Recently, Pope Francis had a private meeting witha transgender man and his fiancèe which remarked a new book from the pontiff.
This meeting between the highest leader of the Catholic church and the representatives of the LGBT community embarked a new point of view over acceptance and changing the old and the traditional views of the Catholic church over "gender theory."
According the Pope Francis, there is no way to judge anyone based only from their sexuality. Diego Neria Lejárraga, the man who told CNN that he "loves the world. I think there's not - in his head, in his way of thinking, discrimination against anyone. I'm speaking about him, not the institution."
Mentioned by the same source, the Pope tries to soften the hearts of everyone especially the church's tone over LGBT issues and his tenues were observed to be in multiple apparent overtures to the LGBT community. He even talked about ministering children about "nontraditional relationships" though there would be no offering an endoresement.
As a result to this new kind of ministry, he has able to attract twice as many travelers to visit Rome for an LGBT pilgrimage. The New Ways Ministry's executive director, Francis DeBernardo called that a "singular honor" where the group was called for the first time for any LGBT group and was given VIP seats near Pope Francis for the pontiff's weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square. New Ways Ministry is a US-based LGBT Christian group.
On the other side, he is still criticized for the lack of policy changes and at the same time, the lack of convictions to defend the transgender community over the "demonizing" homilies done by the Catholic churches including the legislation to the halting of the kind of existing transgender discrimination.
Parker Molloy, a 2013 op-ed for The Advocate said, "Why has [Pope Francis] not said a word in defense of transgender people, with Catholic churches regularly demonizing us during homilies, and with Catholic organizations continuing to lobby against legislation that would end the practice of systematically discriminating against transgender people in housing, employment, and public accommodations?... Why has he remained silent in our plight?"
With these frequent movements of the Pope towards the third sex, there is a big hint that he is trying to change the view of the Catholic church in a manner that these traditional churches should accept the realities which include the existence of the LGBT community.
One site mentioned about the details proving the Pope Francis has already started this kind of ministry to the world. As such, he vocally supported civil unions [same-sex marriage]; he publicly acknowledged and emphatized gay priests; he urged compassion and acceptance of LGBT people; lastly, he supported parents of LGBT folks.
Pope Francis said, "We come across this reality all the time in the confessional: a father and a mother whose son or daughter is in that situation. We have to find a way to help that father or that mother to stand by their son or daughter."
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