Pride Month Reflections from LGBTQ+ Catholics, Part 4

Earlier this month, we posted an open call for submissions, asking LGBTQ+ Catholics around the world to offer their reflections on Pride Month as a Pilgrimage of Hope. We’ve been deeply moved by the responses we’ve received.  We began sharing some responses two weeks ago, and posted a second batch last week, and a third batch earlier this week. Today we’re sharing four more.  We’ll be posting one more batch before the month is out.

The following four testimonies are from three current clergy members and one former clergy person.

Deacon Thomas Smith

Deacon Thomas Smith (he/him), is a retired social worker/sign language interpreter who ministers with the Catholic Deaf Community, Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark, New Jersey.

I’m proud to be not just gay but openly-gay and a Catholic deacon serving the Archdiocese of Newark.  After all, it was my religion that taught me the importance of personal integrity–that pride can be embraced as an antidote for shame, and “love casts out fear.”  I realized 50 years ago that I had no choice about sexual orientation, but I did have choice about wallowing in a shameful closet or embracing this “wonderfully made” gift of homosexuality.  Dignity/New Brunswick opened this door wider in 1992.  It was (and is) my Faith that sustains my courage to fully claim that identity, in spite of the fact that the Church I love continues to call it into question.  I’m encouraged by the progress we’ve made in removing closet doors, and even more proud that our Church does more worldwide to alleviate poverty, hunger and disease than even the Red Cross.      

Fr. Jarek Pachocki, OMI

Fr. Jarek Pachocki, OMI  (he/him) is a Catholic priest, missionary, and LGBTQ ally serving the poor and marginalized at St. Patrick Parish and De Mazenod Door Outreach in inner-city of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He is rooted in Oblate spirituality, fostering collaboration, and inspiring faith in action.

As a Catholic priest and Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate, I am proud to stand as an LGBTQ+ ally because I believe our faith calls us to love boldly and inclusively. Participating in the Pride flag-raising at Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School reminded me that symbols matter– especially to those who feel unseen. The flag proclaimed, “You belong here.”

What sustains my queer Catholic hope is the Gospel itself: Jesus reaching out to those on the margins, offering welcome and dignity. Our Church’s call for respect, compassion, and sensitivity resonates deeply with my vocation. Despite criticism, I remain rooted in Christ’s message of love, trusting that the Spirit is guiding the Church toward deeper understanding and inclusion.

Being an ally is not about politics–it’s about pastoral care, integrity, and the belief that every person is beloved. This is the Church I serve, and this is the Church I hope to help build.

Fr. Paul Morrissey, OSA

Rev. Paul Morrissey, OSA, is an Augustinian friar priest who was one of the pioneers of gay ministry in the U.S. Catholic Church. He is the author of the recently published Why I Remain a Gay Catholic: A Spiritual-Sexual Journey (Paulist Press, 2025). 

“How many damn letters are these gays gonna put together before they ca relax?” asked a guy I met recently at a hamburger joint.

“Whaaat?” I choked on my beer.

“Y’know, BLTGA, etc. etc….When will it be enough?”

“You’re kidding, right?” I smirked at his cute blue eyes.

“Yeah, sorta,” he admitted. “But seriously, how many variations can you have?”

I was wondering what his variation was, but something else came to mind. “It’s a mystery, isn’t it?” I said.

“Whaddaya mean?”

I thought of my own struggle to name what my orientation is through the years, especially as a priest. Today, I can happily call myself a gay priest. “I mean our sexuality is a mystery, isn’t it? We are all so unique. No single letter or word can contain us, can it?”

“A mystery,” he repeated, nodding his head. “Yeah, that’s it!”

Mark Brewer

Mark Brewer (he/him) is a former priest, now a coach and speaker, from Rochester, New York.

I am proud to be a gay Catholic because I have come to know—through both fire and grace—that I am fearfully, wonderfully, and intentionally made. My queerness is not a flaw in God’s design but a reflection of God’s infinite creativity. What sustains my queer Catholic hope is the truth that love—when rooted in justice and authenticity—is always holy. I carry within me the scars of exclusion, but they’ve only made my faith more tender, more courageous, and more alive. Pride is my prayer of gratitude—for the God who never left me, and for the community that helps me come home to myself again and again.

—Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry, June 26, 2025