Latin American LGBTQ+ Advocates Participate in Major Catholic Youth Ministry Gathering

Catholic LGBTQ+ advocates in Latin America participated in an official church gathering about youth ministry this summer, at which they appealed for the institutional church to better care for and defend LGBTQ+ youth.

The Latin American region of the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics (GNRC) participated in July’s XXI Latin American Meeting of National Representatives of Youth Ministry (ELARNPJ, based on the group’s name in Spanish). The event—held in Paraguay and hosted by the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (CELAM)—gathered clergy, religious, and laypersons to “discuss and advance youth ministry” in the region’s Catholic Church, per GNRC’s website.

GNRC connects various Catholic LGBTQ+ groups internationally that are working towards pastoral care and justice in the church and beyond. Founded in Rome in October 2015, the network operates in five regions, hosting assemblies and campaigning on an array of LGBTQ+ issues.

Arturo Retana oversaw the GNRC delegation’s active participation at the Latin American ministry gathering. That delegation intended to bring “visibility to the realities and challenges faced by young LGTBIQ+ Catholics in Latin America.” Among the delegation’s efforts was the presentation of insights from their prior listening sessions with LGBTQ+ Catholics in the region, motivated by a desire to make these voices heard in the meeting’s “critical ecclesial space.”

Among the delegation’s findings and recommendations were that homophobia and transphobia were the most common forms of violence in schools, that only two Latin American countries ban conversion therapy, and that from 2019 to 2022, nearly 1,500 LGBTQ+ people were killed in the region.

The delegation also recommended that the church could support LGBTQ+ youth by taking actions such as denouncing the aforementioned violence and promoting education about gender and sexuality. Youth, the materials noted, were often in processes of discovery and self-acceptance, making pastoral accompaniment of them and their families a priority.

GNRC hailed its delegation’s presence at the meeting given the “importance of dialogue and the need for an inclusive approach to youth ministry.” The organization also recognized that “tensions and challenges” with the church still exist. The delegation’s display of the diversity flag was a “symbolic gesture” and “highlight” of the meeting.

Speaking at the event, Retana expressed hope for the future:

“‘LGBTIQ+ Catholics wish for a day when specific pastoral care groups are no longer necessary because Christian communities have become a safe space to share our lives, talents, and loves without fear of exclusion…We long for an approach to diversity that moves from ‘object’ to ‘protagonist subject,’ where our voices can be heard.’”

GNRC add that its support of the Latin American delegation was a reflection of the global network’s “ongoing commitment to fostering inclusive environments and supporting our members in meaningful ecclesial engagements.” The organization further praised Retana’ remarks as a “reminder of the importance of creating spaces where all Catholics, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, can participate fully and authentically in the life of the Church.”

The delegation’s presence at the conference emphasizes the urgency of LGBTQ+ inclusion within the church, particularly in Latin America, where not only are LGBTQ+ communities, but the institutional church are being persecuted. Nicaraugua, El Salvador, and Venezuela are all experiencing democratic backsliding, and their governments are restricting the church’s operation. The Catholic witness on behalf of Brazil’s Indigenous peoples and rural residents continues to incite lethal backlash. It is time for the prophetic role that Latin American Catholics have in defending human rights is expanded to include the defense of LGBTQ+ youth.

—Jeromiah Taylor (he/him), October 1, 2024