Project Cornerstone: Ecumenical training for the inclusion of LGBT+ christians

I remember a moment in Florence (Italy) when a mother shared her difficult journey in trying to reconcile her faith with the love for her gay son. “I would like a place where we both feel welcomed,” she said. We all know that suffering.

The question remains clear: how can we help faith communities, pastoral workers, and families experience inclusion, not as a concession but as an expression of our Christian journey?

Year by year, we continue to work on this question together with pastoral workers, individuals, volunteers—and you! While we may not find definitive answers, we can create spaces and tools that foster continuous dialogue. Cornerstones to build upon.

The first edition of Cornerstone aims to develop resources such as books, interviews, and an event in Florence to equip ministers of worship, volunteers, pastoral workers, and believers with tools to understand the importance of welcoming LGBT+ people into their communities, valorizing the uniqueness of each journey of faith.

Interviews

The interview will focus on experiences of inclusive churches and their importance. It will include ministers of worship, pastoral workers, people from different confessions, and you—with your incredible treasure of experiences.

The interviews will be published online and shared during the Florence event (Saturday, April 5, 2025)

Closing remarks

We believe that the books, interviews, and the event will be precious tools for those seeking inspiration. The website gionata.org will continue to serve as a point of reference for ideas and resources.

You will find a timeline attached. You are also warmly invited to join us in Florence, if you can, for the workshop-meeting on Saturday, April 5, 2025.

CORNERSTONE Project is a cooperative initiative involving La tenda di Gionata are, the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics (GNRC), the European Forum of LGBTI+ Christian Groups, the Faith, Gender and Sexuality Commission of the Baptist, Methodist and Waldensian Churches, Gay Christian Africa, Rainbow House of Seven Sisters (RHOSS), the FGEI, the China Catholic Rainbow Community, Bridge and Embrace and Drachma Malta. Many voices, a common mission.

Yes, often there are those who tell us that dialogue with churches is useless, that we only collect crumbs, that we should impose ourselves instead of taking one step at a time. Yet, for me, every step, even the smallest, is a gesture that builds. If this is a failure, it is a failure worth living.

“The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” (Luke 20:17-18)

Cornerstone, an ecumenical project for the inclusion of LGBT+ Christians, carried out with the contribution of the 8×1000 Waldensian Church Funds 2024, project OPM/2024/47240.