San Diego Gay and Lesbian News

Heeding the conciliatory tone of Pope Francis, Roman Catholic bishops today opened their arms to the gays in a stunning thawing of the Church's attitude toward the LGBT community.

A San Diego nurse on the ground volunteering in Uganda and an HIV-prevention advocate witness a historical moment involving the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Uganda.

The Rev. Canon Albert Ogle and St. Paul's Foundation is in Rome pushing for the end the global persecution of LGBT people.

St. Paul’s Foundation has four delegates in Rome this week to petition the Roman Catholic Church’s support on LGBT issues, particularly around access to HIV health services in the 76 countries where it remains illegal to be LGBT.

Pope Francis continues to send seismic shock waves across the globe with his liberal-leaning pronouncements. And they are the most affirmative remarks the world has ever heard on the dicey subjects of abortion, contraception and same-gender marriage.

The leaders of two major global institutions, Pope Francis and Jim Kim, president of the World Bank, are both pressing a deeper dialogue for LGBT inclusion and support on an unimaginable scale. Can management and grass roots engagement and programs turn these symbolic gestures into reality?

Human Rights Campaign (HRC) president Chad Griffin has written to the head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the CEO of Knights of Columbus – an affiliate of the Roman Catholic Church – calling on them to follow Pope Francis’ message of welcome and mercy for gays and lesbians.

“For the sake of LGBT Catholics, it’s essential that Pope Francis’ inspiring words lead to transformative change throughout the Church hierarchy.”

The new pope’s words are likely to have repercussions in a church whose bishops and priests in many countries, including the United States, often appeared to make combating abortion, gay marriage and contraception their top public policy priorities.

Slain AIDS activist Eric Lembembe was a faithful Catholic, so it is time Pope Francis speaks out to condemn violence and sectarianism against LGBT people by his Cardinals, Bishops and millions of followers.