March/April 2024 in the Diocese of Fermo and online with the “Roads of love” meetings. Faith, Bible and homosexuality”

In the diocese of Fermo, in the Marche region, three meetings in person and online open to all which, through discussion with experts and listening to some testimonies, aim to help reflect on the invitation reiterated by the Synod of Bishops, which asked that in our Christian communities we «also reserve specific attention for the accompaniment of families in which people with homosexual tendencies live"

The “Roads of love. Faith, Bible and homosexuality” is the title of a series of meetings organized by San Rocco cultural center of the Archdiocese of Fermo, by the Catholic Action of the parish of Santa Caterina di Fermo in collaboration with La Tenda di Gionata, an association founded at the request of the late Fermo priest David Esposito.

Three meetings open to all which, through discussion with experts and listening to some testimonies, want to help us reflect on the invitation reiterated by the Synod of Bishops, which asked that in our Christian communities we «rPay specific attention also to the accompaniment of families in which people with homosexual tendencies live» (Final report of the XIV General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops of 24 October 2015 “The vocation and mission of the family in the Church and in the contemporary world”, n.55).

Off we goWEDNESDAY 20 March 2024, at 9.15 pmwith“What is written? How do you read?” (Luke 10:26). Homosexuality in the Bible”in which we will discuss what the Bible says and does not say on this topic in dialogue withDon Gianluca Carrega, professor at the Theological Faculty of Northern Italy and responsible for pastoral care with homosexual people and their parents in the diocese of Turin, after having listened to the testimony of Mara Grassi, a Christian mother who had a family life heavily marked by a reductive reading of the Bible.

InsteadFRIDAY 5 April 2024, 9.15 pmwe will address the topic“Always our children. The discovery of homosexuality in a Christian family”to understand what happens in a Catholic family when a son or daughter comes out to his parents. What family dynamics of amazement, rupture, disorientation, confusion and "mourning" do families go through... and how can the Christian community accompany them on this journey. We will deal withAlessandra Bialetti, Social Pedagogist and Couple and Family Consultant, author of the book "The unexpected guest. Homosexuality in the family", After listening to some testimonies of Catholic parents and their children LGBT (lesbians, gay, bisexual and trans) of the Bethany group for Christian LGBT people of the parish of the Blessed Virgin Maria del Monte Carmelo of Montesilvano (Pescara).

In the last meeting ofThursday 18 April 2024, 9.15 pmentitled“From borders a new pastoral care. The paths of LGBT Christians and their parents in our Christian communities "We will discover the pastoral experiences of welcoming LGBT people and their parents in progress in Italy and how how this path can help the Catholic Church to be increasingly capable of welcoming the different Existential peripheles who live it. They will bring their experiencefather Pino Piva, Jesuit and expert of pastoral accompaniment paths with homosexual people;Gabriele Davalli, Director Diocesan Office for the pastoral care of the Archdiocese family of Bologna and delegate for the pastoral accompaniment of LGBT people and their parents;sister Fabrizia Giacobbe, which is part of the "coordination for the pastoral of inclusion" of homosexual people and their parents of the family pastoral care of the Archdiocese of Florence.

All meetings will be hosted by Mother pastoral center of the third millennium of the parish of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria, in via S. Andrea in Fermo, but it will also be possible to participate online by connecting to the channels Facebook and YouTube of the San Rocco Cultural Center in Fermo.

Three meetings to confront and know the many experiences arising from apostolic exhortation "Amoris Laetitia"In which Pope Francis wanted to reiterate that"each person, regardless of his sexual orientation, must be respected in his dignity and welcomed with respect»(N.250).

Everyone is invited.