That sound you hear is a resounding “Hallelujah!” coming from queer Catholics worldwide who are increasingly feeling seen by their Church’s leader, especially after his latest comments in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
In what is widely considered to be his most accepting statement to date, Pope Francis reportedly reassured a Chilean man during an intimate meeting that he was born gay and that God loved him unconditionally. The pontiff met with Juan Carlos Cruz, a survivor of clerical sexual abuse, last week. Cruz later described the interaction to the Spanish newspaper El País, quoting the octogenarian as saying, “‘That you are gay does not matter. God made you like this and loves you like this and I don’t care. The pope loves you like this. You have to be happy with who you are.’” A Vatican spokesman on Sunday declined to comment on the pontiff’s private conversation.
If true, this new declaration, which is quite frankly the furthest either Francis or any of his predecessors has ever gone on this particular subject, joins a growing list of examples that, for me, prove the pope’s evolving role as an ally (though some LGBTQ+ people, namely transgender individuals, will dispute that considering prior phobic remarks). Not only has he previously called on Christians to apologize to gay people for their historic oppression, but he’s also said definitively that “God loves all his creatures,” including queer folks, and that “we are destined to receive his infinite love.” And we can’t forget the now-iconic, “Who am I to judge?” response from 2013 with regards to gay priests.
But when the Vicar of Christ tells someone of faith that he personally doesn’t care about their sexuality, and even goes so far as to say that it’s inherent and God-given, that gesture alone is absolutely revolutionary, particularly for those of us who have spent years looking for validation within the Church and have instead encountered closed doors with signs that effectively read, “Knock and it shall be opened to you. Oh wait, never mind — not you. But keep praying!” Those doors are now slowly opening to God’s LGBTQ+ children, and it’s amazing knowing that the person holding the knob steady just so happens to be the most powerful religious figure in the world.
We can say quite confidently that Papa Francis is in uncharted territory, and it’s sure to shake up the institutional Church, which, as we know, has historically excluded LGBTQ+ people for centuries despite its “all are welcome” mentality. Because who knew the Bible had asterisks and footnotes condemning my kind, right? There’s no denying church officials have indoctrinated generations of queer people to believe that their livelihoods are sinful and that expression of one’s sexual self will be punished with eternal damnation. We’ve had the Book of Leviticus thrown at us; we’ve heard that Adam and Eve (not Steve) are present in Genesis; we’ve been told repeatedly that we’ll never be able to get married or possibly even adopt children from faith-based agencies because of this notion that homosexuality, specifically, is ungodly.
This makes Pope Francis’ latest pro-gay point that much more significant, even if it’s the kind of sentiment that isn’t reciprocated by traditionalists both in the pews and at the altar. Because I can guarantee you that some will say he’s somehow going rogue; that he's separating himself from the true teachings of Christ when he's actually preaching the most important of God's commandments: to love one another as He has loved thyself, and yes, that includes queer people. The Catholic hierarchy and select members of their flock seem to think that statement is conditional, though. In fact, I'm sure several LGBTQ+ faithful have horror stories of how this bishop diminished their struggles or how that local pastor denied them life-affirming sacraments because of an identity that they continue to mistakenly describe as a choice.
And it’s incredibly sad that many high-profile leaders both domestically and abroad ascribe to this discriminatory way of thinking, even if their boss has made it pretty clear that he doesn’t. For instance, a handful of American Cardinals were included in promotional materials last summer for ‘Why I Don’t Call Myself Gay,’ a book written by a man renouncing his homosexuality to supposedly better follow Jesus. Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley called author Dan Mattson a “profile in courage,” adding that he hoped his experience would “mark a way forward for others.” Cardinal Robert Smith said Mattson’s testimonial “bears witness...to the veracity of the teachings of [God’s] Church.” And Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, praised Mattson’s “honest account of the genuine struggles faced by those with same-sex attraction,” saying he appreciated his sharing of “how he has come to understand and accept God’s loving plan for his life.”
Again, this memoir, which came from a Catholic publishing house, was touted as “a conversion story,” and it conveniently came out at the exact same time as Jesuit priest Father James Martin’s acclaimed book seeking to strengthen the relationship between the Church and its queer parishioners. Martin even used the Church’s Catechism (focusing on respect, compassion, and sensitivity) to make his inclusivity argument. Figures like Atlanta Archbishop Wilton Gregory rightfully saw Martin’s attempt at launching a dialogue as necessary, even implicitly chiding his anti-LGBTQ+ religious brethren by saying, “This has challenged a lot of people, because you don’t want to build a bridge if you already think you’re right. But this is where we have to go next.”
And I have a feeling that Pope Francis realizes that as more congregations nationwide start to dwindle in numbers upon recognizing that their religion isn’t very open to the very marginalized that Jesus, himself, ministered to. I personally feel like the Church's inability to straighten out intolerant clergy (who occupy many ranks within the institution, itself) needs immediate addressing. Because when your leader is now starting to make the progressive statements that a modern-day society craves (particularly one that seemingly embraces queerness more than ever before), then you know your previous frame of thinking requires massive updating.
Every political entity (and there’s no mistaking that the Catholic Church is one) typically experiences an overhaul when the times call for it. I just pray that there are more like Francis to lead that charge for generations to come.
Xorje Olivares is the queer Latino host of "Affirmative Reaction" on SiriusXM's progressive channel. His writing has appeared on VICE, Playboy, Rolling Stone, and Vox, among other outlets. His original content can be found at HeyXorje.com.
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