Pope Francis recently met with Sister Jeannine Gramick, co-founder of the New Ways Ministry, a group that has historically catered to the pastoral needs of LGBT Catholics.
This 50-minute interaction took place at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta, marking a significant departure from past stances the Vatican took towards the ministry and its founders.
Back in the 1980s and 1990s, Sr. Gramick faced orders from the Vatican to cease her work with the LGBT community, citing “failure to convey the clear teaching of the Catholic Church.” Yet under Pope Francis, there appears to be a change in dialogue. The Pope has previously written to Sr. Gramick, expressing gratitude for her pastoral efforts.
New Ways Ministry had faced official disapproval in the past, with the Vatican and the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Conference raising concerns about the organization’s messaging on sexual morality. In fact, Sr. Gramick and Father Robert Nugent, another co-founder, were once prohibited from working with the LGBT community after an official Vatican inquiry.
During their meeting, Sister Jeannine conveyed messages from U.S. LGBTQ+ Catholics and expressed her appreciation to Pope Francis for his perspectives on same-sex unions and the rights of the LGBTQ+ community in civil society. She stated, “The meeting was very emotional for me… He [Pope Francis] looks into your heart and his eyes say that God loves you.”
Francis DeBernardo, Executive Director of New Ways Ministry, summed up the significance of this recent meeting, saying, “Meeting with Pope Francis is a great encouragement for Sister Jeannine and New Ways Ministry to continue our work in the Catholic Church.”
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