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Pope Francis says he will not judge priests for being gay

Why this source is used

Contemporary report on Pope Francis's July 2013 remarks about gay priests and pastoral welcome.

Start with the answer

Start with the answer How did LGBTQ+ faith inclusion develop? It developed through LGBTQ+-affirming religious organisations, openly LGBTQ+ clergy, denominational policy changes and contested pastoral shifts. Read the topic guide LGBTQ+ Faith and Religious Inclusion LGBTQ+ faith inclusion developed through affirming churches, queer religious organisations, openly LGBTQ+ clergy and contested shifts in denominational teaching.

Source Status

Publisher
The Guardian
Type
news
Reliability
medium
Cited by
3 pages

Source Links

Open original source https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/29/pope-francis-gay-priests Accessed 4 June 2026 Open archived copy https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/29/pope-francis-gay-priests

Used by Topics

LGBTQ+ Faith and Religious Inclusion

Used by Questions

How did LGBTQ+ faith inclusion develop?

Used by Timeline Events

29 July 2013 CulturalInternational

Pope Francis: 'Who Am I to Judge?'

During a press conference aboard the papal plane returning from World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, Pope Francis stated: 'If a person is gay and seeks out the Lord and is willing, who am I to judge?' The use of the word 'gay' by a pope was itself considered radical. The statement was widely seen as a significant shift in tone from predecessor Benedict XVI, though Church doctrine on homosexuality remained unchanged.