Italian Priest Luca Lunardon Publishes Book on Pastoral Accompaniment of LGBT Catholics

Italian priest and bioethics professor Luca Lunardon has published a book titled “Encounters That Transform” (Incontri che trasformano), which explores pastoral accompaniment as a shared journey between the Church and believers. In an interview with New Ways Ministry on August 13, 2026, the theologian explained that traditional teaching often conflicts with people’s lived experiences, particularly those of LGBT Catholics, unmarried cohabiting couples, and those using assisted reproductive technologies.

Lunardon, who teaches at the Higher Institute of Religious Sciences in Vicenza, Italy, and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, emphasized that accompaniment should not be reduced to merely applying doctrine. According to him, this process requires a “shared search for truth,” a willingness to listen to one another, and an acceptance of the discomfort of not having ready answers. The priest noted that such an approach avoids creating dependency and suffocating individuals, looking to the example of Christ, who was not limited by the literalism of the law.

The book’s author urged Church ministers to listen not only to people’s experiences but also to insights from the human and natural sciences. Lunardon pointed out that a significant part of the Catholic hierarchy still considers gender studies and scientific data on LGBT people to be ideologically driven, missing out on opportunities for constructive dialogue. He recalled that in the past, theology was not afraid to engage with other fields of knowledge, a characteristic of Thomas Aquinas’s method, for instance.

Speaking about pastoral work with the LGBT community in Italy, the theologian cited examples such as reading the Bible together, building mutual support networks, and annual pilgrimages organized by the LGBT Christian Project (Progetto Cristiani LGBT+). Lunardon expressed the view that throughout the centuries, the Church has adapted its traditions when encountering new cultures and situations. He stated that a shared journey is possible even when the current norms and moral teachings of the Church are not yet fully suited to modern realities, which is necessary to remain faithful to the Gospel.