Pope Francis Meets with Spanish Transsexual in Vatican

(Photo: REUTERS / Alessandro Bianchi)

Diego Neria Lejarraga, a 48 year old transsexual man, was reportedly being treated as an outcast in his local parish in Spain and one priest even dubbed him as the "the devil's daughter". Last December, he decided to write a letter to Pope Francis to explain his current situation. In an interview with the Spanish newspaper Hoy, as told in an article by TheDailyMail, he believed that the Pope would be able to offer him the right kind of counsel. "After hearing him speak on many occasions, I felt that he would listen to me," he said.

Last Saturday, Pope Francis affirmed Lejarraga's conviction in him as he invited him for a face-to-face meeting in the Vatican at a private residence. Lejarraga was joined at the meeting by his fiancé. The Pope, known for contacting people personally, had previously surprised him by calling him on the telephone last Christmas Eve.

The Vatican had no official comment on the meeting. Reports indicate that the meeting was not included in the official calendar of the Vatican. Although the Church's current stance on sex changes ambiguous, Pope Francis has been eager to spread a message of tolerance and acceptance particularly among the marginalized. The Pope appeared on the cover of The Advocate's December 2013 issue with a message stating, "If someone is gay and seeks the Lord with good will, who am I to judge?". Pope Francis was recognized in the LGBT magazine as the most influential person of 2013.

In an interview with American magazine, when asked about his stance on homosexuality, the Pope responded, "When God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love, or reject and condemn this person?' We must always consider the person." Thus far, Pope Francis has conveyed a vastly different view on the subject compared to his predecessors.

 

 

Copyright © 2015 Ecumenical News