Pope Has a Private Audience With Catholic LGBT+ Advocates

                                             

There has been widespread coverage of the Pope's correspondence with leaders of a Catholic group which advocates for Gay, Lesbian and other shunned Catholics. Apparently, years ago Francis dismissed the groups correspondence and assumed it wanted full membership for LGBT as well as gay marriage by priests. The group, which has been active for several decades, implored the Pope to read its goals and what it hopes to achieve. 

When the Pope did this he realized he had been mistaken about the group's intensions. As anyone can read on the group's website, what it wants is for homosexual people to be accepted as good Catholics and for them to participate in local church life. From what the Pope has said publicly, this is what he wants. Thus, the correspondence warmed up and leaders were invited to a private visit with the Pope.  

Both the advocacy group and the Pope were on the same page when discussing the meeting they had together. It was as if they had hired the same publicist to issue statements. Both made statements about inclusiveness, making Catholic gay, trans, etc., feel comfortable in the church family. Neither mentioned the word sin. As I've pointed out here many times, the Catholic way of leaving behind outmoded ideas is not to formerly reject them or admit they were mistaken views of a previous time. Instead, it is to embrace new thinking and never mention the mistaken views that are still part of the faith's official position. The Pope wants LGBT+ people in the church. They want to be there. Why bring up the past?

As everyone who follows news in religion knows, a large group of Catholics do not like the Pope's way of doing business. Included in this group are many older Cardinals. They want gays demonized and the more demonized the better. This was the view of former and mistaken Pope Benedict. As the saying goes, may the Lord have mercy on his soul.

I wonder if there have been meetings with such former adversaries and a Pope before. It seems to me this was an extraordinary event. This Pope has intellectual credibility not found everywhere among leaders in Christianity. I cannot imagine, for example, Franklin Graham having such a meeting. Perhaps father Billy might have.

Reporters continue to ask Pope Francis is homosexuality is a sin. He continues to answer yes. I'm guessing he assumes they will tire of asking that eventually and the subject of homosexual sin will be gone forever.