Put Out into the Deep
Oct 22 2024
This week, we reflect on the importance of witness. It's a word that BCF uses a lot, and for very good reason.
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Nourish the Witnesses
Building Catholic Futures began with a retreat: a gathering of ten Catholics who identify as gay, bi, or same-sex attracted, who embrace Church teaching, and who had some leadership experience in gay communities, Catholic communities, or both.
There are two things to notice here. First, it was easy to gather ten of these people together! And there were many who couldn’t make it. When BCF travels, people often tell us, “We’ve never heard these voices before.” And yet we know that queer people who seek to flourish as Catholic disciples are everywhere. Whenever we travel—in the same places where priests and other leaders find us surprising—people come up to us to tell us their stories of quiet faith. That tells us that BCF can strengthen these communities by connecting the people who have never heard these stories with the people who have hesitated to share their stories.
And second, we began not with theory, but with people. We began by witnessing to our own experiences—what helped us embrace the Catholic faith, as well as what had harmed us or pushed us away. We all had accompanied other queer people who left the Church or remain deeply ambivalent about Her, and we shared what they had told us of their journeys, too. All of these stories help us craft our approach. Our theory is grounded in our experience, and our experience makes us confident that the lives, longings, and aspirations of gay people hold insights that the Church can honor and embody.
It’s important to us to use the word “witness” in all of our programs for LGBT/SSA+ people, regardless of their current relationship to the Catholic Church. Anyone who wants to grow in faith, or open a door to faith, can witness to what God has already done in their life. We have discovered that every diocese in America has a cloud of witnesses: gay people walking with Jesus. Nourishing these witnesses begins with noticing them.
Futures Webinar
This Saturday, October 26 at 1pm Pacific/4pm Eastern time, we’ll host a webinar to introduce our resources for parents, educators, and others who care for young people. We’ll explain the thinking behind them, and explore ways you can bring BCF’s work to your local communities. If you’re interested, click Event Registration to sign up.
Prayer Requests
Some of you may pray with the devotional guide Magnificat. This month, in preparation for All Saints Day (Nov 1), they offer a Litany of the Counsel of the Saints. This beautiful litany showcases the diversity of holiness. These saints speak of hope and of suffering, of confidence in the Resurrection and of active service in this life. St Joseph even “speaks” through his humble and reverent silence. BCF could pick many of these saints’ words to highlight, but we were especially touched by Pope St John XXIII’s description of friendship with God:
"Lord, I have looked into your eyes with my eyes. I have put your heart near my heart."
From the BCF community:
And please pray for Building Catholic Futures, that we may be faithful and fearless witnesses to God’s work in our lives. And let us know how we can pray for you.
Thank You!
Thanks to our many subscribers, donors, and friends!
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To learn more about our work and how you can help, you can send us a quick note via the Contact Us page or the Donate to BCF form at BuildingCatholic.org.
Duc in altum! Put out into the deep!
Eve and Keith