We do not go on pilgrimage to arrive, we go to be changed by the going.—Macrina Wiederkehr
From September 25-27, the Outreach staff gathered with 35 pilgrims to journey through the LGBTQ Catholic history of New York City, particularly during the HIV/AIDS crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s. The pilgrimage itself followed the format of the Paschal Triduum—the three days at the conclusion of Holy Week that commemorate the central moments of the Paschal Mystery.
Holy Thursday
City of hurried and sparkling waters! city of spires and masts! City nested in bays! My city!-—Walt Whitman
On Friday, September 25, Outreach pilgrims first gathered at the offices of Outreach and America Media, located in the heart of Manhattan on the Avenue of the Americas. There, in keeping with the theme of Holy Thursday, James Martin, S.J., Outreach founder, celebrated a votive Mass of the Most Holy Eucharist and preached on the importance of this sacrament of unity and love. Following Mass, Father Martin then offered a brief lecture answering the questions: “Why New York?” and “Why pilgrimage?” Included in his reflections, Father Martin read to the pilgrims from his favorite poem by Walt Whitman, “Manhatta,” priming the pilgrims for a weekend exploring the island.
Good Friday
The cross is HIV/AIDS, homophobia, transphobia (and all the other phobias that do nothing except tear us apart).—Michael Zampelli, S.J.
On the morning of Saturday, September 26, Outreach pilgrims met early in the morning at the Church of St. Francis Xavier off West 16th Street in the West Village. Here, Outreach pilgrims were received joyfully by the pastor, Philip Florio, S.J., as well as by various members of the ministry teams and parish council, including Pat Egan, Karen DeMasi and Catherine O’Hagan Wolfe. These team members spent time offering a history of the parish, introducing and explaining the artwork in the sanctuary and learning more about the ministry to HIV/AIDS patients at the AIDS memorial at the side altar of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, which was formerly in the choir loft of St. Veronica’s parish off Christopher Street.
Michael Zampelli, S.J., a member of Outreach’s Jesuit Board of advisors and professor of theater at Fordham University, celebrated a votive Mass of the Mystery of the Holy Cross. He preached on his time in service to AIDS patients in San Francisco, where he completed a chaplaincy program at San Francisco General. You can read his homily here, The morning at the parish of St. Francis Xavier concluded with an in-depth look at the LGBTQ history of the parish with speakers John Weber and Ed Poliandro, who shared the story of Dignity’s final mass at St. Francis Xavier in March 1987, as well as the LGBTQ ministry that started and continues at the parish, and finally relations with the Archdiocese in the 1980s and 1990s.
The theme of Good Friday closed with a rendition of the “Stations of the Cross,” stopping to pray and remember at important sites around Greenwich Village. These sites included the AIDS Memorial, which faces the former site of St. Vincent’s hospital, the site of the “Gift of Love” AIDS hospice in the former rectory of St. Veronica’s parish, founded by St. Teresa of Calcutta in 1985 and the Stonewall Inn.
Holy Saturday
Life is a long pilgrimage from fear to love—Paul Coelho
Saturday afternoon was spent at Fordham University-Lincoln Center campus, where Karen Helfenstein, S.C., a Sister of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul of New York, spoke to us about her time as Vice President at St. Vincent’s Hospital from 1983-2000, the epicenter of the AIDS crisis in New York. From ministering to AIDS patients to working with the United States bishops on protocol, Sr. Karen shared her unique testimony and story with the pilgrims.
Finally, after a time of small group faith sharing, the pilgrimage continued next door at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle, where pilgrims heard from associate pastor, Chris Lawton, C.S.P., LGBTQ ministry founder, Donald Maher and current parishioner and LGBTQ theologian, Jason Steidl-Jack about the parish’s history, particularly to the LGBTQ community following advances in medical treatment for HIV/AIDS.
Sunday of the Resurrection
And I bless you: “More Life.” The Great Work Begins.—Tony Kushner “Angels in America”
Saturday evening, Outreach gathered with members of the Church of St. Paul the Apostle and their LGBTQ ministry, Out at St. Paul for a regional event. The pastor, Eric Andrews, C.S.P. welcomed the over 150 people who gathered for prayer, song and fellowship. The prayer itself was led by lay representatives of the ministry at the parish, and those gathered had a chance to socialize following the service.
The pilgrimage ended at the offices of the Jesuit East Province on the Upper East Side, where pilgrims were able to hear from Ellen Stilwell and Chris Passmore, fellow pilgrims and representatives of the LGBTQ ministry at the parish of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Pilgrims joined the parish community of St. Ignatius of Loyola for their Solemn Mass, at which Fr. Martin presided and preached.
Outreach is so grateful to all who came to our pilgrimage throughout “Manahatta” to pray, sing and share with us, and all those who joined in our regional event on Saturday, and we look forward to other pilgrimages in the future.
