LGBTQ+@Grace is a faith-based outreach ministry at Our Lady of Grace and St Joseph, located in Hoboken, New Jersey. Our purpose is to reach LBGTQ+ people, their friends, family and allies, both inside and outside the Church, with Pope Francis’ message that all are welcome.
LGBTQ+@Grace was founded in 2018 and began by sponsoring bi-monthly gay/straight discussion groups, on topics like “Homophobia in the Church,” “Young Adults on LGBTQ issues” and “Support for Parents of Trans Children.”
During the Covid lockdown, LGBTQ@Grace co-sponsored “Zoom chat” with Our Lady of Grace’s Young Adult Group. Parishioners and those outside the parish were invited to join conversations and presentations on subjects including “Early Gay Activism,” “Women in the Deaconate,” “Parochial Racial Diversity” and “Trans Spirituality.”
Guest speakers have included Sister Donna Ciangio, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Newark; former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey and Jane Clementi of the Tyler Clementi Foundation.
During the Synod on Synodality, Our Lady of Grace hosted two listening sessions, encouraged by Cardinal Joseph Tobin and the Archdiocese of Newark, specifically for LGBTQ+ people their family, friends and allies. Sessions were conducted via Zoom and invitations to participate were extended to parish members, LGBTQ+ people friends, family and allies, and to anyone who may have felt unwelcome or uncomfortable participating at their home in-person parish listening sessions. Outreach to participate also included those who may be estranged from or have left the Church. Attendees included members of various parishes and dioceses in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, among others.
In 2022, LGBTQ+@Grace will be participating in Our Lady of Grace’s Fifth PRIDE Mass on June 26th. Our Lady of Grace’s PRIDE Mass invites LGBTQ+, family friends, allies and all people to celebrate together their diversity along with their in unity in God.