Transgender Catholic Ministry Is Flowering in Southern India

Today’s post is Part 1 of a two-part series on LGBTQ+ ministry in India.  Part 2 will appear later this week.

In India, the ministry to transgender people opened by the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore has been thriving under the direction of a parish priest and a transgender activist. 

Archbishop George Antonysamy launched the first sustained diocesan ministry in India for transgender people, in February, and it is currently being led by parish priest Father Leo Joseph, and Inba Ignatius, a transgender woman.  This archdiocesan  “pastoral care desk” runs a  monthly prayer meeting for trans people, which is joined by three nuns, four other priests, who are there primarily to provide pastoral support to the transgender community. 

Father Joseph, Inba Ignatius, and Sister Sagayam share a happy moment.(Photo by Priyadarshini Sen)

“We now have a way to connect directly with the church and the parish community.” Ignatius told Religion News Service.

The long-term plan is to involve more parish priests, bishops, and religious congregations in the ministry which provides trans folks with  education and employment support, healthcare access, and spiritual and pastoral accompaniment–all geared to help transgender people “live with dignity and hope.” 

The group also hopes that this model for care gets replicated in other dioceses, helping to end the misconceptions about trans people in religious institutions and broader society. Transgender people  social stigma in India, with family rejection, unemployment, poverty, and violence all very common. 

“I don’t want others to face what I’ve endured since my childhood,” Ignatius said. “The pain of feeling you don’t belong anywhere is unparalleled.”  Twenty years ago, she and three of her trans friends were refused communion during a Christmas midnight Mass, and they were told the could not receive until they had “repented.” 

She experienced workplace harassment and was taken by her family to hospitals and psychiatrists for treatment. Not only that, but recently passed legislation in India has cut down trans people’s  rights, in spite of legal rulings. It wasn’t until she left her home in the southern state of Tamil Nadu to the suburbs of Chennai, where many transgender people live, that she was able to rebuild her life.

While the program is now sponsored by the archdiocese and supported by priests and nuns as pastoral ministers, its origins began with an effort started by Ignatius. In 2015, she started her own ministry to other trans folks. She began  inviting 40 to 50 trans folks to her own home to pray with and support one another. She also expanded her house into a shelter for trans and HIV-positive people. 

“(Ignatius) is a pillar of support for us,” Kaushika, a transgender woman said. “She’s been sensitizing people about our community through flash plays, cultural programs and worship rituals.” Her shelter eventually added a chapel for prayer. The chapel is interfaith, where Pentecostal pastor Isaac Raja leads Friday afternoon services. “Our work is to soothe their inner brokenness and offer spiritual support regardless of their faith background,” he said. 

Members of the transgender community at a prayer service.(Photo by Priyadarshini Sen)

Ignatius’ work with the Catholic Church started when she met Fr. Joseph, who was assigned to a local Catholic parish. 

“I had all these stereotypes about transgender people,” Joseph said. “But Inba started sowing seeds of love in my heart from the day I met her.” In 2016, Fr. Joseph began inviting trans women to proclaim the Sunday scripture readings at Mass, as well as inviting them to teach about  gender diversity at children and youth group retreats. 

Perhaps most significantly, at the 2022 Holy Thursday service, Fr. Joseph washed the feet of seven trans women as a reflection of his care and love for the community. 

“Despite pushbacks from some orthodox people,” Joseph said, “my work has helped in my own formation as a person and has doubled my commitment to those on the peripheries.”  

Eventually, the archbishop became aware of their ministry.  Ignatius told Religion News Service article stated:

“Father Joseph opened the doors of the Catholic Church to us. Starting with the archbishop, we started getting to know other priests, nuns and religious leaders.”

The priest acknowledges that he was inspired to do this ministry because of Pope Francis’ message of “Todos! Todos! Todos!” The archbishop agreed, stating “Pope Francis was a big catalyst for our work.” 

Antonysamy supported Fr.  Joseph but is also aware of possible criticism of the ministry stated. He remains unafraid:

 “Most important is to eradicate social stigmas, and we’ll deal with pushbacks as they come.”

—Tulio Huggins, New Ways Ministry, September 2, 2026