Message from Our Director
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"I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you. ... You will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you."
(Jn 14:17, 20)
Dear Friends,
After what must have been the most unusual Lent and Easter seasons that any of us have experienced, it is a pleasure to write to you in the days leading up to Pentecost. As we await the celebration of the Lord's own gift of the Holy Spirit, "to be with you forever" (Jn 14:16), we are reassured in our faith that, even when we are isolated from one another, we are never separated from His loving presence. And as our local communities and parishes take steps to reopen, we are experiencing joyful hope of returning to Mass and the sacraments.
I continue to be pleased and proud of the way that our chaplains and members have been responding to the difficult realities of stay-home orders and social distancing. Many chapters have adapted to "virtual" meetings by phone or video conference with great success, and this has also allowed members who are not usually able to attend regular meetings to reconnect with friends old and new. Some people have contacted the Courage Office to inquire if there is a virtual meeting they could attend in these days. I would like to ask Courage and EnCourage chapters that are willing to welcome new members to their virtual meetings to let us know at
office@couragerc.org.
The ongoing situation of the COVID-19 pandemic will require a major change to our Annual Courage and EnCourage Conference, which had been scheduled to meet at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois, in late July. The governor's plan to reopen Illinois business and institutions will not permit large groups to gather until a vaccine is identified, so it will not be possible for us to gather in person this year. But the Courage Office is planning to host a "virtual" conference, featuring keynote speakers on each of the Five Goals, witness testimonies, and time for shared prayer and discussion. More information follows later in this newsletter.
This is not the way that any of us would have preferred to be together this summer, or to begin the celebration of the 40th anniversary of our apostolate. But let us not be discouraged; we have seen too much of the Lord's goodness to us, individually and as a Courage and EnCourage family, over the last four decades to be anything but hopeful and grateful. The Lord who has sustained us for so long will surely not abandon us now! Rather, he will continue to pour out his blessings upon us and to lead us ever closer to Himself and to one another, "by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us" (2 Tim 1:14).
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Father Philip G. Bochanski
Executive Director
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News
- Courage & EnCourage Conference Will Be Online
- First Truth & Love Webinar is a Success
- Chapters Stay Virtually Connected During Pandemic
- Fr. James Lloyd 70th Anniversary Mass Revisited
General Resources
- "What should I do if I am unable to go to confession?"
- Bishop John Keenan Reaches Out During Pandemic
Courage
- "Healing from the Wound of Sin"
- A Play by a Courage Member: "Be Still and Know I Am God"
EnCourage
- How to "Love in All Seasons" Those Who Have Left the Faith
Courage Internacional (Spanish)
- Courage Internacional May E-Newsletter in Spanish
Pastoral Resources
- Featured Resources of the Month: Videos
Events—Too many opportunities to list here!
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Courage & EnCourage Conference Will Be Online
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Just as many families who have been unable to gather in person have been staying connected through the use of technology, Courage and EnCourage plans to use this same technology to jumpstart our 40th anniversary celebrations. We are not going to let a pandemic stop us from honoring this major milestone and checking in with our Courage/EnCourage family and friends.
This year's conference will be held virtually using Zoom on Saturday and Sunday, July 25 and 26. Talks and live Q&A will focus on the
Five Goals of Courage established by our founding members back in 1980. Please see the
conference page for speaker details.
As fellowship is a key component of our conferences, we are looking at different ways for attendees to interact with one another.
Please consider now how you might be able to participate in this virtual event as a chapter. Can your Courage group gather in person to watch the talks and share local fellowship and discussion? Can you connect with EnCourage members in your community and make a day of it? Can you organize your usual Zoom or conference call community for a virtual meetup the days of the event? Virtual community will also be made available for those who have no local connections or prefer to participate in that way.
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In these trying times, we know that cost may be an obstacle. We are happy to announce, for this year only, a "pay what you can" conference fee. Watch for an email announcement when registration opens. Additional updates will be made available on the
2020 conference page.
Let's not let this situation take the reunion out of our Courage/EnCourage family event!
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First Truth & Love Webinar is a Success
Reaches across the country and around the globe
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On May 27–29, we provided a seamless
Truth & Love webinar in place of our usual in-person conference. Many participants expressed their gratitude for our move to a virtual format and many more registered singularly because they could participate from home. A total of 248 participants registered from eleven different countries on four continents as well as thirty-five American states. Among these were clergy, religious, medical and mental health professionals, educators, and lay persons involved in diocesan and parish ministry. Presentations included scholarly and practical wisdom from experienced clergy, academics, and professionals, along with compelling personal testimonies.
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The webinar opened with a
message from Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Diocese of Arlington, co-sponsor of the event and location of the conference before circumstances caused it to be moved online. "Your courageous consideration of the truth in these matters and how it can be proclaimed assists the church tremendously in her proclamation of God’s plan. And contrary to popular opinion, your discussion here also helps the broader society. … May God deepen your appreciation of the truth and strengthen you to proclaim it with love."
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Chapters Stay Virtually Connected During Pandemic
Paves the way for those without local chapters to participate
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With friendship being one of the key goals of our apostolate, these days of social distancing and isolation can be challenging for Courage and EnCourage members, especially those who depend on the support gained from meetings, retreats, and other Courage events. However, many of our members have not been deterred by these unique circumstances, and – thanks to the use of technology – are staying connected, discovering some small, unexpected blessings along the way. ...
Note to our chaplains:
Chapters who are willing to receive non-local members into their online Courage or EnCourage meetings should
contact our office
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Fr. James Lloyd 70th Anniversary Mass Revisited
Long-time chaplain defends Church teaching and praises Courage
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Video of opening procession and
remarks by Cardinal Timothy Dolan
honoring Fr. James Lloyd, C.S.P.
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William Doino Jr.'s wonderful account of the May 2018 Mass celebrating the 70th anniversary of the ordination of Fr. James Lloyd, C.S.P., was recently featured in
Catholic World Report. The article, entitled
"Courage in the Pulpit," begins with excerpts of Cardinal Timothy Dolan's tribute to Fr. Lloyd, in which he acknowledged him as a "loyal chaplain for 'the magnificent Courage Apostolate.'" There are also numerous highlights from Fr. Lloyd's extraordinary homily, which included a "stirring defense of Catholic teaching and for his work for the Courage apostolate."
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Pausing for a moment, and looking out at the entire congregation, Lloyd said, "I don’t need the secular media to educate me about same-sex attraction, and especially those living with it who seek spiritual and moral well-being … I have seen and counseled people with this inclination up close, prima facie
, and heard their sufferings and struggles, and watched many of them become saints before my eyes, exhibiting true holiness."
While we were unable to locate the video from Fr. Lloyd's 70th anniversary homily, a similarly passionate tribute to Courage can be viewed in his
60th anniversary Mass homily (start at 24:35) in which he speaks of Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R. (the "grandfather" of Courage) and Fr. John Harvey, O.S.F.S. (the founding director of Courage).
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"What should I do if I am unable to go to confession?"
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We have created the
"Courage in Isolation" spiritual resources page for our members who are seeking pastoral support and guidance during this time of isolation. A common concern is the inaccessibility of the Sacrament of Penance, so we have included a resource about this subject, adapted from the Diocese of Bridgeport:
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While we believe that the Sacrament of Confession gives us the fullness of God’s mercy, we know that God is never far from the one who seeks Him, and His power to forgive extends far beyond the confessional. If for these days the Sacrament of Confession is not able to be scheduled, you can make an act of perfect contrition before God. “Perfect” contrition comes from a pure love of God above all else. “Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible” (CCC #1452).
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Bishop John Keenan Reaches Out During Pandemic
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Bishop John Keenan of the Diocese of Paisley in Scotland is a good friend of Courage. Not only did he speak at the 2019 Courage & EnCourage Conference and the recent Truth & Love webinar, but he is also the chaplain of his own diocesan Courage chapter. He has been recording daily video reflections and live-streamed Masses by which you may be inspired and encouraged.
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"Healing from the Wound of Sin"
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In this short Ascension Presents video, Fr. Mike Schmitz "explains how even partial healing from the wound of sin is still worth the effort. Don’t give up just because you know your sins will leave some stains and scars. God’s mercy can do amazing things in your life, even if it is just partially healed."
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A Play by a Courage Member: "Be Still and Know I Am God"
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During this time of isolation and uncertainty, Courage member, David Prosen, has put his creative gifts to good use by writing an inspiring one-act play. The play depicts a heart-to-heart dialogue between "Susan" (Carrie Oliver-Shultz) and the Heavenly Father (David) as she wrestles with feelings many are experiencing during the pandemic, including fear, worry, and anger. It also addresses the challenge of forgiveness.
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How to "Love in All Seasons" Those Who Have Left the Faith
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Mary Rice Hasson, who has spoken at our conferences and is the Director of the
Catholic Women's Forum (
Gender Project), delivered an insightful message at the 2018 Helena Catholic Women's Conference about the difficulties we experience in a post-Christian culture with loved-ones who have left the faith. She concludes with recommendations for how we can find peace through our relationship with God and reach out to loved-ones in a way that our message can be received.
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Courage Internacional
For our Spanish-speaking members and friends
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Courage Internacional
May E-Newsletter in Spanish
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Featured Resources of the Month: Videos
View educational presentations to become better equipped
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A primary way that Truth & Love supports those who provide pastoral care is by offering educational opportunities, such as Clergy Study Days and Truth & Love Conferences. We have several of the presentations from these events archived in the
Videos category of the
Resources section on the
Truth & Love site. There are even a few
Spanish videos.
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One example of how useful these videos can be is Courage Executive Director, Fr. Philip Bochanski's,
talk on providing authentic pastoral care, in which he discusses how to welcome and accompany parishioners who experience same-sex attractions and how to navigate difficult matters like the participation in parish ministries of those who are not yet ready to embrace Church teaching, baptism of children of same-sex couples, etc.
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View Fr. Bochanski's presentation on pastoral care
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Truth & Love, an initiative of Courage International,
is a multifaceted Catholic resource for anyone seeking the tools to support men and women who experience same-sex attractions.
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2020 EVENTS
In compliance with guidelines to suspend certain types of gatherings during the current phase of the pandemic, Courage International will be reviewing and updating the status of all events. Some events will be moved online, while others may be postponed or cancelled. The current status of events is listed below, but please check back with our
events calendar
for updates.
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CANCELLED:
Courage Women's Spring Retreat
June 4–7, 2020 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
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Midwest Living Waters Leadership Training Seminar
June 20–26, 2020, in Kansas City, Kansas
Equips participants for ministry to the sexually and relationally broken.
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NOW ONLINE: Courage & EnCourage Annual Conference
40th Anniversary Kickoff
REVISED DATES: July 25–26, 2020 on Zoom
Information
Check back later for registration and more details.
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Courage Philippines 25th Anniversary Conference
August 1, 2020 in Manila, Philippines
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40th Anniversary of Courage's First Meeting
Holy Mass with Cardinal Timothy Dolan
September 26, 2020, at 12:00 noon, in New York, New York
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Courage Women's Fall Retreat
October 22–25, 2020, in Asbury, New Jersey
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EnCourage Midwest Fall Retreat
October 30–November 1, in Akron, Ohio
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Courage & EnCourage Annual Conference
July 15-18, 2021 in Mundelein, Illinois
(Archdiocese of Chicago)
Closing of our 40th Anniversary celebration
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Courage does not necessarily fully endorse all of the ideas included in resources that are not produced by Courage, but we still like to share items that we and our members have found to have considerable helpful content.
Photo credits
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