surrogacy, to be grave violations of human dignity. And he condemned in 2017 technologies that made gender transition easier. But three years later he met with transgender women affiliated with the Blessed Immaculate Virgin church in Rome, and later told a young trans person that “God loves us as we are.”
Overall, Francis’ comments on LGBTQ issues marked a major shift. In countless little ways throughout the world, Francis gave people the permission structure to be themselves, to reconcile with family, and to perhaps think twice before hurling a punch or uttering a slur, although there are plenty of Catholic leaders who did not agree with Francis.
And not just on LGBTQs, but on many other issues, from the destruction of the planet’s environment to the refugee and migrant crises to what he called the “globalization of indifference” to mass suffering. Francis led mostly with compassion. He was the first Jesuit pope, and that training became a gift to members of the Catholic faith and the broader world. Many are remembering him as the first climate pope, with his ability to grasp the risks posed by climate change, as the Washington Post noted. He led with empathy on immigration, which caused tensions with President Donald Trump.
The world’s largest Christian denomination has tremendous power over people – though maybe not as much as in the past, when it could topple kings or inspire the Sistine Chapel. Francis intuited that for the church to fill its pews, it has to address the real pain and suffering in people’s hearts – first and foremost the pain and suffering it has caused.
Granted, Francis was not perfect. He didn’t fully apply those lessons and insights to transgender issues, calling so-called gender ideology “machismo with a skirt.” And though church sexual abuse victims say they saw improvement under Francis, Reuters reported, he heinous crime still vexes the church.
It remains to be seen whom the upcoming secret conclave will select as the church’s next leader. Cardinals, many of whom were appointed by Francis, have their own insights and agendas. Reuters reported that as of April 21 there were a total of 252 cardinals, 135 of them cardinal electors under 80, according to data published by the Vatican. (Only cardinals under 80 can vote for a pontiff.) Francis appointed 108 of the electors, 22 were named by his predecessor, Benedict, and five were chosen by John Paul II.
The next pope could be very different from Francis, or perhaps, continue his legacy. Whatever the outcome, many LGBTQ Catholics were inspired by Francis’ leadership in spite of the discrimination that continues to exist.
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