SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Aaron Bianco, a gay Catholic man who was once ousted from his LGBTQ ministry in San Diego, is reflecting on his profound meeting with the late Pope Francis several years ago.
In 2018, Bianco, a USD theology professor, resigned from his position as a pastoral associate at St. John The Evangelist Catholic Church in University Heights, after facing harassment, death threats and vandalism for starting an LGBTQ ministry at the church.
"There was a sadness, a shock,” when Bianco learned of Pope Francis' passing, he said.
But it was a different kind of shock that eventually led to a meeting at the Vatican in May 2022.
He had submitted a paper for a conference in Rome on love. After presenting his paper, he was invited to visit with Pope Francis at the Vatican the next day.
"I was nervous to meet the Pope, but immediately he grabbed my hand. It was like you were with your grandfather," Bianco recalled. “He said he knew of my story... Well, I asked, you know, ‘Would you please pray for me because the work is needed?’ And he said, ‘I will pray for you and the work is needed, so you cannot stop doing the work.’"
Bianco said there were times he wanted to give up ministering to the LGBTQ community, but the meeting with Pope Francis removed his doubts.
"I started to cry, I remember thinking to myself, I can’t stop doing the work," he said.
Pope Francis, known for his inclusive approach to the LGBTQ community, granted priests the ability to bless same-sex couples under certain circumstances in 2023.
Tim Foley, who now leads the LGBTQ ministry at St. John The Evangelist, said, “We’ve had several couples receive the blessing. It’s been meaningful not just to them but the whole community… He’s made us feel loved, seen, welcomed.”
Bianco, who has since moved to the New York area, where he continues to teach and advocate, is planning to write a book that will include stories of the LGBTQ Catholic community.
Bianco says he’s hoping Pope Francis’ work will be continued by his successor.
”And so now we're at a place where, you know, do we allow his legacy to continue?" Bianco said.
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