Transgender Catholics Unite in Prayer for Pope Francis Amid His Recovery
Along the Italian coast, roughly an hour’s drive from the hospital where Pope Francis is being treated for pneumonia, an unexpected group of Catholics has come together to pray for his recovery. This diverse assembly of poor and transgender sex workers hails from Latin America, and they view the 88-year-old pontiff as their protector a compassionate leader who has not only invited them to the Vatican but has also provided financial support for their basic needs.
“I never imagined I would be meeting him at the Vatican, engaging in conversation. Being embraced by the Church is a significant blessing for me,” expressed Andrea Paola Torres, a 54-year-old Colombian transgender woman known as Consuelo, in an interview with AFP.
Torres is part of a collective of individuals from Peru, Argentina, Brazil, and other regions in South and Central America, residing in poverty on the outskirts of Rome and relying on clients along a coastal highway to make ends meet.
Their connection to the pope began during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, when the pandemic halted work and these women sought assistance from the local church in Torvaianica, alongside numerous others who were struggling without income.
Papal Assistance and Engagement
The first transgender woman to approach the Beata Vergine Immacolata church for help was Paola, an Argentine. According to parish priest Andrea Conocchia, many soon followed her lead. He encouraged them to write to Pope Francis, the first pontiff from the Americas, sharing their stories and requesting aid. Initially, the women were hesitant, fearing the pope would be shocked by their past. However, their outreach proved fruitful.
“Pope Francis provided us with funds to afford necessities like meat or pay our rent,” Claudia Victoria Salas, a 58-year-old Argentine, recalled. Recently transitioned out of sex work, she now works as a bar cleaner. The pontiff’s support did not stop there; he also arranged for COVID vaccinations and helped transport the body of a deceased woman back to Peru.
Perhaps the most profound of these gestures was the pope’s invitation for the women to meet him. Both Salas and Torres proudly showcase photographs of their encounter with Francis during a public audience at the Vatican. During the pandemic, the Church aided approximately 150 transgender women in various capacities, with many working illegally as prostitutes in Italy. Currently, around 60 women continue to receive financial assistance from the pope, as confirmed by the parish priest.
A Shift in Church Perspective
Pope Francis first made headlines on a flight back from Brazil early in his papacy when he famously stated, “Who am I to judge?” a statement that signaled a shift towards inclusivity within the Church for the LGBTQ community. He has also advocated for the rights of marginalized individuals, including migrants many of whom align with the sex workers in Torvaianica, many of whom are HIV-positive.
Torres shared her story of fleeing Colombia due to poverty and police mistreatment, while Salas escaped Argentina after being rejected by her family. Debora Tomaz, a 38-year-old from Rio de Janeiro, left her home fearing for her life due to an abusive ex-partner—a fear all too common among women in Brazil.
Pope Francis has consistently affirmed that the Church has “room for everyone” and, in 2023, the Vatican clarified that transgender individuals can be baptized and serve as godparents and witnesses at baptisms and weddings. However, it also articulated that sex reassignment surgeries pose a threat to one’s “unique dignity.” Notably, none of the women interviewed by AFP have undergone such procedures.
Conocchia hopes that the pope’s “pastoral revolution” in advocating for transgender acceptance can slowly transform Church doctrine over time.
Fears for the Future
While updates from the Vatican indicate that Pope Francis’s health is improving, his month-long hospitalization has raised concerns among this community. Many fear that a change in papal leadership could lead to a reversal of the progress made under his stewardship.
“I doubt that a new pope would be as accepting as he is. That’s our worry,” Tomaz stated, emphasizing the importance of Francis’s legacy. Having transitioned away from prostitution, she is now pursuing a high school diploma.
Torres, who began working the streets at age 12, continues her sex work out of necessity but maintains her hope. “Homosexuality will persist. I may pass away, and another will take my place. The pope opened the Church’s doors to affirm that we have an identity,” she remarked, adding, “We love God.”
Her modest, two-room home reflects her faith, adorned with a figure of baby Jesus that she lovingly bathes and dresses in her own handmade clothing. “In moments of solitude, I reflect on my struggles, but I hold tightly to Jesus and my faith,” she expressed. “I am Catholic, and I’ve always found solace in Him.”
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