(National Catholic Reporter. Emily Claire Schmitt).
In the weeks leading to Pride month, I had the privilege of speaking candidly with several of my LBGTQ+ Catholic women peers about their experience of faith, community and the church. While their perspectives differ dramatically, they all share a singular ache: to love God and to be accepted wholly into the body of Christ. Cecilia, a Filipina immigrant living in New York, loves marching openly in the Pride parade with her “Catholic Lesbians” group. Meanwhile, Becca must keep her romantic partnership a secret or lose her job teaching at a midwestern Catholic school. Ana, a Catholic school teacher in Mexico, finds great joy in a life of celibacy. Tamara, a bisexual woman, wrestled with claiming a faith where she could marry and others could not. Angela sees grace and God’s providence in her mixed-orientation marriage, while Steff is deeply unhappy in her mixed-orientation marriage and hanging onto her faith by a thread. Sarah has found a thriving Catholic LGBTQ+ community, but avoids talking about faith in queer circles. Grace yearns to come out to her Catholic friends and family.