Spanish LGBTQ+ Catholic Organization Participates in a Meeting with Pope Leo XIV

In June 2026, during Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Spain, the Archdiocese of Madrid invited representatives of the local LGBTQ+ Catholic organization CRISMHOM (“Christians of Madrid, Homosexuals”) to a meeting with the pontiff. According to New Ways Ministry , this marks the first time such a group has received a direct invitation to an official papal event in the country.

The meeting, titled “Weaving Networks with the Worlds of Culture, Art, the Economy and Sport,” took place on June 7. It gathered artists, athletes, business leaders, and academics to discuss the dialogue between the Church and contemporary society. Ramón Legaspi Yrimia, president of CRISMHOM, told the news outlet Articulo 14 that the invitation itself is an important signal. According to him, it signifies that LGBTQ+ people are part of the Church, and their presence testifies to the existence of a diverse Church.

Yrimia also noted that the goal of CRISMHOM is to build bridges and heal pain. Addressing the dialogue with the pontiff, he recalled Pope Francis’s words that there is a place in the Church for “everyone, everyone, everyone,” and emphasized the readiness of the LGBTQ+ community (lesbians, gays, bisexuals, trans, and intersex people) to serve and help build the Church.

The Global Network of Rainbow Catholics assessed the event as a sign of progress, although LGBTQ+ Catholics continue to face difficulties, isolation, and discrimination in some dioceses and communities.