(ANSA) - Vatican City, January 26 - Pope Francis on Saturday
received in a private audience a Spanish transsexual and his
girlfriend after the man wrote to him saying he had been cast
out of the church in his native city, Spanish daily Hoy reported
Monday.
The transgender male, Diego Neria Lejarraga, a 48-year-old
former woman, wrote to the pope some time ago saying he had been
"marginalised" by Church officials in the city of Plasencia, in
the southwestern region of Estremadura, Hoy said.
Neria, a believer and a practising Catholic, said he had
been rebuffed by elements of the local clergy and claimed the
parish priest had called him "the Devil's daughter", Hoy
reported.
Francis phoned him twice in December, setting up
Saturday''s meeting in St Martha's House, the Vatican guesthouse
the pontiff lives in, Hoy said.
The pope has said the Catholic Church should be more
accepting of gays but recently failed to muster a big enough
majority of cardinals to change doctrine on the issue.
Asked about the reported meeting, official Vatican sources
declined to comment.
Pope receives Spanish transsexual, girlfriend - update
Transgender male said priest called him 'Devil's daughter'