Pro-LGBTQIA+… but with a catch.
The Vatican is not changing its teachings on LGBTQIA+ people under Pope Leo XIV, even if it has softened its stance to at least tolerate them under the term of the immediate past pope, Francis.
This is according to Leo himself, speaking to Crux in a recently released interview, stressing that it is “highly unlikely, certainly in the near future” that the Roman Catholic Church’s teachings on sexuality and marriage will change.
According to the pope, questions about LGBTQIA+ people human rights are “polarizing” as this is a “hot-button topic”. As such – and considering the need to seek peace as a priority in the Church – he has no plans in adding to the polarization.
“For now, because of what I’ve already tried to demonstrate and live out in terms of my understanding of being Pope at this time in history, I’m trying not to continue to polarize or promote polarization in the Church.”
Even if the Church’s teaching never really changed, Pope Francis showed a more progressive stance on LGBTQIA+ people – e.g. he was quoted as saying that the church is for “todos, todos, todos – (for) all, all, all”.
“What I’m trying to say is what Francis said very clearly when he would say, ‘todos, todos, todos’. Everyone’s invited in, but I don’t invite a person in because they are or are not of any specific identity,” Leo was quoted as saying.
“I invite a person in because they are a son or daughter of God. You’re all welcome, and let’s get to know one another and respect one another. At some point, when specific questions will come up … people (then) want the Church doctrine to change, want attitudes to change. “I think we have to change attitudes before we even think about changing what the Church says about any given question.”
Particularly on the possibility of overturning of the Catholic teachings on LGBTQIA+ issues, or on marriage and sexuality more generally, Leo said this is highly unlikely.
“I find it highly unlikely, certainly in the near future, that the Church’s doctrine, in terms of what the Church teaches about sexuality, what the Church teaches about marriage, (will change)… I’ve already spoken about marriage, as did Pope Francis when he was Pope, about a family being a man and a woman in solemn commitment, blessed in the sacrament of marriage. But even to say that, I understand some people will take that badly.”
