Christ the King, part of iconostasis in Greek Catholic Cathedral in Hajdúdorog, Hungary, 18th century.

Dear Friends,

Two important feast days this week remind us how well the Lord Jesus provides for His Church. Yesterday, November 9, the whole Church celebrated the anniversary of the dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the cathedral church of the Bishop of Rome, where the Pope has his cathedra or teacher's chair. Today, November 10, is the memorial of Pope Saint Leo the Great, whose service as Bishop of Rome (440–461) coincided with a period of great crisis in civil society. St. Leo worked hard to protect the Church and the City as well in those tumultuous times.

Both feasts are powerful reminders of the unity of the worldwide Church in faith, hope and charity, and the role of the Pope and the bishops to protect and guide us amid the questions and difficulties of life in the modern world. Likewise, they are wonderful opportunities for us to intercede for the successor of Saint Peter, the Pope, and for his brother bishops, the successors of the apostles, as they strive to unite, protect and guide us.

A few weeks ago, I led a retreat for a number of our women Courage members, and on the last evening of the retreat, we watched an episode of the beautiful web series The Chosen, which tells the story of the ministry of Jesus and the call of the Apostles. I was touched by a scene in which Andrew was talking with his brother, Simon Peter, both of them nervous about how they would learn to be good disciples. Simon Peter reminded him of a story from their life growing up:

Peter: I don't want to let Him down.

Andrew: I don't want to do it wrong.

Peter: Come on, we'll probably both do it wrong. It's like fishing. Remember when Dad taught us?

Andrew: Dad didn't teach us anything. We just sat there.

Peter: And watched. And then it was our turn and we made our own mistakes.

In many ways, each of us is still learning to follow and imitate the Lord, still striving to be converted and to pursue the Goals of Courage and EnCourage more sincerely. As we learn, the Lord provides us with many models to watch and to learn from, especially this month as we celebrate all the saints and remember all the faithful departed. As we gather in our local chapters and virtual events, our fellowship and mutual support help us to live what we have seen, with perseverance and zeal.

I pray that all of us will continue to give thanks for the models God provides for us, strive earnestly to serve Him in holiness and chastity, and work for the unity and charity that makes our witness to the world powerful and effective. May God continue to bless you and your loved ones, and all of our members, chaplains and friends.

Last month a message from our executive director was sent to our subscribers regarding some quotes of Pope Francis from the documentary film Francesco. In case you missed it, Father Bochanski's statement is posted on our website.

Since then, the Vatican Secretary of State has issued clarifications regarding remarks made by the Holy Father on the subject of civil unions.

Read Fr. Bochanski's message on the Francesco documentary

Now available is a professionally produced edition of Courage's 40th Anniversary Mass at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine in New York City on September 26. You will enjoy the additional camera angles and close-ups, most notably those of Father James Lloyd C.S.P. as he delivers his stirring homily. Father's homily has also been transcribed so we can ponder his affirming and encouraging words.

The Courage website has a special section devoted to addressing the spiritual and social challenges many are facing during this unusual time. One of the articles features a discussion of how members having been staying connected through virtual meetings:

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. [Continue reading]

We would like to help facilitate the connection between those who are hosting online meetings and those who are looking for an online meeting to attend.

The Church dedicates the month of November to praying for her faithful children who have departed from this life. On Thursday, November 19, Mass will be offered in the chapel of the Courage Central Office for all of the deceased members and chaplains of Courage and EnCourage.

On December 15, 2020, Yahoo will permanently shut down their email groups, directly impacting those in our community who have used Yahoo lists for many years. In light of this development, we encourage our members to register for and participate in our in-house Courage and EnCourage forums.

The Courage and EnCourage forums were first introduced earlier this year and have been much improved since they were first rolled out. The links one needs to register, log in, and participate in the forums can be accessed in the "Forums" drop-down menu at the top of the Courage website.

We encourage our online community to regularly participate in our in-house forums as we continue supporting one another in faith, as Courage and EnCourage members.

Fr. Paul Scalia, a Courage chaplain in the Diocese of Arlington, invited his parish in Falls Church, Virginia, to pray a Novena to Christ the King for Our Nation "at this important and tumultuous time in our history" (parish bulletin) in the days leading up to the Solemnity of All Saints. These prayers are every bit as suitable as we approach the Solemnity of Christ the King on November 22. Begin praying the novena on Friday, November 13 to finish in time for the feast day.

Day 1: Lord Jesus Christ, eternal and universal King, create in us a desire for and a devotion to the truth, so that we can hear your voice, and in hearing your voice shape our society according to your truth. Grant us the strength to reject our culture’s lies and the courage to give faithful witness to you, to your truth, and to your Kingdom, where you live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Novena in the National Catholic Register

As in-person retreats are less feasible this year, we are happy to announce the first online day of reflection for members of Courage. This Advent-themed event will be conducted via Zoom on Saturday, December 5, from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. It will be led by Father Colin Blatchford, the new Associate Director of Courage, and will include opportunities for small group fellowship. Only one hundred registrations will be accepted, so be sure to sign up soon!

Throughout our anniversary year we will be featuring many different Faces of Courage on our 40 Years of Courage page. Over the past few weeks, we've heard from Avera and Manny telling us how Courage has become family for them. Check back often for new content.

"Courage became my family. The chaplains, the members, and the ministry as a whole served as the gentle hand which Christ Himself extended to me to lift me out of a dark and shameful place. Through Courage I’ve had my faith restored, my life redirected toward Christ, and my desire for love and community met in ways I never even thought to hope for." ~Avera

I couldn’t say it any better than the beloved St. Pope John Paul II: ‘Courage is doing the work of God.’ In the Courage International apostolate I have truly discovered a community of brothers and sisters just like myself who are striving for sainthood despite what the world says and what the enemy wants. Together, as a united family in Christ, we freely and joyfully carry our beautiful cross of same-sex attraction through these trying times in our current world. Courage International was the very first resource that I discovered on my personal journey back to the Lord and what a blessing they truly have been to me since. In Courage I see family, I see love, I see hope and ultimately I see Christ. ~Manny

The Archdiocese of St. Andrews & Edinburgh in Scotland ran a fine story about Courage, bolstered by the personal witness of Courage member, Elena Feick.: "We’re all called to chastity, every single human being, so it gives us extra support in reaching that. It’s an important part of my faith. The Eucharist is the centre, but Courage gives me a support I wouldn't want to be without."

EnCourage members often say that the most valuable part of the Courage Annual Conference is meeting the members of Courage, who often aid them in better understand and loving their loved ones who experience same-sex attractions. A team of EnCourage members are working to develop a resource that addresses the challenges and needs of their members. They are very interested in your recommendations. Your participation in this survey would be greatly appreciated and will enable us to better assist those who are striving to love people who experience same-sex attractions, without compromising the truths of our faith.

In this Ascension Presents video, "Kim Zember joins Jackie Angel to talk about what to do when you’re invited to a same-sex wedding. Rather than seeing this as a moral dilemma, see the wedding RSVP as an invitation to stand for the gospel." They discuss what love looks like in these difficult situations. Kim speaks from her experience as a woman who lives with same-sex attractions, recounting how her mother addressed the subject with her.

A team of EnCourage members are working to develop a resource that addresses the most challenging problems, situations, and needs of our members. They are very interested in your input about what kind of questions you have now or have had in the past, and what resources have been most helpful to you. Your participation in this survey would be greatly appreciated and will help enable us to better assist you and others

Courage Internacional website in Spanish

While the fortieth anniversary edition of the Handbook for Courage and EnCourage Chaplains was written especially with our chaplains in mind, the content is helpful to others involved in ministry as well as to our members. The focus of the chapter entitled "Prayer and Dedication" is on the second of the Five Goals of Courage:

A Spiritual Plan: “The purpose of a plan of life is to give direction to one’s life within the context of Christian faith,” Father Harvey wrote. “[It] is not a rule of thumb, not ten easy steps to happiness, but a radical rethinking of an inadequate view of life." […]

The chapter goes on to elaborate on each of the components of the second goal: "To dedicate our entire lives to Christ through service to others, spiritual reading, prayer, meditation, individual spiritual direction, frequent attendance at Mass, and the frequent reception of the sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist.”

Continue reading handbook chapter on "Prayer and Dedication" (p. 27)

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.