The Pope and his LGBTQ language were raised – and not in a good way – during an online student forum last Thursday. The forum provided an opportunity for 12 students from across the Asia-Pacific region to speak directly to Francis about their ideas and reflections about their shared social concerns. The Loyola University Chicago-organised Read more
I am a gay priest who is publicly open about belonging to the L.G.B.T.Q. community. As a gay man, I was shocked and saddened by the Holy Father’s reported use of an offensive slur during a discussion with Italian bishops. While ostensibly justifying a policy of refusing to accept gay men into seminaries, the pope Read more
The Rome LGBTQ+ Pride parade celebrated its 30th anniversary on Saturday with tens of thousands marching through the Italian capital, many waving banners poking fun at Pope Francis. “Attention, from here on high levels of faggotry” read one sign on a motorcycle. A man dressed as Pope Francis held a sign stating “There is too Read more
Gilbert Lubega sat in a white plastic chair at his home in Wakiso, a suburb of Uganda’s capital, Kampala. He was contemplating two photos of a young gay female couple kissing and another one of a male gay couple kissing at their wedding ceremony. “These images make me think the world is coming to an Read more
Gilbert Lubega sat in a white plastic chair at his home in Wakiso, a suburb of Uganda’s capital, Kampala, contemplating two photos of a young gay female couple kissing and another one of a male gay couple kissing at their wedding ceremony. “These images make me think the world is coming to an end,” he Read more
Following the closing Mass of the first session of the Synod on Synodality in Rome this October, Cardinal Blase Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago (pictured left), spoke with America’s Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell. Cupich told O’Connell about his experience of the meeting and the synod’s synthesis document, published Oct. 29. This interview has been edited Read more
For Pope Francis, the first session of the Synod on Synodality was never about resolving the controversial issues facing the Church. Even so, there were those who hoped for forward motion on married priests, women deacons and LGBTQ issues. They will be disappointed by the final report issued by the synod. For Francis it was Read more
In my ministry with LGBTQ people, I sometimes meet people who feel profoundly, even paralysingly, discouraged by the lack of forward movement in the Church. Even when something positive happens in the Church, they will say, “Not enough!” or “Too little, too late.” In his opening address to the Second Vatican Council, Pope St. John Read more
For decades, the renowned evolutionary biologist and atheist Richard Dawkins urged his readers to use science and reason to counter religious misinformation. Dawkins is abandoning both to spread anti-transgender rhetoric embraced by religious conservatives. During a recent episode of his podcast “The Poetry of Reality,” Dawkins spoke with author Helen Joyce about the “influence of Read more
Providing foster care is off the cards at present for a Catholic couple in Massachusetts. They say their religious beliefs are behind a ban on them participating in their State’s foster care system. Fighting the ban, Mike and Catherine “Kitty” Burke (pictured) turned to liberty group Becket Law who have filed a federal lawsuit on Read more