Last Sunday, November 16, coinciding with the celebration of the Jubilee of the Poor and the IX World Day of the Poor, around 50 people identified as “transgender”, including several activists, attended the lunch in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican along with other homeless people, migrants, elderly individuals, and groups considered vulnerable.
According to information gathered by LifeSiteNews, Pope Leo XIV did not specifically invite these groups, as the more than 1,300 tickets were distributed by various parishes and organizations linked to social assistance.
Gratitude from activists and Father Andrea Conocchia
Among the attendees was the Italian priest Andrea Conocchia, known for his accompaniment of LGBT groups and for previous meetings with Pope Francis during his pontificate. Conocchia expressed his gratitude for the lunch and described it as “a sign of openness, attention, and closeness” toward those who identify as part of the LGBT collective. He stated that this type of initiative can foster “walking together” within the ecclesial community.
Some of the activists present—including “Alessia Nobile,” a media figure within the Italian trans movement—thanked for being able to participate in the lunch, noting that for them it was a gesture of welcome. Nobile handed a letter to Pope Leo XIV, who—according to the testimony gathered by LifeSiteNews—would have responded with a smile.
Previous controversies surrounding similar encounters
During Francis’s pontificate, Conocchia repeatedly led people identified as “transgender” to private meetings or meals at the Vatican. In a 2023 lunch, a man who had “transitioned” to appear as a preadolescent girl was even placed in front of Pope Francis.
Leo XIV, for the moment, has not publicly commented on these episodes, although some progressive media noted that the Pontiff “snubbed” the activists by not placing them at the main table, as had happened in previous encounters with Francis. However, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, papal almoner and organizer of the event, denied any snub and explained that the seats next to the pope were assigned randomly to poor faithful who had previously attended the Mass. He added that some of the activists had arrived late and therefore did not receive specific tickets.
Continuity with Francis’s approach according to Conocchia
Conocchia recently declared to National Catholic Reporter that he hopes Leo XIV will continue the line of “pastoral openness” toward people identified as trans that, according to him, characterized Francis’s pontificate. His attendance at the Jubilee lunch and his participation in the controversial “LGBT pilgrimage” of September—promoted by the Italian group La Tenda di Gionata and the Outreach network of Father James Martin—fuel this perception among progressive sectors.
While some activists expressed some disappointment at not being placed next to the Pontiff, others insisted that the Vatican’s gesture demonstrates that the Church “will not close the door” that was opened during the previous pontificate. “Leo XIV is different from Francis, but his heart is open to us,” stated one of the attendees interviewed.
The Catholic Church has reiterated on numerous occasions its rejection of gender ideology and transgenderism, stating that it is a conception contrary to human nature.
From the Vatican, the Apostolic Almonery limited itself to emphasizing that the lunch for the Jubilee of the Poor is intended for people in situations of vulnerability, without ideological or identity distinctions, and that invitations are distributed through charitable entities without thematic selection.