Denver, Colo., Feb 24, 2020 / 00:06 am
The Archbishop of Denver offered his impressions of a Feb. 10 meeting between some U.S. bishops and Pope Francis, at which the bishops' discussion with the pope included some questions about the ministry of Fr. James Martin, and about a 2019 meeting between the pontiff and the priest.
Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver told CNA it was a "privilege" to meet with the pope and his fellow bishops of the U.S. bishops' conference Region XIII, adding that "the meeting was a grace."
"The Holy Father spoke very openly and freely with us regarding many topics," Aquila said, acknowledging that the meeting "has now become a source of some controversy."
Last week CNA reported that during the Feb. 10 meeting, Pope Francis discussed his Sept. 30 Vatican visit with Fr. James Martin, an American Jesuit who is well-known for speaking and writing about the Church's ministry to people who identify themselves as LGBT.