Pope Francis’ Message to LGBTQ+ in Africa: “I Am Close to You”
The sudden death of Pope Francis came as a shock to the world, just a day after he appeared publicly during Easter celebrations at St. Peter’s Square. News of his passing spread swiftly, prompting tributes from across the globe that honored his legacy of compassion, courage, and deep concern for the marginalized.
Among those grieving are LGBTQ+ Christians in Africa, who saw in Pope Francis not just a spiritual leader, but a rare and unwavering ally. His message of love and acceptance offered a lifeline in a region where LGBTQ+ individuals often endure hostility, criminalization, and silence.
In early 2023, Pope Francis made global headlines when he denounced the criminalization of LGBTQ+ people, calling such laws “unjust.” His words came at a time of rising anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment across Africa—particularly in Uganda, where harsh legislation was being introduced. Unlike many, he did not remain silent.
A year later, in April 2024, he responded personally to a letter from Gay Christian Africa, an organization representing LGBTQ+ Christians and allies on the continent. His message was short, but deeply meaningful: “Dear brothers and sisters, thank you very much for your e-mail, thank you for your work and prayers. I am close to you and pray for you. Please do the same for me. May the Lord bless you.”
Just weeks later, in May, a delegation from Gay Christian Africa met Pope Francis during a general audience. That meeting was more than symbolic—it was a powerful moment of visibility and validation for people too often pushed to the margins of Church life.
From the beginning of his papacy, Pope Francis made clear his pastoral concern for LGBTQ+ people. Just three months after being elected, he gave his now-iconic response: “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?” For many of us, that sentence was transformative. I had just come out to my choir master. I still remember her words: “You see? Even the Pope isn’t judging—because God looks at the heart that seeks Him.” As a gay Catholic, it felt like permission to embrace both my faith and my identity.
His later endorsement of Fiducia Supplicans, which allowed blessings for same-sex couples, stirred global debate. In Africa, it met significant resistance—but it was nonetheless groundbreaking. For many LGBTQ+ Africans, it was a long-awaited gesture of recognition in a Church where such affirmations are rare.
Pope Francis’ voice resonated not only because he championed LGBTQ+ dignity, but because he did so while also standing against colonial exploitation. His words just before visiting the Democratic Republic of Congo still echo: “Hands off Africa! Stop suffocating Africa: it is not a mine to be exploited or a soil to be plundered.”
Following a meeting between African LGBTQ+ activists and the Pope in the summer of 2024, Ugandan activist Claire Byarugaba shared on X: “His Holiness reiterated that discrimination is a sin, and violence against LGBTIQ people is unacceptable. Everybody belongs inside the Church, and he doesn’t discriminate—and the Church should never discriminate.”
Today, we bid farewell to His Holiness Pope Francis. We honor a life illuminated by compassion, humility, and unwavering love. He walked the path of a true shepherd, embracing everyone—especially those cast aside by society and, too often, even by the Church itself. His legacy of tenderness and courage will continue to inspire and guide us. May his spirit live on in the heart of the Church.
