Pope Leo appoints pro-LGBT archbishop as secretary for Dicastery for Clergy

[Stone]

Pope Leo appoints pro-LGBT archbishop as secretary for Dicastery for Clergy

Archbishop Carlo Roberto Maria Redaelli's pro-LGBT views were recounted in a description of his response to the same-sex 'marriage' of a Catholic scout leader.

Jan 22, 2026
(LifeSiteNews) — Pope Leo XIV has appointed a controversial and homosexualist archbishop to a prominent role in the Vatican.

Archbishop Carlo Roberto Maria Redaelli of Gorizia was named today as the new Secretary for the Dicastery for Clergy.

Raedelli and his pro-LGBT views were mentioned in a 2020 book by Luciano Moia, a senior journalist for the Italian Bishops’ Conference’s daily newspaper Avvenire. In his book, Moia argues that the Church should look at “chastity” within a same-sex relationship the same way in which it looks at chastity within marriage.

As an example of how the Church should begin to do this,  the author cited Raedelli’s response to the same-sex ‘marriage’ in 2017 of a homosexual Catholic scout leader.

In Moia’s words, Raedelli “threw everyone off. He refused the role of the judge, he didn’t absolve, but neither did he condemn. He invited the community to reflect together to understand if, even from such a divisive occurrence, one can receive aspects of grace. An intervention in search of moderation and of that invitation to welcome, discern and integrate that impregnates the magisterium of Pope Francis.”

Contrary to the attitudes of Moia and Archbishop Redaelli, the Catechism of the Catholic Church is very clear on homosexuality:

Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that ‘homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.’ They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

Only after stating that homosexual acts cannot be approved does the catechism move on to a discussion of chastity. In other words, chastity for people with homosexual inclinations plainly means absolute continence.

Redaelli has served as auxiliary bishop of Milan from 2004 to 2012, and as Archbishop of Gorizia, in north-eastern Italy, since 2012. A canon lawyer by training, he has been at the center of several controversies over the years. For example, the archbishop has previously attracted attention for his positions on the Traditional Latin Mass.

During the Italian Bishops’ Conference General Assembly in Rome in November 2018, Redaelli had questioned the legal basis of Pope Benedict XVI’s 2007 motu proprio Summorum Pontificum.

The Pope stated that the 1962 Roman Missal had never been abrogated and could be freely used. However, according to the Italian blog Messainlatino.it, Redaelli stated that the Missal promulgated by Pope John XXIII had in fact been abrogated by Pope Paul VI, rendering Summorum Pontificum juridically ineffective. On this basis, the motu proprio was described as a “juridical non-sense,” and the Traditional Latin Mass as not legitimately liberalized.

However, Redaelli’s claim is juridically wrong because it rests on a false premise. No explicit act ever abrogated the 1962 Roman Missal. Under canon law (see can. 21), “in a case of doubt, the revocation of a pre-existing law is not presumed.” Furthermore, Pope Benedict XVI did not grant a derogation or indult but formally recognized a right that had never been suppressed.

As Secretary of the Dicastery for Clergy, Archbishop Redaelli will hold a key administrative role within one of the most influential departments of the Roman Curia. Under articles 113–120 of Praedicate Evangelium, the Dicastery oversees matters relating to diocesan clergy, including their pastoral ministry, discipline, ongoing formation, and material support.

Its competencies include supervision of seminaries and priestly formation, confirmation of national formation programmes, assistance to bishops in vocational promotion, oversight of clerical discipline and rights, examination of hierarchical recourse, and competence in matters concerning clerical status and dispensations from obligations attached to sacred orders.

The Dicastery also exercises authority over interdiocesan seminaries, clerical associations, and, following Francis’ motu proprio Ad charisma tuendum, governance concerning Opus Dei.

The current Prefect of the Dicastery is South Korean Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik. He is scheduled to retire next year due to age. According to sources known to LifeSiteNews, Radaelli may be the next Prefect.