Pope Leo XIV has affirmed that family is founded on the “stable union between a man and a woman,” which will offend many LGBTQ+ Catholics worldwide. The 69-year-old, who was appointed on 8 May, made the comments when he met the Vatican diplomatic corps at St Peter’s Basilica for the first time. At t
Pope Leo XIV has affirmed that family is founded on the “stable union between a man and a woman,” which will offend many LGBTQ+ Catholics worldwide.
The 69-year-old, who was appointed on 8 May, made the comments when he met the Vatican diplomatic corps at St Peter’s Basilica for the first time. At the meeting, the pontiff stuck close to the traditional stances of the church, affirming that the family is founded on the “stable union between a man and a woman”.
Though the audience with the world government representatives was private, the Vatican released Leo’s prepared text.
During the meeting, which takes place ahead of his formal installation Mass this weekend, Leo stressed it was up to governments to build peaceful societies “above all by investing in the family, founded upon the stable union between a man and a woman”.
Though he said LGBTQ+ Catholics were welcome, homosexual acts remain “intrinsically disordered” according to church doctrine.
In the wake of his election, past comments Leo had made in 2012 about what he called the “homosexual lifestyle” resurfaced, in which he criticised mainstream media for promoting acceptance of same-sex relationships that went against Catholic doctrine.
“Western mass media is extraordinarily effective in fostering within the general public enormous sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel, for example abortion, homosexual lifestyle, euthanasia,” he said in an address to the world Synod of Bishops.
The comments were “disappointing”, Francis DeBernado, a member of America’s New Ways Ministry, which advocates for greater inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in the Catholic Church, said.
“We pray that in the 13 years that have passed, 12 of which were under the papacy of Pope Francis, that (Leo’s) heart and mind have developed more progressively on LGBTQ+ issues, and we will take a wait-and-see attitude to see if that has happened,” Mr DeBernado said in a statement.
LGBTQ+ rights campaigner Peter Tatchell released a statement following news of the death of Pope Francis last month.
Mr Tatchell, who campaigned against Catholic homophobia for 58 years and staged 10 major protests against the discrimination advocated by Popes, Cardinals & Archbishops over the last five-plus decades, made the acclaimed documentary film, The Trouble With The Pope (Channel 4, 2010).
In a statement, Mr Tatchell said: “I extend my condolences to Catholics worldwide on the passing of Pope Francis. While we often disagreed on issues of LGBT+ rights, I acknowledge his more compassionate tone towards sexual minorities. His recent moves to allow blessings for same-sex couples, albeit with limitations, signalled a small but significant shift in Church doctrine.”
