• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Body
  • Daily Resist
  • POLITICS
  • Travel
  • Music
  • Theatre
  • Film
  • TV
  • Business
  • Men
  • Marriage Equality
  • Space
  • Trans Rights
  • Books
  • Science
  • Gay Iconography
  • TowleREAD

Pope Francis Dines With LGBT Inmates In An Italian Prison: VIDEO

Charles Pulliam-Moore March 23, 2015

Francis

Pope Francis continued to set himself apart from his Papal predecessors this past weekend by paying a visit to a prison in Naples. In an effort to further reach out to the public and reorient the the Church’s focus, Francis joined some 90 inmates for a lunch gathering prepared by the convicts themselves. The inmates were selected via a raffle from a pool of nearly 2,000 people including inmates from the prison’s specialized ward for LGBT identified persons and those battling HIV/AIDS.

Francis’s choice to break bread with members of Italy’s queer population is the latest in a long line of somewhat mixed messages the newest Pope has shared about the Catholic Church’s shifting stance on LGBT equality. While Francis has repeatedly fallen back on the Church’s traditionally negative views regarding gays and marriage equality, he’s also alluded to having a somewhat more even-keeled perspective. While Francis has stopped short of full-on coming out in support of gay rights, he’s repeatedly stressed that the Catholic Church’s energies would be put to better use focusing on being more inclusive.

Most recently the Pope met with Diego Neria Lejárragam a Spanish transgender man, who was ostracized by his church following his decision to have gender reassignment surgery. In an impassioned letter Lejárraga asked to have  meeting with the Pope in order to seek out advice about how to reconcile his gender identity with his faith and his desire to remain an active participant of the church. A month later, however, Francis made clear that he was only so tolerant of the concept of gender identity.

Francis seems to be at his most comfortable when he’s vacillating somewhere between old-school institutional bigotry and tepid acceptance of LGBT people. Disorienting as his mixed messaging may be, there’s a chance that his shifting views may reflect on his outlook on the papacy. While he’s expressed that he doesn’t “mind being the Pope,” Francis has also alluded to missing his former life as a regular priest. It’s unclear whether or not the Pope is contemplating stepping down in the near future, but his brushes with LGBT acceptance could be a sign of decisions to come.

Watch an ABC News report, AFTER THE JUMP…

 

Topics: Uncategorized More Posts About: Italy, Italy, Pope Francis, Pope Francis

Related Posts
  • Madonna wants to meet Pope Francis
  • EU sanctions proposed for head of Russian Orthodox Church
  • Pope defends media freedom, pays tribute to killed reporters
  • Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black almost missed son’s birth

    Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black almost missed son’s birth

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black almost missed the birth of their son as they got stuck in traffic on their way to the hospital. The couple – who have been …Read More »
  • Ousted Rep. Madison Cawthorn Calls For ‘Dark MAGA’ To Rise Up, Take Over Political Right

    Ousted Rep. Madison Cawthorn Calls For ‘Dark MAGA’ To Rise Up, Take Over Political Right

      Published by Radar Online   MEGA Fresh off his loss in a primary election in North Carolina, soon-to-be outgoing Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn is now calling for a new party to form on the right. …Read More »
  • U.S. Justice Department releases $5 million for hotlines to report hate crimes

    U.S. Justice Department releases $5 million for hotlines to report hate crimes

    Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Justice Department will release $5 million for states to establish hotlines to report hate crime, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said on Friday, as a mass shooting in …Read More »
  • Monkeypox Gay Cases Rise; Europe Hits 100 Total; Triggers Emergency WHO  Monkeypox Meeting; Symptoms Mild; Spain Connects Monkeypox virus, Sauna

    Monkeypox Gay Cases Rise; Europe Hits 100 Total; Triggers Emergency WHO Monkeypox Meeting; Symptoms Mild; Spain Connects Monkeypox virus, Sauna

    Published by Reuters By Jennifer Rigby and Natalie Grover LONDON (Reuters) -The World Health Organization was due to hold an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the recent outbreak of monkeypox, a viral infection more common …Read More »
Previous Post: « Indiana House Passes Anti-LGBT ‘License to Discriminate’ Bill, Governor Pledges His Signature
Next Post: Towleroad Guide to the Tube #1711 »

Primary Sidebar

News

  • New York Attorney General Announces Investigations Into Social Media Companies For Role In Buffalo Attack That Left 10 Dead

    New York Attorney General Announces Investigations Into Social Media Companies For Role In Buffalo Attack That Left 10 Dead

  • Former Presidential Advisor Reveals Vladimir Putin Was Constantly ‘Frustrated’ With Donald Trump & ‘Had To Keep Explaining Things’

    Former Presidential Advisor Reveals Vladimir Putin Was Constantly ‘Frustrated’ With Donald Trump & ‘Had To Keep Explaining Things’

  • NYC Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Confirms Engagement To Longtime Love Riley Roberts

    NYC Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Confirms Engagement To Longtime Love Riley Roberts

  • Princess Diana’s tiara to headline exhibition at Sotheby’s

    Princess Diana’s tiara to headline exhibition at Sotheby’s

Break

  • Viola Davis was called by director’s maid’s name

    Viola Davis was called by director’s maid’s name

  • Kerry Washington infuriated Scandal co-stars with kiss confession

    Kerry Washington infuriated Scandal co-stars with kiss confession

  • Ryan Reynolds recalls brothers ‘saving’ him from dad’s anger with earrings

    Ryan Reynolds recalls brothers ‘saving’ him from dad’s anger with earrings

  • Upfronts 2022: Every new scripted series picked up by a broadcast network

    Upfronts 2022: Every new scripted series picked up by a broadcast network

RSS Partner Links

  • Song of the Day: 'Push It' by Salt-N-Pepa
  • Saturday 'Stache
  • Duchess Kate wore Roland Mouret to the ‘Top Gun’ premiere: sleek or boring?
  • “Gisele Bundchen breaks down some of her most iconic looks” links
  • Marion Cotillard Wears Shorts to 'Brother & Sister' Premiere During Cannes Film Festival
  • Jessica Chastain Reunites With Oscar Isaac For 'Scenes From A Marriage' Event in NYC
  • Four 'Saturday Night Live' Cast Members Are Leaving After the Season Finale on May 21
  • Tilda Swinton & Idris Elba Generate Oscar Buzz at Cannes with 'Three Thousand Years of Longing'
  • Let's Talk About Sex

Most Recent

  • Dave Chappelle’s alleged attacker charged with attempted murder

    Dave Chappelle’s alleged attacker charged with attempted murder

  • Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black almost missed son’s birth

    Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black almost missed son’s birth

  • Ousted Rep. Madison Cawthorn Calls For ‘Dark MAGA’ To Rise Up, Take Over Political Right

    Ousted Rep. Madison Cawthorn Calls For ‘Dark MAGA’ To Rise Up, Take Over Political Right

  • U.S. Justice Department releases $5 million for hotlines to report hate crimes

    U.S. Justice Department releases $5 million for hotlines to report hate crimes

  • Monkeypox Gay Cases Rise; Europe Hits 100 Total; Triggers Emergency WHO  Monkeypox Meeting; Symptoms Mild; Spain Connects Monkeypox virus, Sauna

    Monkeypox Gay Cases Rise; Europe Hits 100 Total; Triggers Emergency WHO Monkeypox Meeting; Symptoms Mild; Spain Connects Monkeypox virus, Sauna

  • Massachusetts identifies first 2022 U.S. case of monkeypox infection

    Massachusetts identifies first 2022 U.S. case of monkeypox infection

  • 25-30 Cases Of Rare Monkeypox Reported in UK, Portugal; Reported Predominantly Among Gay, MSM; Somewhat Treatable with Smallpox Vaccine;

    25-30 Cases Of Rare Monkeypox Reported in UK, Portugal; Reported Predominantly Among Gay, MSM; Somewhat Treatable with Smallpox Vaccine;

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 · Log in