Pope Francis. (Getty Images)

PinkNews, a popular online news source for the global LGBT+ community, praised one of Pope Francis' new appointments for cardinal, Archbishop Matteo Zuppi of Bologna, Italy, stating that the Pope had "named a pro-LGBT+ bishop as cardinal" and that "LGBT+ advocates are celebrating" the selection.

On Sept. 1, Pope Francis announced that he was appointing 13 new clerics to the rank of cardinal, which means they will be able to vote for the next Pope when the time arrives. Such appointments usually indicate the direction the Pope wants the Church to follow.

"LGBT+ advocates are celebrating after the Pope elevated a leading pro-gay bishop to the College of Cardinals," stated PinkNews on Sept. 5.

Pro-LGBT Archbishop Matteo Zuppi. (Twitter.)

The news outlet also quoted a tweet from pro-LGBT Fr. James Martin, a Jesuit, like Pope Francis.

"Pope Francis has also named Archbishop Matteo Zuppi of Bologna as a cardinal!" wrote Fr. Martin. "He is a great supporter of #LGBT Catholics and wrote the foreword for the Italian version of my book "Building a Bridge" ("Un Ponte da Costruire," published by Marcianum Press)."

Archbishop Zuppi praised Fr. Martin's book, endorsing it as a "new pastoral attitude" for LGBT Catholics.

The National Catholic Register said of Fr. Martin's book, "The real purpose of this book is to advocate for a relaxation of the Church’s teaching that sodomy is gravely immoral and that any attraction to commit acts of sodomy is an objective disorder in one’s personality. Father Martin rejects the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church that the 'inclination' to 'homosexual tendencies' is 'objectively disordered.'"

(Twitter.)

Zuppi was named the archbishop of Bologna in 2015 by Pope Francis. "His appointment marked a radical shift in leadership in the archdiocese, a hotbed of leftist politics and LGBT activism," said ChurchMilitant.com.

"Zuppi's predecessor, Cdl. Carlo Caffarra, was a noted conservative and one of the four dubia authors who asked Francis to clarify ambiguous statements on Communion for the divorced and civilly remarried in the pontiff's 2016 apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia," said the Catholic news agency.

ROME, ITALY - JUNE 13: People take part in the Gay Pride parade at the Colosseum on June 13, 2015 in Rome, Italy. Pope Francis is slated to hold his first public meeting with a gay rights activist during a visit to Paraguay on July 11. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images)

"Whereas Caffarra frequently battled Bologna Mayor Virginio Merola over the politician's pro-gay ideology, Zuppi has become a close friend of the mayor and is often seen in his company," said ChurchMilitant.com.

"Zuppi — nicknamed the 'Bergoglio of Italy' — has distinguished himself as one of Pope Francis' strongest supporters. His [pending] Oct. 5 elevation is seen as deepening the pontiff's ideological imprint on the College of Cardinals."