LGBTQ+ advocates have expressed disappointment, following the new Pope, Leo XIV’s take on marriage and family virtues.
Pope Leo XIV who reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s traditional stance on family and marriage declared that, the family is founded on the “stable union between a man and a woman.”
In his first official address as pope on May 16, 2025, he emphasized that while the Church must welcome all individuals, this inclusivity does not imply a change in doctrine.
He reiterated that homosexual acts remain “intrinsically disordered” and called on governments to support the traditional family structure.
Charming notes that, the pope’s remarks align with longstanding Catholic teachings, including those outlined by Pope Leo XIII in the 1880 encyclical Arcanum Divinae, which defined marriage strictly as a union between one man and one woman.
Reactions to Pope Leo XIV’s statements have been mixed. While some Catholics applauded his commitment to traditional values, LGBTQ+ advocates expressed disappointment, hoping for a more progressive tone from the newly elected pontiff.