Claudia Victoria Salas, 55, and Carla Segovia, 46, both Argentine, were among a group of transgender people among around 1,200 disadvantaged and homeless people who attended the World Day of the Poor lunch in the Italian city of Torvaianica, this Sunday (19).
To his surprise, Salas, who is a former sex worker, was sitting directly across from the pope, who is also Argentine, at the main table in the auditorium, where the pontiff holds his general audiences during the winter.
“We, trans people, feel a little more human, because Pope Francis taking us closer to the Church is a beautiful attitude,” said Carla Segovia, a sex worker in the city of Torvaianica. “Because we need some love.”
Last week, the Vatican office issued a statement saying that trans people can be godfathers and godmothers at Catholic baptisms, witnesses at religious weddings and be baptized.
Francis, who is 86, has tried to make the Church more welcoming to the LGBT community without changing Church teachings, including the statement that same-sex attraction is not a sin, but performing acts is.
At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Father Andrea Conocchia from the parish of the Blessed Virgin Immaculate in Torvaianica helped the transgender community with food and other assistance.
The parish’s resources were strained at the time due to many people being without income, so Conocchia asked the cardinal responsible for the pope’s charitable works for help.
In addition to sending money, the cardinal arranged for people in the community to receive coronavirus vaccinations at the Vatican and have the opportunity to meet the pope.
“For us, he is our saint,” Salas said of Conocchia last week.
This Sunday, Conocchia arrived at the Vatican in a bus with around 50 disadvantaged people from his parish, including transgender people, both foreigners and Italians.
Upon entering the auditorium, Segovia said this is a “fantastic opportunity” for all transgender people. “I send the Pope a big kiss,” he added.
Source: CNN Brasil
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