What have we experienced in the Catholic Church with the pilgrimage of the LGBT+ Catholics and their family members?
Reflections of Father Giovanni, a participant in thejubilee pilgrimage of "La Tenda di Gionata and the other associations"(5-6 September 2025)
Jesus is our peace ...made two people alone ... (Ephesians 2.14a)
What have we experienced in Rome? The proposal of the jubilee pilgrimage with LGBT+ people and their family membersThe tent of Jonata,Like Davide towards Goliath, he was welcomed by a multitude of people scattered around the world. And while we were on the way to the Holy Door, unable to communicate for the babel of languages, it was no difficulty. It was enough to look in the eyes, a shy smile and the communication was established. Starting this new adventure together.
Why new adventure? In our heart he continued to resonate like a mantra that phrase of the bishop formulated in the mass in which we had participated in the morning in the Church of the Jesus: "The Jubilee in the Jewish tradition was the year of the return of the lands to those to whom they had been removed, of the remission of debts and the liberation of slaves and prisoners, the time in which to free the oppressed and return the dignity to those who had been denied.It is time to return dignity to everyone, especially to those who have been denied"...
After these words, it was spontaneous to break the ceremonial, and an inner force made us stand up and applaud. it Was not only an expression of consent to the bishop's words, our applauding, even a little loudly, was a way of making all that suffering, anger and helplessness that was deposited in our heart release.
We were not good because we did not leave the Church (we were not baptized as the others too?) It was also our home even if we were not recognized as such ...
"... by breaking down the separation wall that was of frammezzo, that is, the enmity (14b) ..."
Returning to the enthusiastic house, we can nourish the absurd claim to spread the pioli of the tent immediately ... if not this, but it seems to me that one thing should be done, at least where we are givenattentions(For example, a mass per month with a monsignor of Curia, sent by the bishop): ask to talk about it, it is not a union claim, but together with the ve-real how it will be possible to improve our relationships.
After all it istogetherThat we would be able to make that truth that will do good to everyone and that will make Everyone free. we cannot continue to live as separated under the same roof of cathedrals or parishes.
We are honest, those who were not in Rome with us did not have our own experience, and we cannot make violence in their hearts, none of us can only enter God can do it. But we must say or make them understand, with all the possible grace, that we are no longer satisfied with the crumbs that give us, we also want to participate in the banquet like everyone else.
Let's borrow the words that the savino Bishop he told us in the Church of the Jesus: "Together then we can Pray: jesus you are away, truth and Life. because you still precede your Church, asking peter And the apostolic College to put the alive truth to the dead truths. It still inspires each of us, in its degree of responsibility, the word holy of Peter: 'In truth i'm realizing that ... '".
An initiative - that of theJonathan's tent- Born in the deaf, unpretentious and if it has crossed the national borders, not of our will, there will have been someone who made this proposal bounced in other parts of the world that had no claim to be subversive.
But when he is the one who acts, then he makes us all a little rebellious because justice is done! We can no longer keep silent and remain in the same situation, as if nothing had happened in Rome. Each of us received something that did not expect and it is our precise duty to share it with the people we will meet in everyday life.
The delivery that as people of God have received is to feel all pilgrims of hope. to Each one the task of realizing this mandate in the family, in the jobs, among friends and obviously in our parishes.
And that everyone, all of them, is infected by our love that arises from the desire for mutual unity and acceptance in the love of the one who did not go so much for the subtle and loved us regardless of our personal history! In friendship and fraternity.
