Gay+
Gay+ is a celebration of our individual journeys in faith as LGBTQ+ Catholics. Inspired by the radical hospitality here at Old St. Pat’s, we are an inclusive community, welcoming to all sexual orientations, gender identities, and allies! We are a place for peace, support, conversation, and faith sharing. Please email gayplus@oldstpats.org if you have any questions!
A LETTER OF WELCOME FROM GAY + CO-CHAIR, KEVIN FUNK
There is little question that the community of Old St. Pat’s is built upon the firm conviction that, “All are welcome here.” In fact, those were literally the first words I heard as I first attended a mass here in this special place. Radical hospitality is not just an empty saying between these walls; it is something that you feel when you come here to pray, to learn, to rejoice, and to mourn. This is where the Spirit renews us with hope and love; with challenge and peace; with perspective and, if necessary, a way forward. To be present at Old St. Pat’s is to acknowledge our brothers and sisters and to embrace them, celebrating all that makes them different as we come together to praise the God who makes us one.
All are welcome here.
As a gay Catholic, I fall short in trying to explain what those words mean. It cannot be put to paper because it is a feeling so profound as to give pause to time itself, if only for the span of a heartbeat, to think, “Does that mean me?” It’s a moment of reckoning that I experience specifically because I am a gay Catholic; a moment in which I experienced the voice of God in a way uniquely my own. As children of God, we are men, women, old, young, gay, straight, tall, short, transgender, cisgender, large and small. Our skin is every shade and our voice is every note; yet we are all called to be one with God and through God.
All are welcome here.
Gay+ (“Gay Plus”) is a celebration of those moments that shaped our individual journeys in faith as LGBTQ+ Catholics and it is a space to share in these experiences together. In the spirit of embracing the “+” in LGBTQ+, this name reminds us that we are more than the letters of the alphabet. The Spirit is working in all of us and through all of us to be ministers of God’s love, compassion, and mercy. Gay+ is an inclusive community, welcoming to all sexual orientations, gender identities, and allies! We welcome you to be among friends here whenever we come together for casual discussions and refreshment. We hope to see you at our future programs; please keep an eye out for our space in the bulletin for upcoming events! And, as I’ve come to learn, to love, and hope to have expressed to you:
All are welcome here!
There is little question that the community of Old St. Pat’s is built upon the firm conviction that, “All are welcome here.” In fact, those were literally the first words I heard as I first attended a mass here in this special place. Radical hospitality is not just an empty saying between these walls; it is something that you feel when you come here to pray, to learn, to rejoice, and to mourn. This is where the Spirit renews us with hope and love; with challenge and peace; with perspective and, if necessary, a way forward. To be present at Old St. Pat’s is to acknowledge our brothers and sisters and to embrace them, celebrating all that makes them different as we come together to praise the God who makes us one.
All are welcome here.
As a gay Catholic, I fall short in trying to explain what those words mean. It cannot be put to paper because it is a feeling so profound as to give pause to time itself, if only for the span of a heartbeat, to think, “Does that mean me?” It’s a moment of reckoning that I experience specifically because I am a gay Catholic; a moment in which I experienced the voice of God in a way uniquely my own. As children of God, we are men, women, old, young, gay, straight, tall, short, transgender, cisgender, large and small. Our skin is every shade and our voice is every note; yet we are all called to be one with God and through God.
All are welcome here.
Gay+ (“Gay Plus”) is a celebration of those moments that shaped our individual journeys in faith as LGBTQ+ Catholics and it is a space to share in these experiences together. In the spirit of embracing the “+” in LGBTQ+, this name reminds us that we are more than the letters of the alphabet. The Spirit is working in all of us and through all of us to be ministers of God’s love, compassion, and mercy. Gay+ is an inclusive community, welcoming to all sexual orientations, gender identities, and allies! We welcome you to be among friends here whenever we come together for casual discussions and refreshment. We hope to see you at our future programs; please keep an eye out for our space in the bulletin for upcoming events! And, as I’ve come to learn, to love, and hope to have expressed to you:
All are welcome here!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I’m not gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. Can I still attend programs or events?
Absolutely! We welcome and encourage friends and allies regardless of sexual identity.
I have a friend from another parish that is LGBTQ+, would (s)he be able to attend?
Yes, we welcome OSP members as well as members of other parishes.
I’m a parent of a LGBTQ+ child/adult, and I have questions about my new experiences as a Catholic, are there people for me to talk to?
Yes, we sponsor a program of peer companionship called the Listening Parent. Please contact Maureen Schuneman at listeningparent@gmail.com for more information.
Gay+ Planning Committee meetings – Our planning committee gets together once per month to plan the upcoming programs and discuss outreach opportunities within and beyond Old St. Pat’s, and plan out different events our committee may be hosting or co-sponsoring. Please contact gayplus@oldstpats.org to get involved in our planning committee!
I’m not gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. Can I still attend programs or events?
Absolutely! We welcome and encourage friends and allies regardless of sexual identity.
I have a friend from another parish that is LGBTQ+, would (s)he be able to attend?
Yes, we welcome OSP members as well as members of other parishes.
I’m a parent of a LGBTQ+ child/adult, and I have questions about my new experiences as a Catholic, are there people for me to talk to?
Yes, we sponsor a program of peer companionship called the Listening Parent. Please contact Maureen Schuneman at listeningparent@gmail.com for more information.
Gay+ Planning Committee meetings – Our planning committee gets together once per month to plan the upcoming programs and discuss outreach opportunities within and beyond Old St. Pat’s, and plan out different events our committee may be hosting or co-sponsoring. Please contact gayplus@oldstpats.org to get involved in our planning committee!