Pope Francis says God loves all children: LGBT association

The Pope surprises a gay person with his latest message (2018 video) 1:32

(CNN) -

Pope Francis told the mother of an LGBT youth that "the Lord loves all his children, all of them," and that the Catholic Church "must also love all men and women."

The comments were made by the pope in private during the speaker's audience last Wednesday as he greeted the participants.

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Mara Grassi, the boy's mother and vice president of an Italian association of LGBT parents, told CNN that the pope did not say "God loves LGBT children as they are," which had been widely reported.

However, Grassi said he understood her comments to mean that God loves all children, including LGBTs.

The Vatican does not comment on the pope's private meetings, but confirmed that it did speak with members of an Italian association of LGBT parents briefly after the hearing.

Grassi confirmed to CNN that he gave the pope a book on the LBGT parenting experience and a rainbow T-shirt with the inscription, "love is not afraid."