TO YOUR EXCELLENCIES MONSIGNOR JOSÉ GOMEZ AND MONSIGNOR LEONARDO SAPIENZA: CLARIFICATIONS REGARDING THE MEETING ORGANIZED FOR POPE LEO XIV

To the kind attention of Your Excellencies Monsignor José Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles, and the Reverend Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, Regent of the Papal Household.

For information, to Your Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of Vatican City 

Your Excellency and Reverend Monsignor,

We learned from the media that, about a month and a half ago, the Holy Father Leo XIV received a group of faithful from Los Angeles led by you, Monsignor Gomez, and we assume that the meeting was managed by you, Monsignor Sapienza, in your capacity as regent of the Papal Household. During the audience, the Pope was presented with a jersey and cap from the “Los Angeles Dodgers” baseball team.

Furthermore, among the visitors there were two gentlemen, Mr. Brian D. Stevens and Mr. Alex Capecelatro, who, according to a social media post by the latter, reposted by several websites, revealed to the Holy Father during the audience that they had a civilly marriage. https://www.aldomariavalli.it/2025/11/14/due-uomini-sposati-e-ricchi-in-udienza-dal-papa/ 

This episode raised great criticisms towards the Holy Father, who was accused by several conservative Catholic commentators of “receiving two married men.” Other progressive newspapers, on the other hand, exploited this episode as evidence of the Pope's doctrinal openness to LGBTQ+ issues. This episode also brought to light the fact that Mr. Stevens, as stated in the biographical notes published on his foundation's website, https://stevensfoundation.org/leadership/ , is a Knight of the Orders of Malta and the Holy Sepulchre, as well as a Commander of the Order of St. Gregory the Great, thus creating obvious embarrassment among the relevant equestrian orders.

Moreover, the Los Angeles Dodgers team has a special bond with the LGBTQ+ community: they had two openly gay players and organized controversial events, such as the “LGBTQ+ Night,” inviting the group “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,” made up of drag queens dressed as nuns, who openly mock and oppose the Catholic faith.

Sulla base dei Diritti e Doveri dei Fedeli, con particolare riferimento al canone 212.2 ( I fedeli cristiani sono liberi di far conoscere ai Pastori della Chiesa le loro necessità, soprattutto spirituali, e i loro desideri ), vorremmo chiedervi:

1) se eri già a conoscenza dei seguenti fatti, vale a dire:

2) che il signor Stevens e il signor Capecelatro hanno contratto matrimonio civile nel 2023;

3) che il signor Stevens è Cavaliere dell'Ordine di Malta, del Santo Sepolcro e Commendatore dell'Ordine di San Gregorio Magno;

4) che il signor Stevens e il signor Capecelatro avrebbero detto a Sua Santità durante l'udienza che erano sposati e che avrebbero divulgato questa informazione;

5) che al Papa sarebbero stati regalati una maglia e un berretto dei Los Angeles Dodgers e che la squadra aveva quel particolare legame;

6) Infine, vorremmo chiederLe se il Santo Padre fosse stato informato in anticipo di tutti i fatti sopra elencati. Vorremmo anche sapere, secondo quali criteri spirituali, diplomatici e comunicativi, ha deciso di organizzare questo incontro con Sua Santità.

Ringraziandovi per la vostra cortese attenzione e in attesa di una vostra risposta, vi porgiamo i nostri più cordiali saluti. 

Dott. Andrea Cionci e i seguenti firmatari 

Andrea Cionci    Contact the author of the petition