On Monday, September 1, 2025, Pope Leo XIV made headlines across the world by meeting with Rev. James Martin, a New York-based Jesuit author and one of the most prominent advocates for LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Catholic Church. The half-hour audience, which was officially announced by the Vatican—a rare move that signaled its significance—sent a clear message: the new pope intends to carry forward the welcoming posture toward LGBTQ+ Catholics established by his predecessor, Pope Francis.
As reported by the Associated Press, Rev. Martin emerged from the meeting with a sense of hope and encouragement. "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," Martin said. He described the encounter as "wonderful," "very consoling," "very encouraging," and, perhaps unexpectedly, "a lot of fun." For Martin, who has long championed a more inclusive church through his ministry and as a founder of Outreach—a group dedicated to promoting LGBTQ+ acceptance within Catholicism—the audience was more than a personal milestone; it was a public reaffirmation of a movement that has often been met with resistance.
The timing of the meeting was no accident. It came just days before a planned Holy Year pilgrimage of about 1,200 LGBTQ+ Catholics to the Vatican, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, September 5 and 6, 2025. The pilgrimage, organized by the Italian LGBTQ+ Catholic group Jonathan’s Tent, will feature a Mass at the Jesuit church in Rome. Notably, the Mass will be celebrated by the second-highest member of the Italian bishop’s conference, underscoring the event’s prominence. While the pilgrimage is not officially sponsored by the Vatican, it appears on the Vatican’s calendar of Holy Year events—a gesture Vatican officials say is meant to help with logistics, not to indicate formal endorsement. Still, the listing alone is seen by many as a sign of growing openness.
Pope Leo XIV’s audience with Martin has been interpreted as a strong indication of continuity with Pope Francis, who, during his 12-year papacy from 2013 to 2025, made efforts to create a more welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ Catholics. From his famous 2013 remark—“Who am I to judge?”—about a purportedly gay priest, to his decision to allow priests to bless same-sex couples, Francis distinguished himself as a pope willing to challenge old boundaries, even as church doctrine continued to state that homosexual acts are "intrinsically disordered." Francis met several times with Martin and appointed him to advisory roles within the Vatican, further cementing his reputation for outreach.
Yet, as with any major shift, not everyone is on board. News of Pope Leo’s meeting with Martin was met with consternation among some conservative Catholics who had criticized Francis’ outreach and had hoped for a turn away from such policies under the new pontiff. Taylor Marshall, a Catholic commentator and podcaster, took to social media to post the official Vatican photo of the encounter without further comment—a silent signal of disapproval. John-Henry Weston, co-founder of the conservative LifeSite news site, was more direct, calling the audience a “nightmare scenario.”
On the other side of the spectrum, LGBTQ+ advocates and their allies hailed the meeting as a milestone. Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry, which supports LGBTQ+ Catholics, called the audience "a strong indication that Leo affirms Pope Francis’ welcoming model and that previous repressive approaches are now just history." For many, the meeting was not just about symbolism; it was a tangible step toward greater inclusion in a church that has long struggled with questions of sexuality and identity.
The path to this moment has not been without its complications. Pope Leo XIV, formerly known as Rev. Robert Prevost, was not always associated with such a welcoming stance. In 2012, he criticized the "homosexual lifestyle" and expressed concerns about the role of mass media in promoting acceptance of same-sex relationships, views that aligned with traditional Catholic doctrine. However, when he became a cardinal in 2023, Prevost acknowledged the shift under Pope Francis, stating that the church should not exclude people "simply on the basis of choices that they make, whether it be lifestyle, work, way to dress, or whatever." He was careful to note, though, that doctrine had not changed. "But we are looking to be more welcoming and more open and to say all people are welcome in the church," he said, echoing the language of inclusion while maintaining doctrinal continuity.
For Rev. Martin, who has known Prevost from their work together on the synod about the church’s future, the pope’s personal stance was never in doubt. "I always found him to be a very open, welcoming, inclusive person," Martin said. Still, he admitted it was "wonderful to hear this continuation." According to Martin, Pope Leo emphasized that his priorities also include working for peace and unity, specifically mentioning the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and Myanmar. The pope reportedly reminded Martin that "this is a church for ‘todos, todos, todos,’" repeating Pope Francis’ famous line in Spanish—"everyone, everyone, everyone"—about the church’s openness to all.
The upcoming pilgrimage, which Martin’s Outreach ministry will join, is seen as a practical expression of this message. Although not an official Vatican event, its inclusion on the Holy Year calendar and the participation of high-ranking church officials signal a new era of visibility for LGBTQ+ Catholics. Vatican officials have clarified that such listings are intended only as logistical support for groups organizing pilgrimages to walk through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, not as endorsements. Even so, for many pilgrims, the very act of gathering in Rome and being acknowledged in any capacity by the Vatican is a landmark moment.
Despite these gestures of welcome, it’s important to recognize that the church’s official doctrine on homosexuality remains unchanged. The Catechism of the Catholic Church continues to describe homosexual acts as "intrinsically disordered." This tension between doctrine and pastoral practice has defined much of the church’s recent history and continues to shape debates within Catholicism today. As Pope Leo XIV navigates the early months of his pontificate, he faces the challenge of balancing tradition with the growing call for inclusion—a task that will require both courage and diplomacy.
For now, the message from the Vatican is one of cautious optimism. As Rev. Martin put it, "if people were happy with Pope Francis’ approach to LGBTQ Catholics, they’re going to be happy with Pope Leo’s approach. And he asked me to continue what I’m doing, which was very encouraging." The coming days, as LGBTQ+ Catholics gather in Rome for their Holy Year pilgrimage, will be a test of just how far this spirit of welcome can go within one of the world’s oldest institutions.