A 2012 video shows comments from new pope that disappoint LGBTQ activists

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV, successful remarks successful 2012 erstwhile helium was the Augustinian anterior wide successful Chicago, made comments captious of what helium called the “homosexual lifestyle” and the relation of wide media successful promoting acceptance of same-sex relationships that conflicted with Catholic doctrine.

Reports astir the 2012 comments emerged aft Thursday’s predetermination of U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost to win Pope Francis; helium took the sanction Leo XIV.

The remarks were “disappointing,” said Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, a U.S.-based radical that advocates for greater inclusion of LGBTQ+ Catholics successful the church.

“We commune that successful the 13 years that person passed, 12 of which were nether the papacy of Pope Francis, that his (Leo’s) bosom and caput person developed much progressively connected LGBTQ+ issues, and we volition instrumentality a wait-and-see cognition to spot if that has happened,” DeBernardo said successful a statement.

A 2012 video provided to Catholic News Service, the quality bureau of the U.S. bishops conference, featured Prevost's code to the satellite Synod of Bishops against the backdrop of images from fashionable TV bid and movies.

“Western wide media is extraordinarily effectual successful fostering wrong the wide nationalist tremendous sympathy for beliefs and practices that are astatine likelihood with the gospel, for illustration abortion, homosexual lifestyle, euthanasia,” Prevost said.

He singled retired “how alternate families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children are truthful benignly and sympathetically portrayed successful tv programs and cinema today.”

When helium became a cardinal successful 2023, Catholic News Service asked him if his views had changed. He acknowledged Pope Francis’ telephone for a much inclusive church, saying Francis “made it precise wide that helium doesn’t privation radical to beryllium excluded simply connected the ground of choices that they make, whether it beryllium lifestyle, work, mode to dress, oregon whatever.”

But helium underlined that doctrine had not changed, successful enactment with Francis. “And radical haven’t said yet (that) we’re looking for that benignant of change,” Prevost said. “But we are looking to beryllium much welcoming and much unfastened and to accidental each radical are invited successful the church.”

In his archetypal remarks arsenic pope connected Thursday night, Leo spoke astir gathering bridges and God’s emotion for all.

The Rev. James Martin, an American Jesuit who founded an LGBTQ+ outreach ministry, said specified an invitation to inclusiveness and invited was important and helium considered the cardinals’ prime of Prevost “brilliant.”

“He is humble, reserved, straightforward, trustworthy. I deliberation helium brings a wealthiness of acquisition not lone (from) his agelong clip successful Peru moving with the poor, but besides successful the Vatican,” Martin said. “It’s uncommon to travel successful interaction with idiosyncratic who is really humble and not pretending to beryllium humble. And he’s the existent deal. And that truly cemented my respect for him. He ever treated maine with large respect, dignity, friendship. He’s a antheral of fewer words, and I’ll accidental that erstwhile helium talked, radical listened.”

Francis, much than immoderate of his predecessors, incrementally conveyed done his actions, ceremonial statements and occasional casual remarks that helium wanted the religion to beryllium a much welcoming place for LGBTQ+ people. Yet his papacy ended with the aforesaid halfway doctrine for LGBTQ+ radical that helium inherited: The Catholic Church inactive rejected same-sex marriage and condemned immoderate intersexual relations betwixt cheery oregon lesbian partners arsenic “intrinsically disordered.”

The U.S.-based LGBTQ advocacy radical GLAAD called connected the caller pontiff to “build connected the progress” made by his predecessor.

“The Roman Catholic Church stands connected the threshold of a hopeful and inclusive caller chapter. With Pope Leo XIV’s leadership, determination is an bonzer accidental to animate billions astir the satellite and further clasp LGBTQ radical with compassion, dignity, and love,” GLADD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said successful a statement.

___

Crary reported from New York. Barry reported from Soave, Italy. Nicole Winfield contributed.

___

Associated Press religion sum receives enactment done the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with backing from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely liable for this content.