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On a warm August evening in Lisbon's Eduardo VII Park, a remarkable scene unfolded as Pope Francis addressed an ocean of young people at World Youth Day 2023. Before him stood nearly half a million participants, their national flags dancing in the breeze, creating a vibrant tapestry of global unity. "You are not here by mistake," the Pope declared to the energetic crowd, his words resonating across the park as young people sang, shouted, and swayed in response. This simple yet profound statement set the tone for what would become one of the most memorable moments of the gathering. In a particularly moving departure from his prepared remarks, Pope Francis led the crowd in a spontaneous chant that would capture headlines worldwide. "Todos, todos, todos," he called out, using both Spanish and Portuguese, with the English translation "Everyone, everyone, everyone!" echoing through the masses. The crowd's response was electric, as hundreds of thousands of voices joined in this powerful affirmation of inclusivity. The Pope's message was crystal clear: the church is meant to be a home for all. "In the church, there is space for everyone," he emphasized, "and when there isn't, please, let's work so that there is." His words extended particularly to those who might feel marginalized or excluded – those who make mistakes, those who fall, those who struggle. Later, reflecting on this powerful moment, Pope Francis drew a parallel to the Gospel's parable of the wedding feast, where the king, finding his invited guests absent, instructs his servants to welcome everyone from the streets, "good and bad alike." This reference beautifully reinforced his message of radical inclusion. The Pope's declaration of "todos, todos, todos" wasn't just a catchphrase – it was a powerful reminder of the church's fundamental mission to be, in his words, "the mother of all." In that moment in Lisbon, as hundreds of thousands of young people from every corner of the world joined their voices together, his vision of a truly inclusive church seemed not just possible, but already coming to life.  Three Catholic grandmothers are protesting the closure of an LGBTQ+ ministry in a Wisconsin parish, telling the local archbishop that “we need to accept everyone as they are rather than ask them to reject themselves so that they might be worthy of the church’s love.” The grandmothers sent a letter to Archbishop Timothy Listecki of Milwaukee requesting that the Gay and Straight in Christ (GASIC) group at St. Mary Parish, Hales Corners, be reestablished, according to the National Catholic Reporter. The group was shut down in January 2024 by the pastor, Fr. Aaron Laskiewicz, who said that parishes in the archdiocese must follow traditional teachings on gender and sexuality. A chapter of Courage International, a Catholic organization which preaches celibacy for all gay and lesbian people, replaced the group. The letter came from three grandmothers and another group member and was addressed to the archbishop, the pastor, and Fr. Nathan Reesman, the local coordinator of Courage. For Jean, one of the letter’s authors, GASIC had allowed her to understand and embrace her grandson’s transgender identity. She wrote: “I am very confused about Fr. Aaron Laskiewicz’s decision to close St Mary Hales Corners’ doors to the GASIC community. I asked myself, ‘How could my parish close its doors to a community that provides me with so much love and support, that reaches out to those on the margins and teaches acceptance of all God’s children?’ I am distraught to see the doors of my church closed to GASIC because I thought my Church would always support me on my life’s journey. How can my grandson believe that he is loved and accepted when GASIC communities are banned and replaced with groups that teach him and his family that we must reject who he is to be worthy of our Church’s sacraments, to be worthy of Christ’s love? I am disheartened to experience my Church’s mistreatment of people who are transgender and their allies. I believe that the church Jesus Christ created 2,000 years ago should accept all who believe in him, wherever they are in their gender identity journey.” Anita Kowalski, an 86-year-old grandmother, wrote: “The Catholic Church I am a part of still sees my grandkids as ‘disordered’–somehow fundamentally broken in a way that separates them from the community of their faith. I remain Catholic because of my deep belief in Christ’s command to love one another as he loves us –unconditionally. I want my grandchildren to know that Granny sees them and loves them for who they are. I want to reflect Christ’s love for them– to pass on the gift of kindness and love that my uncle showed me. This is my vocation as a parent, grandparent, and Christian. I am part of the group that writes this letter because I feel strongly that we need to accept everyone as they are rather than ask them to reject themselves so that they might be worthy of the church’s love.” And for the third grandmother, Rebekah Dubrosky, the closure of the group contradicted the values that were taught to her when she converted to Catholicism. She wrote: “When I was converting to Catholicism, the sister who did the RCIA with me, told me: ‘When you’re baptized, you belong to the people of God, you are part of the church. The people are the church, and the church has a bunch of different people, backgrounds, but everybody gets to stay. No one can say you are not worthy enough to be here.” Marge Sebern, a Catholic ally who is a member of another parish’s LGBTQ+ ministry, discussed what she called the “outdated” teachings of the church: “A greater harm is the social sin of violence and victimization toward people considered sexual and gender minorities. This social sin causes physical, mental and spiritual trauma to our queer siblings as well as their families who are asked to reject their queer family member’s identity. Violence contributes to this population’s increased risks for addiction, poor health, depression and suicide. To end this social sin, our churches and communities must recognize and listen to God’s children who identify as queer, and not pass judgment on the identity which s/he is born with.” The letter ended with a direct call to action. “We are grateful for your vocations and ask that you consider the following in parish ministry to people who are LGBTQ+ and allies:
Laskiewicz closed GASIC only a few months after he became the pastor at St. Mary’s. He did not discuss the closure of the group publicly. Deacon Bill Goulding, a GASIC group assistant, had to inform members. Goulding later decided to leave the parish “out of disappointment” of the group’s closure and the way the closure was handle Twenty LGBTQ+ Catholics and allies have left St. Mary’s since the removal of GASIC. Some have gone to new parishes, while others have left the Catholic Church completely. The loss of so many parishioners indicate the importance of community groups, especially those related to marginalized identities. For Julie Behrman, GASIC was a “lifeline.” She explained: “‘Because of GASIC, I felt like I could bring all of me to the church. There weren’t any walls or barriers up. And isn’t that what we’re supposed to be for each other? Ourselves.'” New Ways Ministry - December 16, 2024 - Sarah Cassidy (She/her) | Read full article here:  |
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