'Pope Francis Sent Me a Letter. It Gives Me Hope as a Gay Catholic.' (New York Times)

In a letter dated August 17 and made public in The New York Times, Pope Francis thanked Michael O’Loughlin, national correspondent for the Jesuit magazine America, “for shining a light on the lives and bearing witness to the many priests, religious sisters and lay people, who opted to accompany, support and help their brothers and sisters who were sick from HIV and AIDS at great risk to their profession and reputation.”

The Pope was responding to a letter in which O’Loughlin told the Pope about his book, “Hidden Mercy: AIDS, Catholics, and the Untold Stories of Compassion in the Face of the Fear.”