Spanish bishops reject conversion practices amid LGBT outreach

The bishops of Spain have publicly rejected so-called “conversion” practices for people who identify as homosexual, in a move that has drawn both praise and criticism within the Catholic world.

On 19 September, the Madrid-based homosexual association CRISMHOM published a statement thanking Cardinal José Cobo of Madrid and Bishop José Antonio Satué of Málaga for their support.

The message, carried by ReligionDigital.org, described both prelates as “doorkeepers who open their arms to welcome rather than impose a conversion in which we renounce the gift of the rainbow with which we have been blessed.”

The group’s words followed interventions from both churchmen earlier this month. Cardinal Cobo, who succeeded Cardinal Carlos Osoro in Madrid last year, has emphasised what he calls the need for the Church to “accompany” people who identify as LGBT.

Bishop Satué, named by Pope Leo XIV to Málaga in June, has similarly underlined a pastoral approach that avoids confrontation and is framed in the language of inclusivity.

The CRISMHOM statement went on to say that the two bishops were contributing to “building a diverse Church made of living stones.” It praised them for resisting pressure to promote conversion therapies, which the group described as attempts to suppress or erase homosexual identity.

At the same time, the Archdiocese of Madrid has been preparing for its annual “Week of the Word”, an initiative designed to promote scriptural reflection at the start of the pastoral year. Cardinal Cobo, in his opening invitation, urged the faithful to “return to the Word” and to make it the source of renewal in a society marked by anger and division. He also expressed gratitude to scholars, clergy, consecrated persons and laity whose daily reading of Scripture, he said, “makes the Church fruitful.”

The Spanish hierarchy’s cautious steps on questions of sexuality reflect a wider pattern under Pope Leo XIV, who has made a series of appointments signalling continuity with the more progressive elements of his predecessor’s pontificate. Bishop Satué’s rise to Málaga has been seen in this light, with commentators noting his record of outreach to groups on the margins of Church life.

But the new direction has also provoked strong reactions. Traditionalist Catholic platforms, including some based in Italy, have condemned what they describe as a “capitulation” to secular ideology, accusing the bishops of leading the faithful astray.

(Photo by THOMAS COEX/AFP via Getty Images)