On March 1, 2016, The Catholic Ministry for Lesbian and Gay Ministries (CMLGP), the official outreach to the LGBT community for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, posted a video (for an edited version watch here) to
Above: Hamlet Bannerman, "His First Day at Work" (1890). I never knew a male teacher until I entered middle-school. Before that, all of my instructors were female, predominantly middle-aged, and generally caring, compassionate, and even-tempered.
And they began to pray him that he would depart from their coasts. And when he went up into the ship, he that had been troubled with the devil, began to beseech him that he
In my mid-to-late-twenties, I looked pretty extreme. I think almost everyone who knew me before had given up on me: an aunt I rarely saw, a close friend of my fathers, even some of my
On June 21, 2017, Deacon Guillermo Rodriguez (pictured above in "Star Wars" costume) of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles posted several comments on Facebook in response to a post from Catholic author and blogger Leila Miller concerning the pastoral
The Society of Mary, or the Marianists, in the United States sponsor an LGBT ministry through their Marianist Social Justice Collaborative headquartered in Covington, Kentucky. Simply titled The LGBT Initiative, according to the Marianist, their
Above: Deb Word and her husband Steve with Fortunate Families. One of the current contact persons for the “Ministry with Gay and Lesbian Persons” in the Diocese of Memphis in Tennessee is Deb Word and her
Above: Hugh Steers, "Breathing" (1987). There exists today a massive crisis within the “gay” community that is a direct result of the intense trauma, particularly in “gay” men, experienced during the height of AIDS epidemic.
On July 16, 2017, James Martin, S.J., addressed the LGBT Ministry, Out at St. Paul, located at St. Paul the Apostle Parish in New York City. He had previously spoken to the group on March
Above: Edvard Munch. "The Absinthe Drinkers" (1890). “I’m only here to make a friend; to find someone who I can talk with; a nice guy that will understand me.” I kept saying that in my
On July 7, 2017, James Martin S.J. posted on his Facebook page a response from John D. Whitney, S.J., Pastor at St. Joseph Catholic Parish in Seattle, to Archbishop Chaput’s review of Martin’s book “Building
David Harvie (first on left) and Fr. John Alvarado at an "In God's Image" barbeque. On May 21, 2017, two Catholic parishes in New Jersey cosponsored an LGBT Pilgrimage and Mass to the Cathedral Basilica
On July 8, 2017, AGLO (Archdiocesan Gay and Lesbian Outreach of Chicago) is hosting a “Night at the Theater.” At the Pride Arts Center, the official LGBT Ministry of the Chicago Archdiocese will attend a
On July 10, 2017, the Archdiocese of Chicago will launch “a revitalized Theology on Tap for Summer 2017.” According to an announcement from St. Clement Parish in Chicago: Cardinal Blase J. Cupich will be hosting
Above: Jean Louis Forain, "Return of the Prodigal Son" (late-19th Century). On June 12, 2017, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois, issued an official decree “Regarding Same-Sex ‘Marriage’ and Related Pastoral
The Church of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Francis of Assisi LGBT Ministry hosted a “weekend of inclusion and prayer” culminating with the "United in Love" Mass on June 24, 2017. An advertisement for the event
Our Lord calls us to come nearer to him, to be like him: "Be imitators of God, as his dearly beloved children," cooperating humbly but fervently in the divine purpose of mending what is broken,
On June 12, 2017, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois, issued a Decree “Regarding Same-Sex ‘Marriage’ and Related Pastoral Issues." The Decree reaffirmed Catholic teaching that a marital union is only
(Above: Scene from the 2016 film "The Lost City of Z.") “Surely I was made for some other purpose than this?” – Evelyn Waugh, “Brideshead Revisited” I was the last one born into my family.
On Tuesday, June 20, 2017, from 7:00-8:30 pm, Sister Jeannine Gramick and Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry will speak at the Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Atlanta, Georgia. Along with Fr. Robert
(Pictured above: Jeremy Irons as Charles, Anthony Andrews as Sebastian, and Jonathan Coy as Kurt in the 1981 UK miniseries “Brideshead Revisited.”) The 1945 novel “Brideshead Revisited” by English Catholic-convert Evelyn Waugh maintains an odd
(Pictured above: the sanctuary at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in New York City.) The Church of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Francis of Assisi LGBT Ministry will host a “weekend of inclusion and
On June 22, 2017, James Martin, S.J., will speak via Skype to the predominantly “gay” parish of Most Holy Redeemer in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. On the topic of Catholicism and homosexuality, Martin has
On June 8, 2017, Embracing God’s Gifts, the LGBT ministry at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, will hold their “Annual Pride Prayer Service.” According to the Parish website: “We will give
The LGBT ministry, Out At St. Paul (OSP), located at St. Paul the Apostle Church in the Archdiocese of New York will offer a Vogue dance class. According to Out At St. Paul: You're not
“We gay and lesbian Catholics, who know that we were created homosexual by God, see this statement as a blasphemy against God by claiming that God created something that is intrinsically ordered to evil.” –
On June 22, 2017, the gay-affirmative Catholic ministry of Out at St. Paul is planning to hold an outdoor "Pride" Mass at Sheridan Square (Christopher Park) in Manhattan; the location is across Christopher Street from
On June 18, 2017, according to the official website for St. Joan of Arc Catholic Community in the Archdiocese of Minneapolis: “Musician, actor, composer and dad, Peter Vitale will share his journey of fatherhood for Father's
(Pictured above: Lady Gaga in the music video for "Born This Way.") Warning: Some links and images in this blog are graphic. On June 17, 2017, The Church of The Blessed Sacrament in the Archdiocese of
A man who is a nominee for the Pastoral Council at St. Matthew Roman Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Baltimore announced in the Church bulletin that he is going to marry his same-sex partner.
Above: John Dickson Batten, “The Family” (1886) I have no recollection of seeing my parents pray when I was a child. We never prayed the Rosary together as a family. I probably knew one prayer
Marble Torso of a God or Athlete, Roman Imperial, circa 1st/2nd Century A.D. In 1989, I walked into the world famous Castro District of San Francisco as a disaffected young man of almost nineteen years
The Rev. Joe Nassal, CPPS, is the current provincial director of the Kansas City Province of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. From May 19 – 21, 2017, Nassal will offer a Retreat for the
(Warning: Some links contain graphic descriptions and images.) Through their Ignatian Spiritual Life Center, the Jesuit-run parish of St. Agnes Church, located in the Haight-Ashbury District of San Francisco, will host a workshop (on May 20,
Day after day I was able to observe the austere way in which he lived. By profession he was a soldier and, after my mother’s death, his life became one of constant prayer. Sometimes I
