News and Views

Where have you encountered the Risen Christ in your life? Where have you seen evidence of his promise of new life?

In this new role, O’Loughlin will assume responsibility for fundraising, strategic planning and overseeing the day-to-day operations of Outreach.

We may quarrel over how to interpret Scripture or how to understand the church’s teaching on human sexuality, but we cannot deny the reality of same-sex relationships as integral to the meaning of the church as the People of God.

Over the years, I’ve met dozens of same-sex couples, many of them Catholics who have persevered in their faith even as the church has felt like an unwelcome place for them.

The Word, the Second Person of the Trinity, did something amazing. He came to live with us.

The declaration opens the door, for the first time, for the official blessings of same-sex couples by ministers of the church—something that has long been desired by LGBTQ Catholics and their families and friends.

I hope that God shows you things to be grateful for your in your lives as LGBTQ people, family members and allies. Happy Thanksgiving!

We had our differences, and maybe some of the delegates would never agree with me on LGBTQ issues, if they even used that term. That’s okay. As we were told often about the Council of Jerusalem, in the Acts of the Apostles, there was a lot of disagreement then, too.

To my mind, that was the most important thing that occurred at the synod: Friendships were built across boundaries, within the boundary of our love for Christ, whose love knows no boundaries.

My hopes are simple: I hope that the Synod will be guided by the Holy Spirit and the participants able to listen to the voices of Catholics from around the world.