The Vatican has issued a document rejecting the idea that people can choose or change their genders.

The Vatican did something it has never done before by giving a group of US gay and lesbian Catholics VIP seats at Pope Francis’ weekly general audience.

In a dramatic shift in tone, a Vatican discussion document has stated that homosexual people have "gifts and qualities to offer".

Pope Francis yesterday opened a two-week meeting of bishops and cardinals from around the world aimed at making the church’s teaching on family life — marriage, sex, contraception, divorce and homosexuality — relevant to today’s Catholic families.