My columns, TV appearances, and radio commentary use an interdisciplinary approach drawing on critical race theory, African American, queer and religious studies. As a religion columnist I try to inform the public of the role religion plays in discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. Because homophobia is both a hatred of the ‘other’ and it’s usually acted upon ‘in the name of religion,’ by reporting religion in the news I aim to highlight how religious intolerance and fundamentalism not only shatters the goal of American democracy, but also aids in perpetuating other forms of oppression such as racism, sexism, classism and anti-Semitism.

The Latest All Rev’d Up: Pope Francis ‘Flip-Flops’ On LGBTQ Inclusivity In The Catholic Church

Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis has been met with cautious optimism by LGBTQ groups. He stated in 2013 that, “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?” He also called for the creation of civil union laws for same-sex couples in a documentary released last year.

But on Monday, Francis’ stance appeared to shift when he approved a decree from the Vatican which said that Catholic priests cannot bless same-sex unions.

The Rev. Irene Monroe and the Rev. Emmett G. Price III spoke to Boston Public Radio on Monday about this latest edict from the Roman Catholic Church.

Listen to Irene Monroe discussing this topic online.

“Clearly they didn’t get the message in the scripture that ‘love is love,'” she said. “If the Catholic hierarchy doesn’t get anything else, they need to get this: Gay people love Jesus just as much as straight people.”