Overview

• Rev. James Martin said after a roughly 30‑minute meeting that Pope Leo intends to continue a stance of openness and welcome toward LGBTQ Catholics.
• The Vatican listed the private audience on the pope’s schedule, a deliberate public signal as observers assess Leo’s early priorities.
• LGBTQ Catholic groups are holding a Holy Year pilgrimage in Rome this week that is listed on the Vatican’s jubilee calendar, with organizers expecting about 1,200 participants and a Mass led by the Italian bishops’ conference vice president.
• Reactions split along familiar lines, with advocates calling the meeting encouraging and some conservative commentators voicing strong criticism.
• Context from recent years remains unchanged: Pope Francis permitted case‑by‑case blessings for same‑sex couples in 2023 while maintaining doctrine on marriage, and Leo has previously acknowledged the push for a more welcoming Church despite his earlier 2012 remarks.