Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the Archbishop of Washington DC, urged unity and dialogue in his address at the “Outreach” LGBTQ Catholic conference at Georgetown University.
The conference, held from 2 – 4 August, brought together LGBTQ Catholics, clergy and many others with a vested interest to discuss faith and inclusivity within the Church.
According to the conference’s website, Outreach “gathers LGBTQ laypeople, clergy, scholars, artists, educators, students and family members to build community, share best practices and worship together”.
Outreach is a Catholic LGBTQ resource group founded by Jesuit priest and theologian Father James Martin.
In his homily, Cardinal Gregory acknowledged the complexity of LGBTQ issues within the Church and emphasised the necessity of addressing these matters with “sincerity and genuine compassion”.
“This gathering is an opportunity for people to listen to one another in love, knowing full well that we might see another’s position as difficult to understand and to accept” Gregory stated.
He expressed concern for the state of the Church and nation, decrying an “increase in violence, the forfeiture of civility in public discourse and the disavowal of once well-known hallowed values”.
Gregory noted that the Church and the nation are at a critical juncture, requiring open and respectful dialogue.
The cardinal highlighted that unity within the Church does not mean uniformity but rather a shared spiritual connectedness or “communion” that respects diverse perspectives.
Act of synodality
Gregory’s participation marked the first time a cardinal had presided over the conference’s Mass which he celebrated at Georgetown’s Dahlgren Chapel.
His involvement received support from Pope Francis who, in a note to Father Martin, expressed his spiritual closeness to the event and offered his blessings.
The cardinal praised conference attendees for being “dedicated to the pursuit of our becoming a more inclusive family of faith, welcoming others in spite of our differences”.
He said that such a pursuit is an “act of synodality” and that “sincerely and openly speaking and listening to one another under the light and guidance of the Holy Spirit is the way that the Church grows in perfection”.
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