Pope Leo XIV is urging Catholics to change how they relate to LGBTQ people — without altering church doctrine, according to an interview excerpted from a forthcoming biography.
The remarks, recorded by journalist Elise Ann Allen for a book first released in Spanish and shared by La Repubblica, cast the new pope as both a pastoral bridge-builder and a cautious steward of teaching. The biography, due in English later this year, has already drawn wide attention for the pope’s frank talk about inclusion, division and the work ahead.
A pastoral tilt, not doctrinal shift
In the conversation, Leo — who identifies himself as the first U.S.-born pope in the book — said he wants a Church that welcomes everyone and resists sharp internal polarization. He cited tensions laid bare during the recent Synod on Synodality, where debates over LGBTQ inclusion proved especially fractious, and framed his response as deliberately pastoral.
That approach separates pastoral practice from formal teaching: Leo encouraged priests and parish communities to receive people “as sons and daughters of God,” while stopping short of any immediate change to doctrine on marriage or sacramental definitions. He signaled continuity with some pastoral measures from his predecessor — for example, allowing priests to offer blessings to same-sex couples — but reiterated that the Church’s official doctrine on marriage remains focused on heterosexual union for now.
Why tone matters
The pope described his stance as both pastoral and strategic: by shifting attitudes and how people treat one another, he hopes to reduce factionalism and create space for calmer conversations across the Church. His emphasis was less about redefining categories and more about changing the atmosphere in which pastoral encounters occur.
That means local clergy and bishops will be asked to translate a warmer tone into everyday practice. How that happens — through liturgies, parish outreach, formation programs or diocesan guidelines — will determine whether the change is mostly rhetorical or genuinely felt by Catholics on the ground.
Practical implications and reactions
Reactions across Catholic circles were mixed. Many praised the renewed focus on welcome and pastoral outreach as a way to lower tensions and engage marginalized people. Others warned that the distinction between pastoral gestures and canonical norms could produce confusion: when is a blessing pastoral accompaniment and when does action require clearer diocesan rules?
Canonical and legal scholars say dioceses will need clearer guidance to avoid inconsistent application between parishes. Pastors, meanwhile, face the delicate task of offering accompaniment without giving the impression of doctrinal endorsement — a balance that will test both sensitivity and prudence.
A measured, incremental path
Observers say the pope’s language points to a measured, incremental approach: encourage cultural and pastoral shifts first, and only consider doctrinal questions if and when internal change makes that discussion fruitful. That strategy reflects a long-standing tension between adapting pastoral practice and protecting core teachings.
For many lay Catholics, the immediate test will be local: do parish life, sacramental preparation and pastoral routines begin to feel more welcoming? For bishops and synod participants, the test is institutional: can pastoral flexibility be encouraged without producing administrative chaos?
The remarks, recorded by journalist Elise Ann Allen for a book first released in Spanish and shared by La Repubblica, cast the new pope as both a pastoral bridge-builder and a cautious steward of teaching. The biography, due in English later this year, has already drawn wide attention for the pope’s frank talk about inclusion, division and the work ahead.0
The remarks, recorded by journalist Elise Ann Allen for a book first released in Spanish and shared by La Repubblica, cast the new pope as both a pastoral bridge-builder and a cautious steward of teaching. The biography, due in English later this year, has already drawn wide attention for the pope’s frank talk about inclusion, division and the work ahead.1