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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.