VATICAN CITY (RNS) From welcoming trans women at the Vatican to promoting LGBTQ outreach around the world, some advocates say Pope Francis has created a space for inclusion without fear.
Pope Francis at the general audience in St. Peter s Square on May 4, 2022. / Daniel Ibáñez/CNA.Vatican City, May 9, 2022 / 10:45 am (CNA).Pope Francis has underlined that God "does not disown any of his children" in a brief message marking the launch of a new website for LGBT Catholics.The pope made the comment in a handwritten letter dated May 8 to Father James Martin, S.J., the editor at large of America Media, the company supporting the new website, outreach.faith, launched on May 1.In the letter, the Jesuit pope replied to questions posed by Martin, the author of "Building a Bridge," a 2017 book advocating closer ties between the Catholic Church and the LGBT community.Critics have accused Martin of rejecting Catholic teaching on the sinfulness of homosexual sexual acts, but he has insisted that he does not reject the teaching of the Church.In June 2021, Pope Francis expressed support for Martin s controversial ministry and encouraged him to "continue this