Is Catholic Church preparing to be more friendly to gays? Talks on sexuality are taking 'step in right direction' say homosexual groups

The Catholic Church has taken a 'step in the right direction' by holding talks on how to provide better spiritual care to homosexual members, gay rights activists said today.

Following Pope Francis' famous 'Who am I to judge?' comment on homosexuality last year, bishops have repeatedly spoken of the need to change the church's language towards gays from words of moral condemnation and judgment, to words of welcome and respect.

Now for the first time a Vatican meeting is discussing gay and lesbian issues within the Church - a move described as 'a crack in the ice that we have been waiting for, for a very long time' by the Catholic gay rights group New Ways Ministry.

Despite their apparent softening on the issue, the Vatican's top canon lawyer was keen to make clear that the ongoing discussions will not focus on changing the Church's doctrine on homosexuality, nor will it lead to an endorsement of gay marriage or even gay unions.

But the decision to include gay and lesbian issues at a meeting discussing Catholic family values bears all the hallmarks of the progressive attitude the Church has adopted under Pope Francis.