Two Archbishops Offer Help to LGBTQ+ Catholics; And Other News

Here are some items that might be of interest:

Archbishop Charles Scicluna (Photo by Francis DeBernardo)

1. Archbishop Charles Scicluna, the archbishop of the island nation of Malta, penned a spiritual advice post for the website Outreach, addressed to LGBTQ+ Catholics. Focusing on the theme that God is always present in our lives, Scicluna stated:

“At the heart of Christian faith lies a simple and incontrovertible truth: God is present, loving and faithful. His presence is not distant or conditional, but intimate and compassionate. God dwells within every human life, irrespective of whether you are a saint, a sinner or somewhere in between.

“For LGBTQ Catholics, whose faith journeys are often marked by complexity and vulnerability, this truth offers both consolation and direction. They can live safe in the knowledge that we are all lovingly held by God at every moment.”

Archbishop George Antonysamy

2. Archbishop George Antonysamy of the Archdiocese of Madras–Mylapore, India, has opened a “Catholic Desk” for the transgender community, which is housed in the parish of Kadarkarai Sagaya Madha Church in Bharathiyar Nagar, Ennore. The Catholic Desk, the first outreach to the Hijras, South India’s transgender community, will “provide holistic support through job placement assistance and professional counselling services, reflecting the Church’s commitment to dignity, inclusion and compassionate accompaniment,” reported Catholic Connect. 

3. DignityUSA, a Catholic LGBTQIA organization, issued a statement expressing “profound disappointment” with the report from the Vatican’s Synod Study Group on the Role of Women in the Church.  One of the main concerns the organization had with the document was:

“The continued insistence that fundamental differences between male and female persons represent the Divine plan for humanity, and that gender is fixed and determinative, is unquestioned. This ecclesial anthropology continues to be the primary rationale for the exclusion of women from Holy Orders, as well as the basis for teachings on sexual orientation, gender identity, and family life. The ongoing failure of our church to recognize modern scientific, sociological, and experiential findings on the issue of gender not only forces many people to the margins of church and society but also impedes the ongoing development of Catholic teaching and theology in their full potential richness.”

Gregory Maguire (Photo by Helen Newman Maguire)

4. Gregory Maguire, the gay Catholic author of the novel Wicked, which is the basis of the Broadway musical and Hollywood movies of the same name, discussed his spiritual journey on the podcast The Spiritual Life with with Father James Martin, SJ. One of the questions asked from an audience member was: “What advice would you give to a young, gay, Catholic striving to live authentically?”  Tune into the show to hear his answer.  In 2024, Maguire penned a post for Bondings 2.o entitled On Elphaba and Growing Up a Gay Catholic: ‘Wicked’s’ Author Reflects about how his identity as a gay Catholic influenced the development of Wicked. 

–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry, March 21, 2026