Pope Meets with Courage International Leadership

Audience affirms 'peaceful joy' of staff and members seeking holiness through Church teaching

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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Pope Leo XIV received a delegation on Friday from Courage International, a major international apostolate dedicated to accompanying persons who experience same-sex attraction. The delegation was led by Bishop Frank Caggiano of Bridgeport, CT, and included other Courage leaders. Courage International called the audience a 'momentous occasion' that 'affirms the peaceful joy of the staff and members of Courage who seek to grow in holiness through living the truth in love.'

Why it matters

Courage International has been working for over 13 years to secure a papal audience, which is seen as an important affirmation of their ministry that accompanies those with same-sex attraction to live according to Catholic teaching. The audience comes at a time when ministries like Courage face cultural challenges in promoting their message of holiness over radical personal autonomy.

The details

The Courage delegation included Bishop Frank Caggiano, who chairs the Courage International Episcopal Board, Father Kyle Schnippel, who heads the Courage International Executive Board, Courage executive director Father Brian Gannon, and 31-year Courage member Angelo Sabella. Courage was founded in 1980 in New York and has since grown to over 160 chapters in 15 countries, with the express permission and oversight of local bishops.

  • Courage has been working on getting a papal audience for over 13 years.
  • Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso spoke to Pope Francis about the apostolate in September of 2024, but Francis passed away in April of the following year before a meeting could be arranged.

The players

Pope Leo XIV

The current Pope who received the Courage International delegation.

Bishop Frank Caggiano

The Bishop of Bridgeport, CT who chairs the Courage International Episcopal Board and led the delegation to meet the Pope.

Father Kyle Schnippel

A priest from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati who heads the Courage International Executive Board.

Father Brian Gannon

The executive director of Courage International.

Angelo Sabella

A 31-year member of Courage International.

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What they’re saying

“Courage has been working on getting a papal audience for over 13 years.”

— Father Colin Blatchford, Associate Director of Courage International (Crux)

“The message of Courage is that we're all called to be saints. Your orientation really doesn't matter in the end.”

— Father Colin Blatchford, Associate Director of Courage International (Crux)

The takeaway

The papal audience represents an important affirmation of Courage International's ministry, which seeks to accompany those with same-sex attraction to live according to Catholic teaching and grow in holiness, despite cultural challenges that often prize radical personal autonomy over traditional religious values.