News and Views

Asked about past comments in which he condemned media sympathetic to homosexuality, then-Cardinal Prevost said the church should be open and welcoming to all.

Little is known about how the U.S.-born pope might interact with the LGBTQ Catholic community. Father Martin offers some insight—and says the key might be Leo’s support for synodality.

There is little immediately known about what Pope Leo XIV thinks about a range of hot-button issues, including the place of LGBTQ people in the church. Michael O’Loughlin remembers the same was true of Pope Francis in 2013.

Leo XIV, the first pope from the United States, blessed the crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Thursday. Visibly moved, he prayed for peace and called for a church that is close “to those who are suffering.”

While the level of outreach a new pope makes toward the LGBTQ community depends on who is elected, papal historian Miles Pattenden says to expect a certain level of ambiguity.

A small verbal stumble at Mass prompted a moment of reflection on Pope Francis—before diving in to speculation about the conclave.

Several cardinals have appeared on many lists of contenders to be the next pope. Here’s where some of them stand on LGBTQ Catholics.

Cardinal Michael Czerny, S.J., said he hopes the welcoming posture of Pope Francis toward LGBTQ Catholics continues, while Cardinal Gerhard Müller said the next pope should “stand up” to the “gay lobby.”

A group of about 40 people from communities close to the pope’s heart will be on hand at his funeral on Saturday, the Vatican announced.