Who we are
OUTCatholics of Philadelphia is a faith sharing group that centers on three themes:
- How we live as Catholics who also identify as LGBTQ,
- How we connect with the Church and the Faith, and
- How we can lift our voices to aid in the discernment of the faithful.
We seek to build bridges between the Church and the LGBTQ faithful. While countless LGBTQ souls have left the Church, we are the many faithful who can no sooner abandon the Church than we can abandon God.
We stay. We practice. We believe.
Parish Ministries for faith sharing and fellowship
We are ecstatic to see a growing number of Catholic parishes in the Philadelphia area offer a monthly prayer group meeting for the LGBTQ community, so we encourage participation in these events.
St. John the Evangelist Church
21S 13th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
LGBT Prayer Group meets on the 2nd Sunday of each month following the 10:30am Mass. The meeting takes place in the Connelly House, which is the parish community center behind the church. The Connelly House can be reached down the small street (Ludlow St.) to the left of the church. Learn more here: homepage-ext – stjohnsphilly.org
St. Joan of Arc Church
100 Willow Bend Rd. Marlton, NJ 08053
One in the Spirit LGBTQ Prayer Group meets at 7:30pm on the 3rd Thursday of each month. Learn more here: One In the Spirit ~ LGBTQ Prayer Group – St. Joan of Arc Parish (stjoans.org)
St. Vincent de Paul Church
109 East Price Street, Philadelphia, PA 19144
The Young Adult Ministry has a mission "to reach out across age, cultural, and gender identity divides, to create a safe space for all of God’s precious children. We also seek to increase our sense of unity and to deepen our Catholic faith through prayer, reflections, and fellowship." Learn more here: Young Adult Ministry – St.Vincent de Paul Church, Germantown (saint-vincent-church.org)
Resources for Queer Catholics
Outreach
Outreach is a ministry of America Media, a Jesuit Catholic media company. It is a website and online community that provides resources and support for LGBTQ Catholics. The website features news and essays, as well as helpful resources like videos, books, and links to welcoming organizations. It also features the Gaudete series, which profiles parishes across the United States that are welcoming to Queer Catholics. Founded in 2022 by James Martin, S.J., a Jesuit priest and author, the website provides space for people to learn more about their faith and to connect with others who share their experiences. Outreach is also a powerful voice for change in the Catholic Church.
New Ways Ministry
New Ways Ministry is a national organization that advocates for justice, reconciliation, and hope for LGBTQ people of faith and their allies in the Catholic Church. New Ways Ministry was founded in 1977 by Sister Jeannine Gramick and Father Robert Nugent, two outspoken advocates for the full inclusion of Queer people in the Catholic Church. (Sister Jeannine Gramick was also instrumental in the launching of Dignity Philadelphia!) The organization provides education, advocacy, and support for LGBTQ people of faith. They also offer resources for Catholic parishes and dioceses that are seeking to create more welcoming and inclusive environments.
Dignity Philadelphia
Dignity is an intentional community with deep Catholic roots that provides a spiritual home to the LGBTQ community. Dignity Philadelphia is a chapter of the national organization Dignity USA (www.dignityusa.org ) which started as a Catholic parish ministry for gays and lesbians. The Vatican denounced Dignity in 1986 due the group’s formal dissent on Church teaching regarding sexual morality. This happened rather poignantly in the mist of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. During this difficult time for the gay community, Dignity Philadelphia ministered to the sick and the dying, as well as to the distressed loved ones who surrounded them. They served as a beacon of God’s grace. Today Dignity continues with its focus on providing a sacramental life for the LGBTQ community. It is often referred to as “the gay parish” much like the existence of Italian, Polish, and other nationality distinctive parishes in the history of the Archdiocese. They offer weekly mass service, albeit the group’s expulsion from formal parish ministry forced its charism and liturgy to evolve on its own, no longer in unity with the Catholic Church. But for Dignity this liturgical distinction is proudly lived. Today Dignity reaches out to people of all faith traditions, embraces open communion, and centers its spirituality on radical inclusion. It is a faithful and fully inclusive community with Catholic heritage and provides a loving spiritual home for those who need to reach outside of the Church.