Christophe Trutino, a 25-year-old gay Catholic from Toulouse in southwest France, told a newspaper that Pope Francis called him after Trutino had written a letter to the Pontiff explaining how he was struggling with reconciling his sexuality with his faith.
The Vatican is denying Pope Francis made the call, The Local reports:
The Vatican firmly denied reports in France on Friday that Pope Francis had telephoned a young gay French Catholic to reassure him. Christophe Trutino had claimed in a newspaper interview the Pontiff had told him “Your homosexuality. It doesn't matter" in a personal call. Father Lombardi, a spokesman for the Vatican “firmly denied” claims by the young gay Catholic that the Pope had made a private telephone call to him last week.
After previously declining to deny or confirm the call, in which Christophe Trutino claimed the Pope told him “Your homosexuality doesn’t matter” Lombardi told Le Figaro newspaper: “The Pope never called this person.”
“The only time the Pope has called France was to speak to Cardinal Barbarin. I absolutely deny this information," he said. “There is always the risk that people pretend to be the pope over the phone,” Lombardi added.
Trutino said that Pope Francis initiated the conversation:
“I received the letter that you sent me. You need to remain courageous and continue to believe and pray and stay good,” the voice at the end of the phone told him during the nine-minute conversation in Spanish.
“Your homosexuality. It doesn’t matter. One way or another , we are all children of God. This is why we must continue to be good," he continued.
Pope Francis recently made headlines when he said, while speaking to reporters: "Who am I to judge a gay person of goodwill who seeks the Lord? You can't marginalize these people."
