During this holy season of Easter, and as the Church marks the first anniversary of the election of Pope Leo XIV, many individuals around the world felt the need to offer him a shared word of closeness, affection, prayer, and support.
Many people recognise in Pope Leo’s ministry a voice of peace, encounter, and care for human dignity.
In a time when faith can be politicised and weaponised, and when voices of peace can be struck or silenced, we wanted to answer with a gesture of closeness, to show we stand beside our Holy Father with respect and faith. We wanted to offer him a message of support and a prayer for his ministry and for the Church.
This is why a letter was sent, fruit of a collaboration of love and support for Pope Leo from many groups and individuals all around the world. The word “collaboration” matters here because the letter did not come from one place or one experience. It came from relationships, conversations, trust, and shared faith. Through the relationships built in GNRC, allies, friends, and member groups were able to gather this desire and coordinate an initiative to greet Pope Leo on the first anniversary of his election as our Pope.
We are honoured and blessed to have the good will and trust of our allies and friends, who joined GNRC member groups in this gesture. The signatories came from Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America. They included Catholic LGBT+ groups, parents’ groups, pastoral ministries, organisations, allies, and individual supporters. In some contexts, these communities work in public. In others, even being visible can carry risk. Across different countries and situations, they chose to offer one shared word of prayer and support.
The letter was accompanied by a work of art by Sawa, an artist who has previously created work for GNRC. Her image gave colour and form to the same gesture carried by the words: a dove, branches, a cross, and a circle of light, offered as signs of peace, affection, prayer, and hope.
Speaking as LGBT+ believers, families, and allies, the signatories assure the Holy Father of their closeness, affection, and prayers. They give thanks for his courage and say, with simplicity, that they are with him. They also recognise in his way of speaking to the world a Gospel call of encounter, and give thanks for his attention to human dignity, the common good, and care for the earth.
For many who took part, this letter says something about the life of the Church today. LGBT+ Catholics, their families, and their allies are part of its praying life. They do not stand outside the Church looking in. They continue to walk within it, to serve, to listen, and to seek paths of dignity, dialogue, and shared faith.
The full text of the letter and the list of signatories follow below.
Holy Father,
During this holy season of Easter, and as we mark the anniversary of your election to lead our Church, we write to assure you of our closeness, our affection, and our prayers.
We write to you as LGBT+ believers, families and allies. We wish to convey our gratitude for your courage and to say thank you, and to let you know that we are with you.
In the face of attacks that politicise and weaponise our faith and that seek to strike or silence your voice of peace, we recognise the Gospel call of encounter in your way of speaking to the world. We appreciate and strive to echo your prioritisation of human dignity, the common good, and care for the earth. For this reason we stand beside you with respect and faith, and we pray for you, for your ministry, and for the Church.
Holy Father, please be assured of our solidarity, our support, and that we pray for your continued ministry and leadership.
Yours in Christ
The Board of the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics.
Signatories by region
Africa: Holy Trinity Catholic Church LGBTI Ministry, South Africa; Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa, West Africa; Key Watch / Intersex Movement Ghana, Ghana; Life Meaning Initiative, Kenya.
Asia Pacific: Acceptance Melbourne, Australia; Acceptance Sydney, Australia; Alpha Omega, South Korea; Australian Catholics for Equality, Australia; Bridge and Embrace, India; China Catholic Rainbow Community, China; Rainbow Catholics Interagency Australia, Australia; Rainbow House of Seven Sisters, India.
Europe: Association David & Jonathan Arc-en-Ciel, France; Cammini di Speranza, Italy; Cascina San Boezio, Italy; Crismhom, Spain; Drachma LGBT, Malta; Drachma Parents, Malta; Gruppo Effatà, genitori di figli LGBTQIA+, Italy; I giovani del Guado, Italy; Ichthys, Spain; Il Guado, Italy; Il Pozzo di Sicar, Italy; LGBT+ Catholics Westminster Pastoral Council, England; Polifamiglie, Italy; Quest, England; Werkverband van Katholieke Homo-Pastores, Netherlands.
Latin America: Artemis, Nicaragua; Comocad, Peru; Diversidad Vocal, Chile; Diversidade Católica, Brazil; Espacio Seguro, Costa Rica; Pastoral de la Diversidad Sexual (PADIS), Chile.
North America: Dignité Canada, Canada; Dignity USA, USA; Fortunate Families, USA; New Ways Ministry, USA; You Are Safe Here, USA.
Allies and individual signatories: Alessandro Ludovico Previti, Italy; Argel Tuason, Philippines; Conor Reidy, USA; Dan Cardinali, USA; Laura Lasworth, USA; Manfred Hassemer-Tiedeken, Germany; Ryan Mwamadi, Malawi.
