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Today is Outreach Day of Giving. A ministry of America Media, Outreach builds community by celebrating and elevating the L.G.B.T.Q. Catholic experience. We are just weeks away from Outreach 2024, our annual national gathering for L.G.B.T.Q. Catholic ministry aimed at creating a welcoming church, and we regularly publish thought-provoking articles, videos and resources.
Building community for L.G.B.T.Q. Catholics is more important than ever, and we encourage you to show your support by giving a tax-deductible gift of any amount today.
To coincide with our Day of Giving, we are delighted to publish a series of 100-word essays from Outreach readers about moments they have been proud to be L.G.B.T.Q. and Catholic. Several themes emerged: kind invitations to folks looking for welcoming churches, gentle words of encouragement after coming out and simple but powerful affirmations that God loves every human being. Below is an excerpt that helps illustrate the powerful ways that L.G.B.T.Q. people embrace their Catholic faith, and we hope you’ll read the full series at Outreach.
I went to the church and confessed to the priest that I was weary of approaching the Eucharist due to my “condition” as a gay man. The priest told me that I was a true and beloved son of God, and that I not only could, but should, participate in the Eucharist. Never have I been so welcomed. Since then, I have never moved away from the Eucharist again and have begun to go to Mass almost every day. It changed my life as a Catholic. — Sergio Coelho, São Paulo, Brazil
We hope that you will make a tax-deductible gift to Outreach today, joining the more than 100 donors who have already gone on the record to support this vital work. We’ve received dozens of encouraging notes from donors about why they support Outreach:
“We appreciate the work you all do to advocate for gay Catholics and how much you have moved the needle…we know it is not easy! Thank you.”
“I believe all Children of God deserve love, respect and mercy. I support this cause to give the message of Christ and his compassion to our LGBTQ brothers and sisters.”
“My gift is to help others feel comfortable being gay and Catholic.”
On behalf of the entire Outreach team, thank you for your support and for investing in the future of the L.G.B.T.Q. Catholic community.
