In July 2013 Pope Francis famously told reporters during a news conference, “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?” His comments were widely interpreted as being more accepting of LGBTQ+ people than the views expressed by previous popes regarding homosexuality. Later that year in an interview with an Italian Jesuit magazine, Francis criticized the Roman Catholic Church for having been “obsessed” with issues such as homosexuality, abortion, and birth control. In 2016 he issued Amoris laetitia (“The Joy of Love”), a pronouncement on family issues in which he urged priests and bishops to take a more welcoming and less judgmental attitude toward homosexuals. However, he reaffirmed the church’s rejection of same-sex marriage.
Notably, Francis made Jesuit priest James Martin an adviser to the Vatican’s department for communication in 2017. Martin had become known for his compassionate and welcoming ministry to the LGBTQ+ community, and his ministry was sanctioned by Francis. In 2023 the Vatican issued the doctrinal declaration Fiducia supplicans (“Supplicating Trust”), which announced that the pope had formally approved the blessing of same-sex couples, under the condition that such blessings not be administered during rituals or liturgies.