The diocese of Como listens to Christian parents with LGBT+ children
Article published on the Weekly of the Diocese of Como of 23 January 2025, page 12
A beautiful opportunity to learn about stories of life and faith, open up to new questions and get involved; a first step towards a journey to be shared: this is the spirit of the meeting which will be held on 20 February 2025, at 8.45pm, in Como, at the San Paolo Apostolo church in Sagnino (accessible from 8.20pm). An evening that will focus on the experience of Christian parents with LGBT+ children (the acronym indicates homosexual, bisexual, transgender or other sexual orientation and gender identity people).
We will listen to the testimonies of some couples: what thoughts and feelings they experienced, what difficulties; what path they took and who was next to them; what meaning this experience had for their faith. The title of the meeting is "Children are a gift from the Lord" (Ps 127), because these parents discovered with particular depth that their children are a precious gift just as they are, and that what God asks is to love them without reservations, accompanying them in finding their way.
What we will listen to are rumors of people who are part of the Church, of the parishes, of associations and ecclesial movements.
Other people with similar experiences are also present in our communities, although we often don't notice. Their stories arouse in all of us, and above all in those who perform a pastoral service, many questions: the brothers and sisters with homosexual orientation or with a transgender identity, how do they feel in our communities?
Could they be themselves and express what I am with the trust of being welcomed and estimated? Can they communicate the joy of love? Can they serenely integrate their personal identity, their path of faith, prayer and charity and their service in the community? And thinking about their parents: what words and gestures do they need to meet? How can their experience help us grow?
In this reflection he will help us the intervention of Father Giuseppe (Pino) Piva, a Jesuit priest, who for years has accompanied the path of LGBT+ people and pastoral operators throughout Italy. In Bologna, where he has lived, for some years he has been guided the "training course for pastoral operators with LGBT+" people and groups and spiritual exercises "from borders" (prayer itinerary with and for LGBT+people, their parents and pastoral operators). His latest publication, Dignity and responsibility. A path of spiritual liberation for all (Il Pellegrino, 2024), proposes an Ignatian-type spiritual accompaniment itinerary with specific attention to the experience of homo-affective people.
Who is invited to this evening?
It is not an event reserved for families with LGBT+ children, all families who want to walk together are invited; it is a Church meeting, aimed at all those who wish our communities to be "a home for all".
For this reason, a particular invitation is addressed to those who find themselves accompanying other people, families, children and young people in the various dimensions of pastoral care: priests and deacons, consecrated persons, catechists, educators, teachers...
How did the idea for this meeting come about?
Over the last ten years, a gaze capable of recognizing the good present in the lives of LGBT+ Christians and the desire that these brothers and sisters of ours can feel fully welcomed and participate in ecclesial life have grown in the Catholic Church.
The reflection returned several times in the synods of bishops, starting with those on the family and after Amoris Laetitia. Recently several Italian dioceses have activated paths, services and teams dedicated to this pastoral attention. Also in Lombardy a path of study and reflection has been developed in the field of family pastoral care, at a regional level, and some dioceses have set up working groups.
In autumn 2023, a team for pastoral care with LGBT+ people was launched in our diocese (LGBT+ Team for the Diocese of Como), thanks to the Office for Family Pastoral Care, which immediately believed in this work, and thanks to Bishop Oscar who supported him step by step.
The team's commitment starts from listening, training and shared reflection, in order to grasp the aspects of normal pastoral life that may require attention, languages, new styles and offer some proposals to work on together.
The reason that fuels this commitment is the desire to communicate the love of Christ for every person as they are and to discover the beauty of the stories of faith that mature in the lives of LGBT+ people and their families.
The team, promoted by the Office for the Pastoral Care of the Family through a couple of representatives, involves people involved in various pastoral fields and associations, with particular attention to the education of young people, and other people with different skills; LGBT+ people and parents are also part of it.
In the next period other participants will be added to the group, but above all the aim will be to collect experiences, needs and suggestions from all interested people and to collaborate with those in the parishes and associations who are sensitive to the topic.
An encouragement to proceed is found in the suggestion that we read in the Working Tool for the Synodal Path of the Churches in Italy, published before Christmas: «Establish, also on the basis of some good practices already tested in some Italian dioceses, pastoral coordination with teams qualified people who, involving the various offices, especially those for family and youth pastoral care, work towards the transition from a pastoral care for to a pastoral care with people who feel unrecognized and on the margins of community life due to sexual orientation or gender identity... accompanying and integrating the groups present in the area" (see Sheet 5).
In personal dialogue in recent months many people have expressed satisfaction with this new path that is opening up. There are many sensitivities among us that are already alive, who just need opportunities to meet and build together.
For this reason, a contact has been activated available to anyone who wishes to dialogue and collaborate: equipelgbt@diocesidicomo.it. Furthermore, a dedicated page on the diocesan website will inform on upcoming initiatives and offer in-depth materials: family.diocesidicomo.en/pastoral-with-lgbt-people.
