Monthly Archives: September 2016

Catholic_Church, Pastoral Ministry, Sexuality and gender

LGBT “Pilgrimage of Mercy” – Sunday October 2, 2016 | GALA-ND/SMC

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GALA ND/SMC, the LGBT alumni group for the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College, will be sponsoring a“Pilgrimage of Mercy” to celebrate and recognize LGBT faithful Catholics in the United States.

Also sponsoring the event is main co-sponsor, the Fairness Campaign, as well as a number of national and local LGBT groups such as GLAAD, HRC, New Ways Ministry, Equality Blessed, Dignity/USA & local affiliate Dignity/New York, Freedom for All Americans, Out At St Paul, Fortunate Families and Believe Out Loud.

year of mercy picThe pilgrimage is inspired by Pope Francis declaration last fall, “We are in the midst of anExtraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy in the Catholic faith”, decreed Pope Francis, during which we are to be “merciful like the Father” and perform acts of mercy and forgiveness to all.

Source: GALA-ND/SMC

Pastoral Ministry, Sexuality and gender

How LGBT Inclusion will be won in the Church

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I believe with all my heart that one day all the churches of the Anglican Communion (and let’s not stop there – all of God’s churches anywhere) will be fully inclusive of LGBT people. I’m working for that and have been for quite some time. And I believe it will happen because I believe in the loving, transforming power of God.I find though that the loving, transforming power of God most often seems to work through the loving transforming actions of God’s beloved here on earth. The things we do can make God’s kingdom come all more quickly, which when you think about it, should not really surprise us.

Source: 9 Pointers towards how LGBT Inclusion will be won in the Church of England – What is in Kelvin’s Head?

Catholic_Church, Pastoral Ministry

In Amoris Laetitia, Francis’ model of conscience empowers Catholics | National Catholic Reporter

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Thomas Aquinas first established the authority and inviolability of conscience, which was affirmed in the Second Vatican Council’s Gaudium et Spes and Dignitatis Humanae. Other commentators, like Chaput — who does not even mention the internal forum in his archdiocesan pastoral guidelines for implementing Amoris Laetitia — believe that subjective conscience must always submit to, and obey, the objective “truth” of magisterial teaching.

Source: In Amoris Laetitia, Francis’ model of conscience empowers Catholics | National Catholic Reporter

Catholic_Church, News, Pastoral Ministry

Year of Mercy Mass for LGBT Catholics – Nottingham

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We have written before of Quest’s new emphasis on engagement and advocacy work with British bishops. One of the visible fruits of this is a forthcoming Mass for LGBT Catholics, to be held in St Barnabas’ Cathedral, Nottingham.

nottingham-lgbt-massEarlier this year, Ruby Almeida as Quest chair, accompanied by Claire Jenkins of the East Midlands regional group, met with Bishop McKinney. Later, Claire and other members of East Midlands had further meetings with the bishops, culminating in agreement on the forthcoming Mass, as described in the poster pictured above.  We hope that Quest members, their family and friends from East Midlands and other regions, wlll support this notable Mass.

In Nottingham diocese, we hope furthermore that this initiative will lead to further engagement with the diocese, and additional pastoral outreach to LGBT Catholics in the years ahead. Beyond Nottingham, engagement and advocacy with Catholic bishops and other groups will continue.