NCR: Equally Blessed pilgrims welcomed despite challenges
From left, Marcia Graber, Debbie Carpenter, Jason Hernandez, Mary Freml, Rosa Manriquez, Delfin Bautista, John Freml, Nicole Santamaria, and Vilma Santamaria (Photo by Ryan Hoffmann)
Ryan Hoffmann, Director of Communications, writes story for National Catholic Reporter on LGBTQI pilgrims’ experience in Philadelphia for the 2015 World Meeting of Families.
I had the honor this past week of working with the Equally Blessed pilgrims as they journeyed to Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families. These LGBT Catholic families bravely bore witness to a vision of church in which all are welcome, loved, and embraced for the experiences and gifts they offer the Catholic community.
It is deeply disappointing the larger community gathered in Philadelphia was not afforded the same opportunity to engage and explore with these pilgrims, too. They were dismissed from giving workshops, rejected from having a presence in the exhibit hall, relegated to a Methodist church across the street, and nearly shut out of the one presentation on “same-sex attraction” that was officially allowed at the meeting.
