As a boy, I was fascinated by the way my grandmother’s disposition changed when she entered a church. She would locate the Blessed Sacrament, bow her head towards it and close her eyes as she genuflected. If she spoke, it was in a hushed tone. She made sure that us kids kneeled correctly: no butts on the pew.  Our church had wall-to-wall stained glass windows that let off an otherworldly glow. Entering the church gave me an almost magical sense of possibility which, for a young boy, was a wonderful entryway to a life of faith. When the priest held up the Eucharist and the altar boys ..read more

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Ever heard that LGBTQ people are a modern phenomenon? Let me set the record straight: People of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities have been part of Indigenous cultures and Pacific Island traditions forever.  These communities have always valued and celebrated the beautiful diversity of human sexuality and gender expression. Indigenous communities, such as the Tangata whenua, a Māori term that designates “people of the land,” have long recognized and honored the concept of takatāpui. (“Takatāpui” is a Māori word similar to LGBTQ.) In 1849, the famed New Zealand sc ..read more

Abby Hericks attends Mass each weekend at St. Francis Xavier College Church on the campus of Saint Louis University. When she was recently given the opportunity to welcome other LGBTQ students from across the country to Mass as part of the Ignatian Q conference, she jumped at the chance. But last Sunday, as she walked to the lectern to greet the roughly 120 conference participants, she was confused and then alarmed.  In the front rows of the church sat a crowd of about 20 people, separated by gender: men wearing jackets and ties seated on one side of the church, women in long dresses and ..read more

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Editor’s note: This article is part of our ongoing coverage of the Vatican declaration “Dignitas Infinita.” In a spirit of synodality, we have invited authors with a range of views on gender identity and its relation to Catholic teaching to present analysis and opinion. We invite you to read more of our coverage, including: “Dignitas Infinita” falters when it doesn’t practice what it preaches “Dignitas Infinita” asks the church to consider the experiences of transgender people Vatican condemnation of “gender theory” a moment of whiplash for LGBTQ Catholics As a transgender Catholic, I don’t ..read more

The post Cardinal Grech in Ireland talks LGBT issues, the synod and the Vatican’s same-sex blessings doc appeared first on Outreach ..read more

Editor’s note: This article is part of our ongoing coverage of the Vatican declaration “Dignitas Infinita.” In a spirit of synodality, we have invited authors with a range of views on gender identity and its relation to Catholic teaching to present analysis and opinion. We invite you to read more of our coverage, including: “Dignitas Infinita” falters when it doesn’t practice what it preaches “Dignitas Infinita” asks the church to consider the experiences of transgender people Vatican condemnation of “gender theory” a moment of whiplash for LGBTQ Catholics As a transgender Catholic, I don’t ..read more