Gay Catholics & Catholic Lesbians – Church of St. Francis Xavier, NY

During the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, the Church of St. Francis Xavier was one of the only Catholic churches willing to minister to those suffering with the then-fatal disease. Parishioners visited AIDS patients at St. Vincent’s Hospital and in their homes. Founded in 1993, the Gay Catholics group was comprised of LGBTQ parishioners and allies who met and prayed as a community. In 1995, Catholic Lesbians split off to create their own group to address the needs of gay women by gay women. Every June since 1994 the LGBTQ groups have marched in the NYC Pride Parade with a parish banner. In 2010, Archbishop Timothy Dolan forbade SFX from marching with the parish name, so they marched that year with a blank banner. Currently the Gay Catholics and Catholic Lesbians ministries continue to meet regularly and maintain their presence in the parish and wider community.

Successes:

• Outreach – Willingness to provide ministry to those affected by the AIDS epidemic

• Support – Safe space for those who experienced trauma because of AIDS (loss of family, friends, partners, etc.)

• Presence – Still meeting, hosting events/programs, marching in the Pride parade, and having an impact in the community