Pope Leo has indicated that the Catholic Church should prioritise issues of inequality and justice over sexual ethics, in comments that experts say mark a significant reorientation for the global institution. Speaking during his four-nation Africa tour, the pontiff said the Church's unity should not revolve around sexual matters, and that questions of justice and equality are more important.
When asked about same-sex marriage on Thursday, Pope Leo said: 'The unity or division of the Church should not revolve around sexual matters.' He added: 'I believe there are much greater and more important issues, such as justice, equality... that would all take priority before that particular issue.'
Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive director of Dignity USA, which supports LGBTQ Catholics, called the remarks 'a very significant and overdue reorientation of priorities'. The pope also supported a 2023 decision by his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, allowing informal blessings for same-sex couples, but said he did not want to formalise them further, warning that doing so could cause disunity.
Rev. James Keenan of Boston College described Leo's approach as new for the Church, noting that the pope is 'stating that the Vatican has a hierarchy of concerns and the perception that matters of sexuality have singular priority of place is not the case'. Vatican expert David Gibson compared the remarks to Pope Francis's famous 2013 'Who am I to judge?' comment, calling it 'Leo's moment'.
The Catholic Church teaches that sexual relationships outside heterosexual marriage are sinful, and that people with same-sex attractions should be chaste. However, Pope Leo's comments signal a shift in emphasis, prioritising social justice over sexual ethics.
