(You can find the Spanish version of this post here)
The GNRC Contemplative Spiritual Formation committee invites you to its bi-weekly contemplative gathering.
Theme: “A SECOND GAZE”
Saturday’s program can be found here (For those who have already registered with the Meditation Chapel, the link to the Gaia room can be found at the top of the program). During this session we will have:
- Opening spoken prayer
- Check-in
- Christian Meditation – Silent Prayer for 20 min.
- Video or reading, and sharing
- Closing spoken prayer
Date and Time: Our next Contemplative Spiritual Formation Gathering will be on Saturday, October 22th at:
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8 a.m. San Francisco/Vancouver
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10 a.m. Chicago/Winnipeg/Mexico City/Lima
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11 a.m. Toronto/New York City
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12 noon Sao Paulo/Buenos Aires/Santiago/Halifax
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4 p.m. London
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5 p.m. Hamburg/Zurich/Cairo/Cape Town
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8:30 p.m. New Delhi
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11 p.m. Manila/Singapore
How to connect to the Contemplative Spiritual Formation Gathering?
Our Contemplative Spiritual Formation Gathering is held every two weeks in the “Online Meditation Chapel: An interfaith meditation community.”.
We will be meeting in the Gaia Chapel of the online Meditation Chapel. If you are a first-time user of the chapel, we ask you to do the following in advance, in order to join us:
- See the Meditation Chapel website that can be found here to learn what it has to offer us.
- Register to become a user. You will be asked to follow the rules of conduct. Register as a chapel user here.
- At our start time click on the link for the Gaia Chapel which will be sent to your registered email once you register. Bookmark this link because it will the same for all future gatherings of the Rainbow Contemplatives (the name of our group).
Remember that our contemplative spiritual formation gahering is celebrated in English. If you want to receive the next dates for our scheduled gatherings, please send an email to argel.tuason@gmail.com (English and Tanagol), dignitytoronto@gmail.com (English and French) or ricardo.schoen486@gmail.com (English, Spanish and German).
Frank Testin – one of our CSF Committee members – would like to extend you a warm invitation and reffer you briefly about what our bi-weekly contemplative spiritual formation gathering includes and celebrates.
Please extend the invitation to anyone else you know who may be interested.
Hope you can join us!
Shalom,
🙏
Contemplative Spiritual Formation Committee
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Assembly Photo Gallery: Praying Ceremonies
Assembly Photo Gallery: Conference and Workshops
Assembly Photo Gallery: Basilica de Guadalupe Tour
Assembly Photo Gallery: Assembly´s Faces
Assembly Photo Gallery: Leisure and Fun in Mexico
]]>First she deigned to let herself be seen by those who have suffered exclusion inside the temples, their names: LGBTIQ+; and it was later that her precious and beloved Image appeared in front of the religious authorities.
Wednesday, September 14, 2022, was a historic day for the rainbow Catholic communities, since at the feet of the Virgin of Guadalupe, we were blessed and received with open arms as a mother does. We carried in our hands, like Saint Juan Diego, the rainbow tilma filled with symbolic flowers that represented the souls of those who, because of our diverse sexuality, have been victims of marginalization and oblivion in many of our spaces of faith.
During the pilgrimage through the central aisle of the Guadalupe enclosure and accompanied by the entrance song, the questions resounded in our rainbow minds as they did to Juan Diego:
“Perchance am I worthy, am I deserving of what I hear? Perhaps I am only dreaming? Perhaps I only see it as if between dreams?”… And when the chanting suddenly ceased, when it stopped being heard, then he heard them calling him from above the cerrillo, they said to him: ‘Juanito, Juan Dieguito.’ Then he dared to go to where they were calling him; no disturbance troubled his heart nor did anything upset him, but rather he felt joyful and happy in every way, he went up to the hill to go and see where they were calling him from.” (Nican Mopohua 9; 12 and 13).
And so we arrived where they were calling us. “We are here to thank you that you love us, that you receive us with your maternal heart full of affection, and that you bless us so that we may continue in our Fourth Assembly studying, praying and organizing ourselves to work all in favor of Inclusion and the construction of a Synodal Church.” (Homily September 14, 2022, Gonzalo Rosas sj).
Our rainbow hearts burned, we could see it, we could feel it, it was enough to look around to feel the presence of God in those who were present and participated in such an emotional celebration. At no time did we feel tension, but rather love and acceptance for those of us who for a long time have suffered intolerance and exclusion. The words of Mary of Guadalupe to Juan Diego were more alive than ever:
“For, in truth, I am honored to be your compassionate mother, yours and all of you who live together on this earth, and also of all the other varied races of men, those who love me; those who call me, those who seek me, those who trust in me. For there, indeed, I will hear their cry, their sorrow, to remedy, to cure all their different sorrows, their miseries, their pains.” (Nican Mopohua – 29 to 32).
And as almost 500 years ago of the apparitions of Guadalupe, her love was also accompanied by a request: “…go to the palace of the bishop of Mexico, and you will tell him how I send you…” (Nican Mopohua – 33); likewise, as people who belong to the rainbow Catholic communities we have received the mission to approach the hierarchical and regular Church to build bridges and work together in creating safe spaces of faith for those who live in diversity.
However, like Juan Diego, sometimes we have not been heard or spaces have been closed, just because of the fear of embracing what is different, because it is out of the “norms”. Nevertheless, Mary of Guadalupe asks us to insist, she asks us to trust that the message we carry comes from God, because it is a message of love and inclusion.
Undoubtedly, this rainbow celebration was a reminder not to forget our mission to bring the face of welcome, love and inclusion to all people. Our Lady of Guadalupe reminds us of her maternal bond by calling us, as she did Juan Diego: my little one. This smallness does not disqualify us, but on the contrary, it shows us that from that reality our vocation must include doing something great: to bring faith and hope to all people who are losing it.
Finally, let us make the sweet and loving words of the Virgin of Guadalupe resound in our rainbow lives, especially when we feel the bitter loneliness generated by swimming against the current:
“Am I not here, who have the honor and joy of being your mother? Are you not under my shade and shelter? Am I not the source of your joy? Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? Do you need anything else? Let nothing else afflict you, let nothing else trouble you…” (Nican Mopohua – 119 and 120).
The challenge is great, but we have been entrusted with a beautiful mission that can only flourish if we welcome it in our hearts and believe that God accompanies us and guides us across all the rainbow…
Antonio Ortiz Siliceo, September 2022
]]>SANTA MARÍA DE GUADALUPE: Bless and Encourage our Service
Fr Gonzalo Rosas sj, Mass Homily
Good morning, sisters and brothers, this morning the representatives of different countries that are participating in “The Fourth Assembly of the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics” have made a pilgrimage to the “little house” of our Holy Mother Mary of Guadalupe. We come as your sons and daughters to meet your loving gaze that embraces us in the heart.
We are here to thank you that you love us, that you receive us with your maternal heart full of affection, and that you bless us so that we continue in our Fourth Assembly studying, praying and organizing ourselves to work all in favor of Inclusion and the construction of a Synodal Church.
We present to you with humility and joy, the Communities that little by little are emerging in our countries, because they are true spaces for dialogue, listening, respect, acceptance, and dignity of the person throughout the world. With pain and tears, we ask you for consolation for all the victims of intolerance, exclusion and rejection full of hatred and violence, which have taken many brothers, sisters, friends and relatives from us; just for being different.
Virgin of Guadalupe, the words of Saint Paul to the Corinthians resound in our ears, because he has invited them to take care of their faith from false idols, from divisions and exclusion, and to seek unity because we are one body, and all we are called to live love from respect and inclusion Holy Mary of Guadalupe, in our Fourth Assembly of the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics, we have contemplated your Son Jesus who with great cunning and creativity showed everyone the path of love that leads to God, and above all, that he showed it to them with his testimony of life.
Because Jesus always loved his Father, his God, and accepted all the people who approached him, Jesus is for all humanity an example of inclusion, respect and acceptance of others. Help us to continue building from love and inclusion, bridges of fraternity based on respect, acceptance and valuing ourselves as your sons and daughters. Grant us the grace that our “Fourth International Assembly of the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics” has good results so that we present them to our Lord Bishops of the Dioceses and Archdioceses who sent us, and that with their blessing, we can share them with our parish communities.
Mother, thank you very much because we feel heard in our deepest longings and desires, because you remedy and heal the different miseries and pains that afflict us, to accomplish what your compassionate merciful gaze intends. We leave full of consolation and joy to continue working to build a fairer world for all, a world with more peace and justice, a world with more inclusion and respect.
AMEN
For more multimedia related to the “Bless and Encourage our Service” homily, please click here.
]]>Let´s open our hearts through the expressions of emotions and thoughts present in the Fourth Assembly.
“Participating in the 4th Assembly of the GNRC has been an experience that has allowed me to meet brothers, sisters and brothers from various countries and learn about their experiences being rainbow Catholics and their communities and thus generate inter-community bonds of support and mutual help. And of course it has allowed me to celebrate and share the faith in one of the largest Marian shrines in Latin America, and there with the Guadalupana we could all recognize ourselves as her diverse children, full of dignity and love of God.” Ines Pujol from Espacio Seguro Católico (San José, Costa Rica).
“The 4th GNRC Assembly in CDMX has been an experience full of accents, skin tones, eye color and different ways of praying. Diversity in its purest form… The work in commissions, the workshops, the debates and spaces for the exchange of ideas and community experiences have been a laboratory for learning… Congratulations to the organizing team and to GNRC for being the common home of the rainbow communities of the world.” Luis Mariano González from Crismhom (Madrid, Spain).
“It was a great blessing to participate in the 4th GNRC Assembly. It is encouraging to meet people from all over the world involved in LGBT+ inclusion and citizenship in society and the Church. We always strengthen each other. We received a message of support from the president of the Episcopal Conference of Mexico. We celebrated Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the national shrine dedicated to the patron saint of Latin America.
More than two thirds of the church was occupied. At the beginning of the celebration, the GNRC group entered in procession with the celebrating priests and took a prominent place in front of the altar. The emotion was very strong. We felt that we were children of God and of the Catholic Church, loved and supported. Praise God, with the dear mother and lady of Guadalupe.” Fr Luis Correa Lima, sj (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).
“It’s a space where I felt alone coz I was the only black person but gladly the people present made me feel at home.” Joanita SSenfuka from FARUG (Kampala, Huganda). Note from GNRC: Due to logistics and finnantial needs, the presence of communities from Asia Pacific and Africa was affected in comparison to the two innitial versions of the gathering. GNRC will keep working and aims to be a more inclusive space not only during the Assemblies but in the regular network operation for all our regions.
“The GNRC Assembly in Mexico City meant hope, love, fraternity, and is an example of perseverance of our siblings who have given their service for the LGBTIQ Pastoral Care work in the Catholic Church.” Gonzalo Vilchis from Efetá (Mexico City, Mexico).
“The assembly meant hope, as I realized that the Holy Spirit stirs in many hearts around the world the same inclusive mission; it meant community because I was able to come in contact with wonderful, passionate and proactive people with the desire to build the Kingdom of God; and it meant a challenge to continue working for our communities.” Arturo Retana from Espacio Seguro Católico (San José, Costa Rica).
“The 4th assembly was very emotional as it showed the power that community building has. The discussion about the participation of women, the struggle with our allies, about spirituality and possibilities for action, made me renew my hope and my motivation in pastoral work. Its celebration in Latin America also made a huge difference, to make me feel part of this movement, realizing that our Latino siblings feel and are with us in the fight.” Isabella Tymburibá Elian from Diversidade Católica no RJ (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
“The assembly offered a broader view of masculinities and the characteristics of each orientation and identity in order to understand and include us as Catholic believers. The assembly fostered optimism and energy, we felt the presence of God telling us that he is with us and that we continue in our mission of encounter and evangelization within our condition as LGTBIQ+ persons.” Miguel Jaimes from Comocad (Lima, Peru)
“For me the 4th assembly has meant the ideal opportunity to meet again with those of us who work shoulder to shoulder in the construction of the Kingdom of God, besides the fact that especially this assembly gave the opportunity that the hierarchy for the first time sat down to listen to us.” Eduardo “Lalo” Andrade from Colectivo Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada (Mexico City, Mexico).
“Participating in this 4th assembly of the GNRC has been one of the most important experiences for our marriage and will remain in our memories. Sharing every single moment, meeting together people from so many countries, with different realities, receiving the blessing for the community in the Basilica of Guadalupe and knowing and feeling part of this great LGBTI+ family without borders. As sons and daughters, beloved of God, it has strengthened us, not only personally, but also as spouses.” Maria and Veronica from HAVAHINAM (Coahuila, México)
“It is always a strong and overwhelming experience to (re)meet representatives of Catholic LGBTQIA+ groups from different countries. We are sure that we are not alone in this journey and that little by little our struggle, our longings are advancing. Cultivating spirituality following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, supported by the treasures of the Catholic tradition, strengthens and pushes us to build the Kingdom of God starting with the Church itself.” Lula Ramirez from Grupo de Acao Pastoral de Sao Paulo (Sao Paulo, Brazil).
“I was impressed by the depth of conversations we had at the Assembly and the friendships we were able to form within a few days.” Thomas Bartsch from Quest LGBTI+ (London, UK).
“This 4th assembly was an event from which I left with many feelings, memories, friendships and work. With the main task of “Listening” to know where to start from in education and formation, and to grow, strengthening our networks and bridges. I highlight the unforgettable moment of the mass celebrated in the Basilica of Guadalupe.” Ana Ruiz from La Viña (Sonora, Mexico).
“An impulse to continue innovating in the creation of the Kingdom of God. An affectionate hug given and an even more affectionate hug to be given. These days were a constant snuggle of support and learning to move forward with our work, of which we should be more than proud.” Miguel Cortes from Padis+ Chile (Santiago, Chile).
“The Assembly was a powerful experience of community, prayer and solidarity. I am leaving the assembly uplifted in spirit, memories and ready to continue the work.” Meli Barber from DignityUSA (Indiana, USA).
Inspired by Pope Francis’ invitation to walk together – The Synodal Path – to build a Catholic Church where everyone is welcome, the member communities of the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics (GNRC) shared from September 10 to 15 our Fourth Extraordinary Assembly, which took place in Mexico City.
We had several moments to share workshops, conferences, encounters and celebrations, but a moment that will remain in our hearts was the experience of feeling ourselves welcomed and fully included at the Tepeyac place, with our good mother – María de Guadalupe – as a witness. It was the ideal moment to thank and endorse to God our commitment to walk together with the Catholic Church in the creation and promotion of inclusive spaces for the LGBTIQ+ community.
The Mexico´s Network of Rainbow Catholics – REDCAM for its acronym in Spanish – thanks God and GNRC for the opportunity of have being elected as hosts of this event. Walk together – with all our siblings from Latin America – is to be able to show the warmth, traditions and spirituality of our communities through their own icons, songs and languages, and above all with our witnesses that we believe will be an inspiration to work for a more inclusive Catholic Church.
To finish, I´d like to share with you the words sent by the Bishop of Monterrey for the beggining of our Assembly:
“If we are asked on the street what it is that brings us together here today, we can give many answers. The same if we are asked what all of us present here have in common.
I personally consider that the main reason why we are gathered here today, and what we all have in common, is the fact that we share the same faith in God. Therefore, what unites and brings us together, in short, is our desire to meet Christ and our neighbor in an atmosphere of prayer and reflection.
In this context, please receive cordial greetings from Bishop Rogelio, who invites us to focus our reflection during these days on all those elements that allow us to continue building the kingdom of heaven here on earth. May faith, hope and charity be the light that illuminates our lives today and always; and may mutual respect become the letter of introduction for those of us who believe in Christ and his promises.
Welcome to Mexico. May God grant us abundant fruits and blessings in this Assembly.” Monsenhor Rogelio Cabrera, Bishop of Monterrey.
May Bishop Cabrea inspire us to keep our journey and walk together as one Church.
Antonio Ortiz Siliceo – Red de Católicos Arcoíris México Chair and GNRC Latin America Delegate 2019 – 2022
Check for pictures and insights from the Assembly here.
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It was a two years work for GNRC – involving the Board, most of our Committees and our host group “RedCam” – to prepare our Fourth Assembly. Even if it was delayed for a year, since the official invitation on April 2022 the rollercoaster started to move before gathering us in Mexico City.
Our Fourth Assembly in Mexico had forty attendants – including delegates and guests – and more than fifty registered for the online sessions from all five regions. Given the challenges of a post COVID world, our first hybrid Assembly was as accessible and inclusive as it was possible to be. We are indebted to our donor for his amazing gift that allowed some financial assistance for some of our delegates. The success and enjoyment of the Assembly is down to our hosts, the wonderful RedCam team ably led by Antonio Ortiz Siliceo.
Also, during the Assembly the delegates worked hard on some incredible workshops on Gender Fluidity and on Masculinity, and we played hard with visits to Xochimilco and celebrating Mexico Day. But more than anything, much positive energy and optimism was created by the presence of many members from Latin America. Antonio Ortiz Siliceo, REDCAM Chair and GNRC Latin American Region Delegate for the 2019 – 2022 period, shares here his thoughts of the gathering as well as includes the greetings message sent by the Bishop of Monterrey to the Assembly.
New Books Released during the Fourth Assembly
Two books were profiled during the Assembly. Many copies of ‘Blessed Are Those Who Mourn’ edited by Eros Shaw, Mark Larrimore and Michael Clifton were very generously available for delegates to take away with any donations being gifted to GNRC. And Fr. Luis Corrêa Lima’s launched his book ‘TEOLOGIA y LGBT+’ (Theology and the LGBT+´s) with an emotionally charged presentation which prompted the Assembly to write a letter, signed by the GNRC Co Chairs, and addressed to the Superior General of the Society of Jesus (Spanish version also available here).
Also, Fr Luis Garcia Orso, sj – author of the recently launched ‘Abrazar un Arcoíris’ (Embracing a Rainbow)- was present for a panel to introduce both books. There, the Assembly expressed their encouragement for continued and greater dialogue and discussion on the realities of LGBT+s during their formation years.
A New GNRC Board for the Future elected in the Fourth Assembly
And so, we now have a new Board elected, but await the vacant role for Treasurer to be filled. And the newly structured representation of regions with Regional CoOrdinators awaits a representative from our colleagues in Africa. The Assembly has mandated the new Board to forge ahead with its plans for the future, especially with its Accompaniment Project, which was kick started with the presentation of a video by the Embracing Womyn’s Committee. The major task now is for the new Board to seek sources of funding, to strategize its work for the Accompaniment project, to forge stronger bonds of engagement with our members in all our regions so that their voices are heard on our global platform.
So, let us now congratulate our Co Chairs Marianne Duddy-Burke, and Chris Vella and other Board members Antonio Ortiz Siliceo (Regions Representative), Susanne Birke (Diversity Representative), Paolo Alacqua (Secretary) and Ruby Almeida (Media Coordinator). We wish them well and look forward to exciting new possibilities and challenges as we leave the bleakness of the past few years behind us. Find the updated composition of our board in the following link.
Expressions of Hope and Joy from our Fourth Assembly Attendants
Indeed, we have the evidence off all the hard work that our delegates did in Mexico City. There is not enough space in our website to display all the moments and memories that will remain in our hearts but we´d like to share with you some insights and images that will portray the spirit displayed in our Fourth Assembly. Find our Memories and Pictures Catalogue plus our attendants references here.
In particular, we´d like to note the beautiful homily celebrated at the Basilica of Guadalupe. There, our mention was publicly mentioned by Fr Gonzalo Rosas sj, long time contributor of RedCam México. Please find the full translation of his homily speech “Bless and Encourage our Service” for the Fourth Assembly attendants as well as the images of that remarkable moment here. Also, an in deep reflection about the visit and its impact for our community was made by Antonio Ortiz.
]]>You may find the original letter in Spanish and Portuguese here or for direct download
To Rev Fr Arturo Sosa, General Superior of the Society of Jesus
It´s our need to express our appreciation due to the direct support provided by Fr Luis Correa Lima, SJ and Fr James Martin, SJ, and through them, all the Jesuits and people linked to the Society of Jesus who are working in the apostolic works of the Society, accompanying LGBTBIQ believers and their families, as well as groups and communities around the world.
Thank you for stepping forward to offer reconciliation between different sexual orientations and gender identities to those who were unaware of the gift of their diversity and their faith.
The frontiers are ready for sowing, but more workers are needed to take up these challenges and to let their hearts be touched by these realities which, for some, are a challenge to their faces and names, and God’s beautiful way of creating will be discovered.
One more thing, Rev. Father, may the Society of Jesus, in its discernment, find full awareness of the need to open spaces for theological and philosophical reflection in its universities to open spaces for theological and philosophical reflection in its universities. It is very important to create spaces for formation and to work on the elaboration of solid arguments to enter into a sincere and fraternal dialogue within the Church.
In order to offer hope that Catholics and LGBTBIQ+ people can be Catholic, it is essential to be in the public debate or to share knowledge. It is convenient to make a postulate for a rainbow that saves lives and caresses so many hearts in need of respect, compassion and sensitivity.
Today, at the 4th Assembly of the NGRC, which is a community of rainbow communities, and hosted in Mexico City, we ask the Blessed Mother of God, the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe, to protect both the Society of Jesus and the LGBTQ+ communities around the world.
With repeated love for the Holy Catholic Church in which we met Jesus, the all-inclusive One who caresses us in every good deed that He does for the Church and for the world, we remain at your disposal for any further information.
Mexico City, September 15th 2022
Chris Vella – GNRC Co-Chair 2019 / 2022
Ruby Almeida – GNRC Co-Chair 2019 / 2022
staging-rainbowcatholicsorg-staging.kinsta.cloud – secretary@gnrcatholics.org
catolicosarcoiris.mx – redarcoirismx@gmail.com
Fr. James Martin wrote to Pope Francis asking three questions, and the Pope replied almost immediately with a hand written note on the new site Outreach. The Pope’s affirmation and love for our marginalised community are very important sentiments, and something that we yearn to see in our Church and in society.
Two of our GNRC Board members, Secretary Marianne Duddy Burke and Co-Chair Ruby Almeida, representing other organisations have given their responses to the article by Fr. James Martin in the Outreach publication that includes Pope Francis letter.
“The continual affirmation that we are an integral and beloved part of the family of Christ is such an important message that needs to be said and heard by the LGBT+ community and by society at large. A parent never tires of telling their child how much they love them, and certainly that child blossoms in that knowledge and environment of love. And, as children of God we too need to hear those messages of love and acceptance.” Ruby Almeida on Independent Catholic News (ICN)
“As someone who will be speaking at the Outreach conference, and as a married Lesbian Catholic mother with a transgender child, I am glad to know that this event is on Pope Francis’ radar. It is vitally important that church officials, including the Pope, are aware of and publicly acknowledge gatherings of LGBTQ and Ally Catholics. It is encouraging that he sent warm greetings.” Read the full reference by Marianne Duddy-Burke on The Advocate
We acknowledge, with pride that many of our Board members are actively engaged not just on the GNRC Board but are also involved and contributing with other LGBT+ groups – such as the new Outreach site -, and who advocate for all our communities through their media commentaries.
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