A working group of the Synod of Bishops (Study Group 9), established at the initiative of Pope Francis, has published a final report that includes detailed testimonies from two gay Catholic men (отмечается, что они состоят в официальном браке). This is the first time in history that an official Vatican document has included such detailed personal accounts from members of the LGBTQ community.
Table of Contents
What happened?
On May 5, 2026, “Group 9,” which had been tasked with examining “controversial theological issues,” presented its report. The document emphasizes that, in order to determine the church’s position on “emerging issues,” it is methodologically necessary to listen to people with firsthand life experience.
As examples, the report included two case studies titled “cases for listening”:
The story of a man from Portugal. He spoke about the “scars” left by his attempts at “conversion therapy” and about how he found love and faith in his marriage to a man, considering it a gift from God.
The story of a man from the United States. He also underwent “conversion therapy,” but later was able to reconcile his identity and faith by studying theology. He expressed hope for building an inclusive church that follows Jesus’ example.
Why is this important?
As experts note, the publication of such testimonies marks a shift from discussing LGBTQ people as a “problem” to recognizing their dignity and personal experiences.
Change in Terminology: The Vatican has begun to shift away from the term “controversial issues” toward “emerging or current issues.”
Hearing Methodology: The group stated that the experience of the synodal Church requires Catholics to listen to one another, including those whose voices were previously ignored.
Context
The process that led to this event began in 2021, when Pope Francis convened a Synod of Bishops to discuss how to make the Catholic Church more open and inclusive. This process is being called the largest consultation in history: millions of Catholics around the world took part in it.
Earlier, in 2023, the Vatican had already taken a significant step toward the community by issuing a document Fiducia Supplicans, which allowed priests to bless same-sex couples under certain circumstances.
Although some believers may consider the current report “insufficient” because it does not alter the official Catechism, the very fact that the Church has begun listen The inclusion of LGBTQ Catholics as part of its official methodology is recognized as a historic step forward.
You can view the final report at here.
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