VATICAN CITY, Holy See (AFP) — Pope Leo XIV intends to continue his predecessor’s openness towards the LGBTQ community, a leading Catholic exponent of reaching out to sexual minorities said Monday after meeting the United States (US) born pontiff in the Vatican.

The 30-minute private audience “was very warm and welcoming and friendly and relaxed,” American priest James Martin told AFP ahead of a pilgrimage of LGBTQ Catholics that he plans to attend later this week as part of Jubilee celebrations.

“The message I got from Pope Leo was that he intends to continue Pope Francis’s approach of openness to LGBTQ people,” said the Jesuit priest, who has often been criticised by more conservative members of the church.

During his 12-year pontificate, Francis called for a Church “open to all,” making numerous gestures towards LGBTQ Catholics, without, however, changing the church’s doctrine.

His decision at the end of 2023 to authorise blessings for same-sex couples sparked a backlash from conservatives, particularly in Africa and the United States.

Martin said he had not brought up that subject with the current pope, who has not publicly expressed his views on the matter since taking up the papacy on May 8.

“But he spoke about his desire to continue Francis’s legacy, which also includes synodality”, or fraternal collaboration among Catholic faithful, said Martin.

“And synodality means listening to people, listening to everybody, including LGBTQ people,” he said.

The meeting was officially announced by the Vatican, without providing details.

Next Friday and Saturday’s pilgrimage of LGBTQ Catholics in Rome is part of the official Jubilee calendar.