Religious journey promoting inclusivity and diversity within the Church for individuals identifying as LGBTQ+
Pope Francis' Open Approach to LGBTQ+ Community Takes Centre Stage at Vatican Pilgrimage
A historic event unfolded at the Vatican as over 1,400 individuals from around the globe, including the LGBTQ+ community and their families, participated in a pilgrimage during the Holy Year. The pilgrimage, which is held every 25 years, marked the first time an LGBTQ+ event has been officially included in the jubilee calendar.
Behind a rainbow-coloured cross, the participants walked up the main street leading to the Vatican, crossing the "Holy Door" of St. Peter's Basilica. One of the participants, Hugo, a 35-year-old Franco-Canadian, attended a mass presided over by the vice-president of the Italian bishops' conference.
The American successor of Pope Francis has so far been discreet on the issue of the LGBTQ+ community. However, his predecessor's actions have left a lasting impact. In 12 years of pontificate, Pope Francis "has not been afraid to speak the words," which has "greatly de-dramatized the issue of homosexuality within the Church," praises Hugo.
Pope Francis, from his election in 2013 until his death in April, was a strong advocate for an open Church to "all, all, all," and multiplied gestures of welcome towards the LGBTQ+ community. His decision in late 2023 to extend blessings to same-sex couples sparked outrage among conservative circles, particularly in Africa.
Despite the progress made, there are still fears and a form of misrecognition about the lives of homosexuals within the institution. Yveline Behets, a 68-year-old transgender woman from Brussels, walked 130 kilometers to reach Rome for the pilgrimage. She hopes the Church will provide more space for diversity within the Catholic community.
Beatrice Sarti, a 60-year-old Italian woman, believes there is still a lot to do, starting with changing mindsets within the Church. She notes that many children no longer go to church because they've been made to feel they're wrong.
Hugo believes that Pope Francis' actions have opened a door for many other evolutions within the Church. He hopes that the event will encourage more acceptance of homosexuals within the Church. The most urgent need, according to him, is to train educators, seminarians, priests, and bishops, starting from the bottom, catechism, even if it's a very slow process.
The catechism of the two-thousand-year-old institution considers homosexual acts as "intrinsically disordered." However, the participants of the pilgrimage attended a vigil of prayer and a mass at the Chiesa del Gesu in Rome, seeking a more inclusive and accepting Church.
Pope Leo XIV intends to continue the open approach of Pope Francis toward LGBTQ people, and his decision at the end of 2023 to allow blessings of same-sex couples marks a significant step, though this has caused controversy in conservative regions such as Africa and the USA. The journey of inclusion and acceptance within the Catholic Church continues.
