Memphis Bishop Welcomes Home Gay and Lesbian Catholics
Volume 26, Number 2 A Publication of New Ways Ministry Fall 2005 Memphis bishop welcomes home gay and lesbian Catholics By Dennis Coday But as I have reflected on the church as them were born into Catholic families, baptized National Catholic Reporter home, I have become more acutely aware as infants and attended Catholic schools. They June 17, 2005 of the number of people—the number of have embraced the faith handed on to them. Catholics—who are no longer comfortable in Others, through the examples of friends and Reflecting on the church as home and their home. In fact, some are no longer certain having felt called by God, became Catholics on recent meetings with Catholics who feel that the church is their home. Sometimes it is through the Rite of Christian Initiation of unwelcome in their “home,” Memphis, Tenn., the circumstances of life that cause people to Adults. For all of them, being Catholic is at the Bishop J. Terry Steib announced the begin- feel estranged or separated. Occasionally it is core of who they are. At the same time, they ning of a diocesan ministry to gay and lesbian a misunderstanding of the church’s teachings are people who are not sure of “their place” in Catholics. that keeps people away. Often, individuals hide their home. They are people—wonderful, good Steib began his June 2 column, “This Far by a deep pain that is rooted in knowing that, for Catholic people—who are gay and lesbian. Faith,” published in the diocesan newspaper, by whatever reason, their lives do not conform to Steib wrote about meeting with a group of reflecting on the church as home “where [God’s] other people’s lives; or worse, they feel that who gays and lesbians and then meeting with par- family gathers to celebrate God’s unconditional they are is unacceptable.
[Show full text]