I’m a gay catholic – Pope Leo risks alienating people like me

I find these comments concerning (Picture: REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane)

‘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.’

These comments by the new Pope, Leo XIV, made 13 years ago, were unearthed shortly after it was confirmed that he would lead the 1.4billion Catholics in every corner of the world. 

Leo, until yesterday known as the 69-year-old Robert Francis Prevost, becomes the world’s first US Pope, having been born in Chicago and spending much of his career in South America, where he became a dual citizen of his home nation and Peru. 

His elevation to the papacy, becoming the 267th man to occupy the throne of St Peter, was greeted with cheers and chants of ‘Long Live the Pope’ in Rome late yesterday afternoon. 

But as a gay catholic man, having somewhat rediscovered his faith and felt more welcome under Leo’s predecessor, Francis, I find these comments concerning. 

I drifted away from the church naturally in my 20s, as many young people do (Picture: GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images)

For one, because the comments dismiss LGBT+ people as making a lifestyle choice, but mainly because of how many who returned to the Catholic fold under Pope Francis may now, again, feel ostracised.

I was born to Roman Catholic, Irish parents in the 80’s; baptised as a baby, took first holy Communion at the age of 7 (like so many Catholics, the picture from that day of me smiling sweetly with rosary beads in my hands is still on display in the family home) and attended a strict Catholic school till the age of 16. 

It was when I started to become sexually aware, that I realised my existence was at odds with the strict teachings of what I was being taught at school which insisted, at every turn, that only relationships between a man and a woman were accepted in our community.

I drifted away from the church naturally in my 20s, as many young people do. 

Not because I wasn’t fully connected to it anymore – I strongly believe that once you’re a Catholic, you’re always a Catholic. You don’t lose that identity even if you engage with the Church and your faith less and less. 

Throughout my 20s, I’d attend Mass at Christmas and Easter from time to time with my still churchgoing family, out of respect for them. 

But my heart was no longer in it. I became lapsed. 

And after the death of the popular Pope John Paul II in 2005, he was replaced by Benedict XVI.

Frankly, as a gay man, Francis was the only Pope in my lifetime that I connected with (Picture: MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)

During the latter’s papacy (he made a number of interventions against gay marriage and was seen as a strict conservative on LGBT issues) I even went through a period of being vocally against the church of the day. 

When Francis became Pope in 2013, following Benedict’s resignation, I wasn’t immediately beguiled, mainly because I’d become embittered.

But as the years passed and I saw his natural compassion shine through, particularly for the marginalised, I slowly began to warm to the church again, as the pontiff began to preach less about what he was opposed to, but about accepting others. 

Frankly, as a gay man, Francis was the only Pope in my lifetime that I connected with. 

Many people returned to the fold under Pope Francis (Picture: ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)

He approved blessings for same-sex couples in 2023. And in an interview shortly after his elevation as Bishop of Rome, he said: ‘We have to find a way to help that father or that mother to stand by their [LGBTQ+] son or daughter.’ 

He also spoke out relentlessly in about the plight of those suffering in Gaza during the final months of his life. 

Pope Francis’ thoughtfulness for the marginalised continued right till the end of his life, as per his wishes, a group of transgender people were among those selected to form an honor guard on the steps of St. Peter’s Basilica to offer the final farewell at his funeral. 

After years of being lapsed, I felt more welcome under Pope Francis (Picture: Jason Reid)

Now, Leo’s past comments and lukewarm support for LGBTQ+ Catholics are disappointing and a shot to the heart because after distancing myself from the church during Benedict’s ultra-conservative papacy, I felt welcomed back with Francis at the helm.

Pope Leo is, by all accounts, a moderate (Picture: REUTERS/Claudia Greco)

Personally, I would have preferred a more progressive new Pope like Cardinal Tagle or Cardinal Zuppi who are both pro-LGBTQ rights. 

Both of these cardinals gained huge support online amongst younger people in recent weeks. Something I’ve never witnessed before. Stan culture for cardinals and the memeification of the conclave.

Pope Leo is, by all accounts, a moderate. Perhaps the conclave thought a moderate would be a unifier in these turbulent times. Time will tell. 

However, I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for the time being, and I think others should too. 

Francis and Pope Leo were seemingly close, and in agreement on a number of major issues. 

Hopefully, that could indicate a continuation of Francis’s relatively progressive approach which brought many lapsed LGBTQ+ Catholics like myself tentatively back to the church because of his willingness to accept all people.

Leo’s comments have been rightly condemned,but they were made more than a decade ago and while they are troubling, I’m hoping his views have changed, particularly given his close friendship with Francis in recent years. 

Like Francis, I’m hopeful that Leo will become more liberal on social issues. If not, sadly, that will be a dealbreaker for me and I imagine for many other LGBTQ+ Catholics. 

The Church has done great work in welcoming people like me, and they shouldn’t risk pushing us away again. 

We are all God’s children after all.

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