Pope Leo Digs In on Gay Marriage

The freshly minted Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff in history, isn’t wasting time showing the LGBTQ+ community where the Catholic Church still stands. According to senior Vatican officials, there will be no change to the Church’s long-standing opposition to gay marriage. Yes, blessings are still on the table—but don’t mistake that for recognition of actual unions.

Victor Manuel Fernández, head of the Vatican’s doctrine office, confirmed last week that same-sex blessings will continue but made it painfully clear that they’re not to be seen as equal to marriage. “The declaration will remain,” he stated bluntly, signaling zero intention of Pope Leo pulling a progressive twist.

Leo, who has a record of conservative views wrapped in soft diplomatic rhetoric, previously said that family is “founded upon the stable union between a man and a woman.” While he added some vague fluff about respecting human dignity and protecting the vulnerable, the subtext was loud: queer couples still aren’t making the holy cut.

This shouldn’t come as a shock. Leo, formerly Robert Francis Prevost and head of the Augustinian order, has a paper trail. Back in 2012, he took shots at what he called the “homosexual lifestyle” and criticized media for “sympathy” toward alternative families. It’s giving very much ‘old-school Vatican with a diplomatic filter.’

Same Old Church, Different Pope?

Leo ascended to the papacy in May following a two-day conclave triggered by Pope Francis’s passing. His predecessor had taken baby steps toward inclusion—allowing blessings for LGBTQ+ individuals, while stopping short of blessing their relationships. Francis said, “I bless two people who care for each other,” but refused to call it marriage. Leo seems set to follow that narrow path, and perhaps shrink it further.

For LGBTQ+ Catholics, it’s a frustrating déjà vu. There was cautious hope that a new pope might mean a new era. Instead, they’re being offered crumbs of tolerance disguised as spiritual generosity. The Church may say “everyone deserves blessings,” but it still draws the line hard when queer love enters the chapel.

The Catholic Church continues to play a dangerous game—trying to appease conservative factions while avoiding outright alienation of younger and more progressive followers. But make no mistake: denying same-sex couples the dignity of equal union sends a loud message. In 2025, with Pride flags waving across parishes and queer faithful filling pews, that message is getting harder to tolerate.

Pope Leo XIV may want to present himself as a bridge-builder, but for the LGBTQ+ faithful, that bridge is still closed—blessed, maybe, but definitely not walked down in a white wedding.