The Catholic Review Online: "EnCouragement”

Archbishop Edwin O'Brien writes a weekly column for the Archdiocesan paper, The Catholic Review. This week's column concerns a support group called "EnCouragement." It is a moving essay and is well worth reading.

EnCourage is an offshoot of “Courage,” founded in 1980 and now worldwide, to present and promote faithfully the Church’s teaching on homosexuality and to give every support to Catholics seeking to live up to those teachings.

Recently, I was pleased to celebrate Mass for a group of EnCourage members who meet monthly in the Archdiocese of Baltimore under the guidance of one of our priests. Most of the members of EnCourage are parents who have homosexually active children. I sat in on their discussion which followed the Mass, and I came away deeply impressed by the strength of their faith.

All the participants are making every effort to maintain a strong, loving relationship with their children. They are committed to the Church’s consistent teaching that homosexual actions are always objectively sinful (in contrast to homosexual inclinations) and they have made their loved ones aware of their disapproval of their homosexual lifestyle.

"Courage" was initially begun in the Archdiocese of New York under the auspices of Terence Cardinal Cooke. It has been mentioned often on EWTN by Fr. Benedict Groeschel who was an adviser to the formation of this Ministry. Please read the Archbishop's article on EnCourage.