LGBTQ+ in the Crosshairs: How Will the New Pope Address One of the Church’s Biggest Challenges?

 

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has become the 267th pontiff of the Catholic Church, assuming the title Pope Leo XIV. He is the first American ever to hold the papacy, marking the beginning of a new era for the Roman Catholic Church. 

Now the spiritual leader of nearly 1.1 billion Catholics—nearly double the estimated 600 million Protestants—Pope Leo XIV faces the monumental task of guiding the Church forward. The pressing question is: Will he follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Pope Francis, or forge a different path?

Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21 at the age of 88, made significant strides in promoting inclusivity within the Church, particularly concerning the LGBTQ+ community. His famous remark—

“If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?”

—underscored his more open stance.

Time Magazine Source 

 In 2023, Pope Francis ruled that Catholic priests could bless same-sex couples and signed a document allowing transgender individuals to be baptized and serve as godparents.

In contrast, Pope Leo XIV has expressed a more traditional perspective. In a 2012 address to bishops, he criticized the influence of Western media and culture, stating they promoted “sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel.” He specifically referenced the “homosexual lifestyle” and “alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children.”

New York Times Source 

On the issue of gender dysphoria, Pope Leo XIV has also taken a conservative stance. As Bishop of Chiclayo in northwestern Peru, he opposed government efforts to include gender education in schools, saying:

“The promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that don’t exist.”

New York Times Source

The question now looms large:

Will the new Pope take a conservative path, or will he prove to be as progressive—or even more so—than Pope Francis?

Time will tell.

 In the meantime, let us uphold Pope Leo XIV in our prayers. May he lead the Roman Catholic Church with wisdom, compassion, and faithfulness, guiding believers to be devoted disciples of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.