VATICAN (SE): Pope Leo XIV received Father James Martin, SJ, editor-at-large at America Magazine, in private audience on September 1 in the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican. The meeting, which lasted more than half an hour, is widely viewed in Rome as a public sign of the pope’s support for Father Martin’s pastoral ministry with LGBTQ Catholics, according to veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O’Connell, writing for America.
Father Martin said afterward, “I am extremely grateful and deeply consoled by my meeting with the Holy Father. He encouraged me to continue my ministry.” He noted that Pope Leo “has the same openness to LGBTQ issues as Pope Francis had. He made clear that he wants everyone to feel welcome.”
Their discussion touched on multiple themes. “It is clear that Pope Leo has many priorities, and in particular is deeply concerned for peace in the world, including peace in Ukraine, Gaza and Myanmar,” Father Martin shared. “His aim is peace and unity in the Church and the world.”
He described the pope as “serene, relaxed and joyful. It was as if we were back at the synodal table,” he added, referring to the fact he had sat at the same table with Pope Leo, then Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost, for part of the second session of the Synod on Synodality in October 2024. Moreover, he said, “it is clear that Pope Leo intends to continue with the synodal process.”
The symbolic weight of the encounter was underlined by the location: the pope’s private library, where he normally welcomes heads of state and religious leaders. O’Connell noted that the Vatican press office, in its official news bulletin, announced the meeting with Father Martin, and this could be seen as the Pope making a public statement of support for his ministry with LGBTQ people.
It was the first private meeting between the Jesuit priest and Pope Leo since his election in May, though the two had previously worked together during the synodal sessions. Father Martin presented the pope with two icons from his Jesuit novitiate chapel in Boston: Christ the Life Giver and Our Lady Quick to Hear. Pope Leo gave him some rosaries, prayer cards and his blessing., while the pope offered rosaries, prayer cards, and his blessing.
Father Martin met Pope Francis on several occasions since 2019 and was appointed by him to serve on the Dicastery for Communications and as a voting member of the synod. In 2021, he launched Outreach, a ministry for LGBTQ Catholics, in partnership with America Media.
As O’Connell observed, much like in Pope Francis’ time, “the meeting itself was the message.”
