Parish Life

Over the past few decades, more and more Catholic parishes have been opening their doors to LGBTQ+ people, reaching out with a welcome which is called for by Catholic teaching.

The number of parishes interested in establishing some form of LGBTQ+ ministry continues to grow every month. The resources on this page can help parishes initiate such a ministry, as well as help parishes with already established ministries to renew and develop their programs.

Resources

Find an LGBTQ-friendly Catholic parish or faith community near you

Check out New Ways Ministry’s list of LGBTQ-friendly parishes and faith communities across the United States, and in several other nations.

Sponsor a “Next Steps” program

New Ways Ministry offers a program for parishes, schools, and faith communities to help them start introducing LGBTQ+ ministry, as well as for parishes which have already started such ministry who want to develop their programs further. “Next Steps: Developing Catholic LGBTQ+ Ministry” is a program that can be held over the course of a weekend or as a one-day event. The program can be held for a single community or the host can invite people from neighboring Catholic institutions. Click here for more information.

New Ways and Next Steps

New Ways and Next Steps: Developing Parish LGBTQ+ Ministry is based on New Ways Ministry’s years of educating Catholic leaders about LGBTQ+ issues and helping parishes and schools discern pastoral projects to welcome and affirm LGBTQ+ people. Whether a parish is just initiating a ministry or already has one that needs fresh ideas, Francis DeBernardo brings pastoral ministers on a journey of discernment to help them discover the best path LGBTQ+ ministry should take in their local communities.

For more information or to order your copy, click here

What You Can Do

How can you make your parish, school, or faith community a more welcoming place for LGBTQ+ people?  Here are some lists of some simple, practical steps you and your community can take to make sure that LGBTQ+ people have a place at the table.

  1. Don’t guess or gossip about someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity; if concerned, speak to the person privately.
  2. Examine your own attitudes about LGBTQ people.
  3. Learn from talking with a parent of an LGBTQ person.
  4. Get facts, not myths, about sexual orientation and gender identity from trusted scientific and social scientific sources.
  5. Talk to God about your feelings about LGBTQ people. Be honest. Be open to God’s response.
  6. Write letters of affirmation to LGBTQ people who work or volunteer in your parish.