Pope Leo XIV meets Father James Martin at the Vatican

Vatican City, Sep 1, 2025 / 06:00 am

Pope Leo XIV met in a private audience with Jesuit Father James Martin at the Vatican on Monday.

Martin, who is in Rome to lead a jubilee pilgrimage for his LGBTQ ministry, Outreach, also had one-on-one audiences with Pope Francis on at least two occasions.

The Vatican does not customarily comment on papal audiences with individuals, and the Holy See Press Office did not immediately respond to a request for information about the meeting.

Responding to a request for comment from CNA, Martin wrote: “I was honored and grateful to meet with the Holy Father this morning in an audience in the Apostolic Palace and heard the same message I heard from Pope Francis on LGBTQ people, which is one of openness and welcome: ‘Todos, todos, todos.’ I found the pope serene, joyful, and encouraging.”

The Jesuit priest, an author and editor at large at America Media, is the founder of Outreach, which describes itself as an “LGBTQ Catholic resource” operating under the auspices of America Media.

Writing on X on Aug. 29, Martin said he is in Rome until Sept. 8 to lead an Outreach pilgrimage with 40 people for the 2025 Jubilee of Hope.

Martin’s ministry to people with same-sex attraction and gender dysphoria has been criticized by some Catholics, who say his approach minimizes or even conflicts with the Church’s teaching on sexual morality. He has also been criticized for promoting initiatives that some say affirm same-sex orientation as an identity.

The priest was also supportive of Pope Francis’ 2023 declaration Fiducia Supplicans, which allows priests to offer private, nonliturgical blessings to same-sex couples.

Despite the controversy over Martin’s ministry, Pope Francis encouraged it both in private meetings with Martin and in letters.

In 2021, Martin published a handwritten note he had received from Francis in which the pope thanked him for his “ability to be close to people” and also told him “to continue this way.”

Francis in 2022 also sent a written response to a letter from Martin with three questions about the Catholic Church and the LGBT community. 

After his first meeting with Francis, in 2019, Martin wrote on Twitter (now X), that he “felt encouraged, consoled, and inspired by the Holy Father today.” The Jesuit priest also met one-on-one with Pope Francis in 2022.

Pope Francis also personally nominated Martin to participate in the Synod on Synodality assemblies held at the Vatican in 2023 and 2024.

Martin is the author of “Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity” and frequently speaks on issues pertaining to homosexuality and Catholicism.

Martin is one of 21 consultors for the Dicastery for Communication. He was nominated in 2017.