We’re delighted to be welcoming 250 people from around the world for the first in-person Outreach LGBTQ Catholic Ministry Conference, this weekend at Fordham University’s Lincoln Center campus in New York City. LGBTQ Catholics and those who minister with them will be coming from around the United States, and from as far away as the United Kingdom, Colombia, Italy and Uganda, to share best practices, build community and worship together. We have been able to do this thanks to your prayers and your financial support.
We have three amazing keynote speakers, all pioneers in LGBTQ Catholic ministry: Bishop John Stowe, OFM, Conv., the bishop of Lexington, will be kicking off our conference on Friday night, with his talk on the Catholic Church and LGBTQ people. The next morning, the Rev. Bryan Massingale, professor of theology at Fordham University, and an openly gay Black priest, will speak about LGBTQ issues and intersectionality. And Sister Jeannine Gramick, SL, co-founder of New Ways Ministry whom Pope Francis recently singled out as a “valiant woman,” will conclude the conference on Saturday night with her reminiscences about her 50+ years in LGBTQ Catholic ministry.
Speaking of Pope Francis, we are honored to have a beautiful welcoming letter from the Holy Father to the participants (written last year for our postponed conference), as well as letters in our brochure from Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York; Joseph M. O’Keefe, SJ, the Provincial Superior of the USA East Province of the Society of Jesus, and Joseph M. McShane, SJ, the President of Fordham University, so all will feel truly welcome.
On Saturday we have some of the most experienced and influential theologians, lay leaders, educators and scholars addressing topics as varied as ministry in high schools and colleges, ministry with families, parish ministry, theological questions facing the LGBTQ community, transgender issues and employment in Catholic institutions. The full list of keynotes, panels and panelists for the two days is here. We’re delighted that almost every speaker we invited said yes. So it promises to be an enjoyable and inspirational time.
But for reasons of time, money, health, and our limited seating capacity, not everyone is able to join us this year. So we have a few ways that you can participate. We want everyone to share in the riches of the conference. We want all to feel welcome even if you can’t join us in person.
A few ways to participate
First, the following keynote addresses will be livestreamed, from the Church of St. Paul the Apostle on both the church’s Facebook page and Outreach’s YouTube channel. The livestreams are below:
Bishop John Stowe, OFM, Conv: “The Church and the LGBTQ Person” (Fri., June 24, 7:30 PM ET)
The Rev. Bryan Massingale: “Intersectionality and LGBTQ Ministry” (Sat., June 25, 10 AM ET)
Also, the Mass at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle, where I will preside and preach, was livestreamed (Sat., June 25 at 5 PM ET).
Sister Jeannine Gramick, SL’s keynote address “50+ Years in LGBTQ Catholic Ministry” wasn’t livestreamed because of its location (at Fordham rather than in the church) but is available for viewing above and on Outreach’s YouTube page.
Also, we hope to have transcripts of each of these talks (and we will have one of my homily as well).
Second, in the weeks after the conference, we plan to publish as many of the contributions from the panelists as we can. All our panelists have something important to say and if they share their presentations with us in text form, we will share them with you on this site. Many will also be added to our growing Resource Library.
Finally, you can participate by supporting us with your prayers. So many things need to go right during our conference, for which we will need your prayers: the travel plans of the keynoters, panelists and participants; the logistics of the talks, meals, prayers and the Mass; the health and safety of all involved; and even the weather, since we hope to have some of our meals outdoors.
So please pray for us and, if you’d like, you can pray to our patron, St. Joseph. (There’s a Litany to St. Joseph on our “About Us” page.) You can also help to continue to support our work on this website by helping us financially here.
We pray for safe travels to all our participants and hope that all who aren’t able to join us in person will be able to follow along with the livestreams and enjoy the fruits of the conference later on YouTube and on our website.
Many thanks!
