Pope Francis has made an unannounced visit to a French Catholic nun who often brings transgender individuals to the Vatican for papal audiences.
The Holy See Press Office confirmed the July 31 visit in a statement issued on the same day. According to the statement, the pontiff met with Sister Genevieve Jeanningros, a member of the Little Sisters of Jesus. Jeanningros has lived among the circus performers in a trailer park in Rome's coastal Ostia town for more than 50 years, and her ministry involves work with circus groups, homeless people and transgender individuals.
The pope reportedly arrived in Ostia in the afternoon of July 31, meeting with the nun and blessing and greeting families and children. Footage of the visit shared by Vatican News on social media showed the pontiff alongside Jeanningros, warmly interacting with the community. The circus performers Jeanningros ministers to also put on a show during the event, which the pope enjoyed.
Jeanningros, who has maintained a long-standing friendship with the pope, frequently brings groups of transgender individuals to the Vatican for weekly papal audiences. One such group hails from the coastal town of Torvaianica, located near Ostia. The Torvaianica group, which is composed mostly of sex workers, was formed during the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic when restrictions left them without income.
The group gained the pope's attention after writing to him about their financial struggles. The pontiff responded by directing Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, his almoner (a priest or church officer in charge of distributing tithes to those who need them the most), to provide the group with financial assistance.
In 2022, Jeanningros brought a group of transgender women to thank the pope for his support during the pandemic. Recently, she brought groups of homosexuals and transgender individuals from Torvaiacina to meet the pope twice in June.
Pope Francis used homophobic slur in closed-door meeting
According to LifeSiteNews, Pope Francis had told Sister Jeannine Gramick last fall that "transgender people must be accepted and integrated into society." The pontiff's comments to Gramick, a pro-LGBT nun and a member of the Sisters of Loreto, followed a luncheon last November held to commemorate the World Day of the Poor that featured transgender sex workers. (Related: Pope Francis parties with transgender prostitutes in the Vatican to commemorate 'World Day of the Poor.')
"I think in the long run, Pope Francis is laying the groundwork for change in sexuality," Gramick later remarked.
The July 31 visit came months after the pontiff apologized for using a homophobic slur. In May, Italian media reported that Pope Francis used the Italian term "frociaggine," roughly translating to "faggotness" or "faggotry," while speaking to Italian bishops in a closed-door meeting. The head of the Catholic Church reportedly uttered the term during the May 20 meeting to reiterate his opposition to accepting gays into priesthood.
On May 28, the Vatican clarified that Pope Francis did not intend to use homophobic language. "The pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he apologized to those who felt offended by the use of a term reported by others," Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in an emailed statement.
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