Pope Francis Was a Gift to LGBTQ+ People
Pope Francis
The following is a statement from Francis DeBernardo, Executive Director, New Ways Ministry, on the passing of Pope Francis.
With simple words and gentle gestures, Pope Francis powerfully moved the Catholic Church to become a more welcoming home for LGBTQ+ people. New Ways Ministry mourns his passing, while at the same time we give thanks for his witness and ministry.
Francis was not only the first pope to use the word “gay” when speaking about LGBTQ+ people, he was the first pope to speak lovingly and tenderly to them. His kind words of welcome to this community, traditionally marginalized in the church, rang loudly around the globe. His recommendation to pastoral ministers and church leaders to accompany, listen, and dialogue with LGBTQ+ people has opened doors that had been sealed shut by the homophobia and transphobia of previous pontiffs.
From the early months of his papacy when he uttered the now-iconic “Who am I to judge?” in response to a question about accepting gay priests, through numerous affirming pastoral messages to individual LGBTQ+ people, to his support for civil unions, and his condemnation of criminalization laws, Pope Francis has changed the church irreversibly by allowing people to see how their Catholic faith requires acceptance and equality.
Even with his many groundbreaking milestones, Pope Francis did have areas where his welcome was not as wide as it could have been. In the area of gender identity and transgender issues, the pontiff adhered closely to the male-female gender binary, referring to any newer understandings of gender identity as “gender ideology” or “ideological colonization.” His misunderstanding and mischaracterization of gender identity did not, however, prevent Pope Francis from reaching out with compassion to transgender people, continually calling for people to respect the inherent human dignity of these minorities. FOR A CATALOGUE OF ALL POPE FRANCIS’ STATEMENTS AND ACTIONS CONCERNING LGBTQ+ ISSUES, CLICK HERE.
Pope Francis has opened the discussion of LGBTQ+ issues in the church, and through calling the global synod, he has institutionalized a process for Catholics to continue discussing these issues, as well as so many other topics. He has moved the church from an imperial model to a servant model
Pope Francis with Sister Jeannine Gramick, SL, along with New Ways Ministry staff members (from left) Matthew Myers, Francis DeBernardo, and Robert Shine
New Ways Ministry has been blessed to have corresponded with Pope Francis since 2021. His responses were always warm, affirming, and encouraging. He even congratulated our ministry’s co-founder, Sister Jeannine Gramick, on the occasion of her 50 years of pastoral service and advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community, calling her “a valiant woman.” His messages have been a blessing to New Ways Ministry and all of its supporters, while less enlightened church leaders have labeled as heretics those who have worked tirelessly for LGBTQ+ equality.
Even greater blessings were the two opportunities that New Ways Ministry personnel had to meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican to dialogue on LGBTQ+ issues. In October 2023, four New Ways Ministry staff members–Sister Jeannine Gramick, Francis DeBernardo, Matthew Myers, Robert Shine–sat down for 50 minutes with the pontiff who encouraged them to continue their ministry of welcome, encounter and hope.
The second visit occurred in October 2024 when the same group were accompanied by an intersex woman, a transgender man, a doctor who works in gender medicine, a theologian, and a Catholic deacon who is the father of a transgender daughter. For 90 minutes, the pope listened to their stories of pain, exclusion, and also the joy that living authentically has brought them.
Pope Francis has been a gift to the church and to the LGBTQ+ community. For many years, we have prayed to God for such a leader to continue the work of Vatican II. We have not been disappointed, but have been blessed by the message of his words and deeds.
We trust that our loving God, who is a God of justice and equality, will continue to bless us by extending Francis’ welcoming and inclusive message in the next papacy. Whoever the next pope will be, New Ways Ministry pledges to continue spreading the Catholic message of welcome, listening, accompaniment, and justice which Pope Francis has ignited.
—Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry, April 21, 2025
We can never forget his legacy. He planted great seeds in his selection of leaders for our future. A Pope for once in a lifetime.
Bob Butts
Amen.
Just over 10 years ago I was in St Peter’s Square with a pilgrimage of LBGT+ Catholics from UK. We got a message of welcome though we weren’t hiding our identity, (I’m straight as it happens with a gay son & found sanctuary with LGBT+ Catholics during the awful time when marriage equality was being “debated” in England and Wales.) I met Francis and Sr Jeannine then. Julian Filochowski and Martin Pendergast were cordially received by a cardinal and were pleased with the change in attitude under the new management! No more need for police injunctions to prevent Mass being invaded by disruptors. No more Halloween letters. It will be more testing on your side of the Atlantic- though 47 is a global threat- and I need to be reminded that not all citizens of USA regard him as messiah.
Thank you Frank! Thank you Jeannine! Thank you most of all to the great Pope Francis who is with his Lord and ours today. Alleluia!
Francis,
Thank you for your fine tribute to Pope Francis.
When he opened the doors of the church to “todos,” he truly meant “todos” – no exceptions. It was refreshing to feel the welcome he gave to those of us who are LGBTQ+ people, after the many rejections we felt from his predecessors.
I’m grateful for his ministry, and sad at his passing. But he is now at peace. I think of the words in the parable of the Last Judgement. “Come. You have my Father’s blessing … For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me. I was ill and you comforted me, in prison and you came to visit me.” That was the life that Francis lived, and the guidance he gave us all.
I won’t pray for Francis. He no longer needs our prayers. Rather, I will pray to him.
In these days while we mourn his death, and the process of choosing his successor begins, I pray that the person chosen to succeed him will continue Francis’ embrace of and defense of all. And that we will be inspired by Francis’ example in the way we live the remaining days of our own lives.
I offer my condolences, especially to all of you who met Pope Francis. Thank you for the special commentary about his life.