Vatican Releases Gay Married Catholics' Testimony in Synod Synthesis Annexes

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican has published a working group report containing testimony from two gay married Catholics as annexes on the synod website. The material forms part of a synthesis of deliberations tied to reform efforts initiated under former Pope Francis. The report itself carries no binding value.

One testimony came from a man in Portugal who described coming to terms with his homosexuality and marrying his husband. The second testimony is also included in the annexes. Catholic LGBTQ+ advocates welcomed the inclusion of the accounts.

The working group report summarizes expert discussions and does not set policy. It is not clear what action, if any, Pope Leo XIV will take on its contents. During a recent news conference aboard a plane, Pope Leo XIV stated that the church’s teachings on social justice, equality and freedom were far more important than its teaching on sexual morality.

He indicated at the same event that he will not go further than Francis on the question of blessings for same-sex couples.

The Vatican has also renewed its opposition to local efforts that deviate from the Holy See’s stance on same-sex blessings. The Rev. James Martin, an American Jesuit, said the developments show strong continuity with the approach taken by Francis. “If the Catholic Church has begun to listen to LGBTQ Catholics as part of its methodology, the church has already moved forward in a significant way.”

LGBTQ+ Catholics and their families participated in a Holy Year pilgrimage to Rome in September 2025, walking through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. Advocates have described the inclusion of personal testimony as a form of listening that did not exist in prior decades. The report does not alter church teaching on homosexuality.