The Pope’s decision to leave office at the end of the month has sparked much speculation as to why. His decision to ‘abdicate’ after only seven years in office is unusual in this day and age as the last pope to stand down did so in 1415. His reasoning is that at 85 he no longer has the capacity to fulfill his role.
The former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was no friend to the LGBT community. There was controversy from the outset over his brief membership of the Hitler Youth as a child. He wrote his predecessor’s Encyclical which described homosexuality as a disorder. In office, his perceived failure to deal adequately with the priests who had sexually abused children in their trust blighted his years in office and his continued opposition to the use of condoms has been regarded by many to have contributed to the rise of AIDS deaths in Africa and beyond. Two years ago he caused further controversy by advocating the use of condoms by male prostitutes to protect the victims of their customers.
The Pope was outspoken in his condemnation of homosexual practices but he was no less scathing of the trans movement. In his new year speech in 2011 Ratzinger condemned those who sought gender reassignment for their interference with the gift God had given them.
To date he has not said anything affirming or inclusive about the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people who are part of the Roman Catholic whatsoever. Many believe he has held back equal opportunities in Italy and Poland, among other nations.
Many hope that his successor will have more to offer to the diverse congregation under his wing.