TL;DR
- Italian bishop Francesco Savino says it’s “wrong” to deny LGBTQ+ people love and intimacy.
- His remarks directly challenge long-held Catholic doctrine.
- Savino, known for LGBTQ+ advocacy, celebrated Mass for queer pilgrims in Rome.
- Pope Leo XIV maintains opposition to same-sex marriage despite Francis-era reforms.
- The statement reignites debate within the Church over love, sin, and inclusion.
A Bishop’s Bold Gospel of Love
An Italian bishop just threw a holy grenade into the Vatican’s centuries-old stance on sexuality. Francesco Savino, the bishop of Cassano all’Jonio and a longtime advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion, told DirittoDiCronaca.it that denying queer people “the opportunity to be loved and to love, even on an intimate, sexual level” is “simply wrong.”
Those five words—“denying them this is wrong”—carry the force of divine defiance. The 70-year-old cleric, affectionately called “Don Ciccio,” made clear that the Church has no right to rob anyone of dignity. “We must restore dignity to everyone,” he said, “especially to those who have been denied it.”
For a Church that still calls homosexual acts “intrinsically disordered,” Savino’s words sound less like a whisper of dissent and more like the first chorus of a new hymn.
The Vatican’s Love Dilemma
Savino’s comments come as the Church braces for new turbulence under Pope Leo XIV. While hailed as a moderate reformer close to Pope Francis, Leo hasn’t exactly waved the rainbow flag. In fact, his earlier remarks criticized the “homosexual lifestyle” and “alternative families” as incompatible with the gospel.
A Vatican official recently confirmed that Leo won’t reverse Francis’s policy on same-sex blessings, but also won’t elevate them to the level of marriage. In Church-speak, that’s called treading water.
Still, for many LGBTQ+ Catholics, Savino’s message feels like a prayer answered. During a recent Mass in Rome for queer pilgrims attending the 2025 Jubilee of Hope, the bishop spoke of “a unique and unrepeatable love—unconditional love.” It was a quiet moment of rebellion cloaked in scripture.
A Ripple in the Holy Waters
For decades, queer Catholics have been told to seek holiness through chastity—celibacy as a condition for salvation. But Savino’s bold stance offers a counter-sermon: that love, even queer love, is sacred.
This is not just a story of one maverick bishop. It’s a reflection of a Church divided between its ancient doctrines and a modern world unwilling to equate love with sin. In a Vatican that often preaches compassion but practices exclusion, Savino’s declaration is a rare flash of courage.
And for the global LGBTQ+ community—especially believers who’ve long felt unwelcome—it’s a whisper of hope that one day, the altar might truly be open to all.