Pope Francis has passed—and within hours, I sat down with Justin from Empty Chairs for an off-the-cuff emergency podcast. As a gay ex-Catholic and a gay current Catholic, we unpack Pope Francis’s complicated legacy on LGBTQ issues. Did he really change anything? Did he do enough? Or was it all just nice-sounding words with no lasting impact?

We talk about our own experiences inside the Church, from being denied vocations to being fired for our sexuality. We also dive into the real theological documents vs. the media narrative, and what the Church might look like under the next Pope.

If you want an honest, emotionally raw, and well-informed queer Catholic perspective—you’re in the right place.

00:00 Introduction and Emergency Podcast Setup
00:46 Initial Reactions to Pope Francis' Passing
02:05 Pope Francis' Legacy on Queer Issues
03:06 Media Reactions and Public Perception
04:06 The 'Who Am I to Judge?' Controversy
05:53 Pope Francis' Ambiguity and Pastoral Approach
07:29 Conservative Backlash and Church Politics
09:06 Pope Francis' Stance on Homosexuality and Church Teachings
11:26 Personal Stories and Church Discrimination
22:45 Pope Francis' Impact on Vocations and Priestly Celibacy
27:35 Addressing the Pope's Controversial Statements
28:22 Personal Experiences with Church Rejection
29:28 Pope Francis' Legacy and Impact
30:37 Hopes and Fears for the Next Pope
33:40 Challenges for LGBTQ+ Catholics
38:53 The Future of the Catholic Church
42:42 Final Thoughts and Personal Reflections

To join our discord community for $1 or to support my work/get early access to content, check out my patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/gayextrad

To be a guest on the episode, visit my YT channel and send me an email.