EXCLUSIVE: Fr. James Martin says Pope Francis wanted to make LGBT people 'feel at home'

VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — Father James Martin has defended Pope Francis’ legacy on LGBT issues, saying that Francis “didn’t change” doctrine and tried to make LGBT individuals “feel at home.”

A personal appointment of Francis’ to the Vatican Dicastery for Communication, Father James Martin, SJ is more notable for his record on LGBT issues. Due to his longstanding record of promoting LGBT ideology in contrast to Catholic teaching, he has been described as “arguably the most prominent activist” in the Church for LGBT issues.

He rose to new prominence during the Francis pontificate, being welcomed numerous times to audiences and championing LGBT points to the pope and the Vatican’s Synod on Synodality.

Speaking to LifeSiteNews in Rome this week, Martin expanded on a New York Times op-ed he wrote and praised Pope Francis for his own record on LGBT issues.

“I think he really did do more than all of his predecessors on that issue,” commented the Jesuit.

Nothing against Saint John Paul or Pope Benedict, as they were different men, but I think he had a kind of desire to reach out to that community pastorally, and so he tried to do the best he could, meeting people where they were and trying to make them feel part of what is their Church as well.

Thanks in part to Martin’s own activity with his LGBT Outreach group, Francis has welcomed a number of LGBT groups at the Vatican in recent years and directly supported Martin’s Outreach.

Though decrying transgender ideology in some comments and texts, Francis nevertheless appeared to support the LGBT movement by his actions, not appearing to outline the Church’s teaching on human sexuality or call such individuals to a conversion of life.

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In December 2023, Francis famously promulgated Fiducia Supplicans which authorized blessing for same-sex "couples" and thus brought about a firestorm within the Church, as rejection of the text came from prelates in many quarters of the globe. The late pope also made numerous public statements praising and supporting advocates of LGBT ideology and same-sex civil unions.

Asked as to whether Francis caused “confusion” on the Church’s teaching, Martin downplayed the suggestion:

I think he was pretty clear that he didn’t change any of any of the doctrine, right? But I think he basically wanted to make them feel at home and welcomed, and really reach out to a group that has felt so excluded and marginalized in their own Church.

READ: US papal nuncio says ‘I don’t see any flaw in Pope Francis’

Martin praised Francis for a “pastoral approach” which he described as “very consistent and really focused on the person, not an ideology or a stereotype or a category.”

“I know that LGBTQ people welcome that, because in many places they do feel excluded,” he commented.

As cardinals gather in conclave from May 7, they will be seeking to elect a new successor of St. Peter as the 267th pope. To many, the American Jesuit’s name is intrinsically linked to the LGBT movement, but he did not highlight this as a particular aspect which he was looking for in a new pope.

Asked about his perception of the Church’s needs from the new pope, Martin echoed a theme given by many cardinals when asked in recent days:

I think there are three things. One, he needs to be a holy man, right, who is devoted to Jesus. I know all the cardinals are. He also needs to be a good evangelizer, someone who could proclaim the Gospel in season and out. And then, finally, a harder one is a good administrator.

So when you put those two or three things together, that's a hard find, but you know, all the cardinals are really qualified for that.

I would also add I think you need someone who’s charismatic, you need someone who can really attract people to the Church and attract people to Jesus Christ. So it's hard. I don't envy them, their roles as electors, but we also trust the Holy Spirit’s going to be helping them, so we can rely on that.

Martin’s own record on LGBT issues is well documented, and among other things he has questioned the authoritative nature of the Church’s teaching on homosexuality.  He has also promoted same-sex civil unions, and has described viewing God as male as “damaging.”

The Catholic Church teaches that “‘homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered’ and “are contrary to the natural law,” adding explicitly that “under no circumstances can they be approved.”

Martin has previously denied that he rejects Church teaching on homosexuality and LGBT issues, although he has become the public champion of such questions in the Church. But others disagree. Raymond Cardinal Burke deemed the priest’s teaching as “not coherent with the Church’s teaching on homosexuality.” Archbishop Charles Chaput joined the ranks of prelates opposing Martin, saying that on LGBT issues, he “does not speak with authority on behalf of the Church.”

LifeSite readers are invited to continue praying for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis, and for the cardinals gathering in Rome to discern on who to chose as pope.