<p>January 30 2023Detroit MI. As president of Families With Dignity (FWD) a group that works for acceptance of LGBTQIA+ people in the Catholic Church Linda Karle-Nelson welcomed this weeks statement by Pope Francis that being homosexual is not a crime. The Pope was responding to Catholic bishops in Africa and elsewhere who have supported government efforts to criminalize homosexuality.</p><p>When the Pope speaks people listen and not just Catholics. What he said this week represents a major change in the Churchs attitude from the Vaticans opposition to a 2010 U.N. proposal to decriminalize homosexuality.</p><p>Families With Dignity and DignityUSA work for respect and justice for people of all sexual orientations genders and gender identities Karle-Nelson said. Making sure that our LGBTQIA+ families and friends -- wherever we are in the world -- are not labeled criminals is one step in the right direction. Bishops should go further by taking leadership to truly welcome and embrace queer families into Catholic parishes schools and society. We look forward to the day when we and our LGBTQIA+ friends and family members are fully accepted by the entire Church even as we know we are accepted by God who created us as we are.</p><p>Karle-Nelson noted that Francis has been the first Pope in memory to openly support acceptance of LGBTQIA+ Catholics in the life of the Catholic Church starting with his now-famous statement in the early days of his reign Who am I to judge?</p><p>Families With Dignity has been part of DignityUSA since 2020.</p>