Gay Catholics found new hope as the Pope Francis' influence has reached their own bishops and are now gaining more support in their goal to visit holy sites and places such as Rome and Assisi.

According to reports, Catholic gay rights group New Ways Ministry has been going on pilgrimages but only had 24 people in tow but this year, the number might double to 50 people. Gay Catholics have been feeling alienated from their own churches but Pope Francis has shown them acceptance.

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Because of the "Francis effect," the New Ways Ministry plus one more Catholic LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transsexual) organization from Britain are set to meet the Pope when they visit the Vatican on February 18, 2015 on Ash Wednesday. Archbishop Georg Ganswein, the head of the papal household, responded to New Ways Ministry's request for a meet-and-greet with Pope Francis at St. Peter's Square.

San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, one of the many bishops who have opposed gay marriage, wrote a letter in behalf of New Ways Ministry so as to assure that their request for the reservation of tickets for the meet-and-greet will be possible.

British Cardinal Vincent Nichols also wished the Catholic LGBT group from his country a wonderful pilgrimage, giving assurance that he will be praying for all of them.

The LGBT groups are hoping that they will be included in the list of official pilgrimage groups being read aloud in Vatican as it would be a huge leap for them as they have not been treated well under the papacy of St. John Paul II and Benedict.

The approach towards LGBT Catholic groups have changed since the statement of the Pope back in 2013 when he was asked about a gay man being a priest.

"If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?" Pope Francis said at the time.

Another incident was back in January when Pope Francis reportedly met with a transgender from Spain who sent him a letter. Diego Neria Lejarraga reportedly felt rejected by his parish because of his operation but said the Pope loves the whole world and that there is no tint of discrimination in his way of thinking.

Pope Francis has pointed out that the church should shift its focus away from sexual issues and focus more on the poor and those rejected by their own churches and the society.

TagsLGBT, Gay Catholics, Pope Francis, Francis effect, Catholic Church