What does it look like to be gay – and a practicing Catholic?

[at9009]

One thing that would help too, I guess is to give models of SSA/gay Catholics which is why I think it’s great to hear Joseph’s story, the Third Way movie, etc.

Slight addendum, I meant Everlasting Hills not Third Way [Although I heard Third Way is okay too]

 

[bobballen_18]

Celibate gay Catholics, by virtue of being chaste, aren’t in the “gay lifestyle.” Furthermore, because “SSA” predicates you don’t have to be gay to have “SSA,” and many people with “SSA” deny they’re homosexual, it’s going to be a near-impossible task getting heterosexuals to attend Courage meetings - that’s why they’ll write it off - not because they presume it’s only for those in the “gay lifestyle,” but because they’re not gay and will feel they have nothing in common with, and no shared experience, with those who are. In short, the “SSA” model would require one “SSA-heterosexual” meeting for those who are straight, and one “SSA-homosexual” meeting for those who are, or could be, gay.

lol, randomuser, you are making this waaay too complicated. I was making the point that theoretically, Courage is for anyone who struggles with SSA - whether the person identifies as gay or not.

Also, you are very hung up over the idea that someone who prefers to say that he has SSA is saying he is “heterosexual”. Well, no. I don’t consider myself a heterosexual OR a homosexual. So your “problem” you outline above is not so much of one after all. The whole point of not wanting to use the word gay is to get away from the whole concept of “sexual identifiers” and “sexual orientation”, since it does not adequately reflect the true nature of the human person.

One feasible solution to the issue at hand, which would bypass the “SSA” confusion, would be participation in fellowship groups the Newman Center at many college campuses and universities – these groups have rosaries, game nights, etc. Unlike at regular diocesan parishes (which are predominantly families and seniors) and because they’re on college campuses, Catholic Newman Centers are statistically more likely to have a greater demographic of celibate “gay” Catholics - here’s one such ministry that showed up right away on a Google search:
csufnewman.com/setting-table

Actually, I think you have the right idea there! Very generally, that is a big thing for people with SSA to do - be involved with a community and foster Christ-centered relationships.

However, unless you are close to college age, most of the time there would probably be a sense that you don’t belong and I would imagine that most Newman Center activities/events are geared towards college-age students, though probably many other people could benefit.

I think one of the challenges in general for young adults, SSA or not, is to be involved with their own parishes as often as possible, so that a foundation may be built there. And sure, depending on where one lives - i.e., basically depending on if one lives in a big metro area, small metro area, or small town - that will be easier or harder to varying degrees.

I can speak firsthand to the desire, as a 24-year-old young adult, for fellowship with people similar to my own age. And I mean, that desire is common to pretty much people of all ages. So I do not at all mean to ignore that. But I do think that young adults should make more of an effort to get involved with and make a difference at their own parish above all. And if that means learning to interact with “old people” then great! Lol.

To go back to randomusers idea, yes, that is the general idea, to get involved with a parish community. I guess all I am trying to say in addition is, both single Catholics and Catholics with SSA should make every effort to make their own parish that primary source of community. And not by jabbering immediately before and after Mass, inside the Church. Lol. Though it would be nice to have it readily available, we can’t just expect everything to be perfectly in place at our own parishes, so we have to do our part! I am guilty in this respect in some ways, so I need to more fully heed my own words…haha. I understand that due to a) the, well, “diversity of thought” of many Catholics today, and also, b) the willingness or lack thereof of many priests to really foster strong parish community with a strong foundation in a solid, reverent Liturgy and solid teaching, some parishes would be harder to “dive into” but still, and I include myself in this, not necessarily as someone with SSA but at least as a young, single Catholic, we need to do a better job of doing our part to foster community at our own parishes.