Dear Friends,

I am greatly looking forward to seeing you at the end of this month for our Annual Courage and EnCourage Conference, at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois. There are still a few days left to register for the conference, so if you have been hesitating, now is the time to act! More information appears elsewhere in this newsletter.

As you know, this year's conference will focus on the shared goal of Courage and EnCourage: "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." We have invited outstanding speakers to help us grow in each aspect of prayer and dedication, the firm foundation for everything else we are striving for, as individuals, as chapters, and as a Courage and EnCourage family. As always, we will also have numerous opportunities to pray with and for one another, at Mass, adoration, and other devotions.

While we are focused on prayer, I would like to ask for your intercession for a special intention. On June 25, I was part of a panel of theologians at the "Outreach 2022" conference organized by Father James Martin, S.J., and held at Fordham University. I had the opportunity to open the discussion with a presention of the authentic teaching of the Catholic Church about same-sex intimacy, relationships and desires, and to invite the participants to embrace and live that teaching. A respectful dialogue followed, although the other panelists and many in the audience disagreed with most of the points I raised in my short talk. Nearly 100 people attended, including Father Martin and the leaders of many national and local LGBT-affirming ministries. I can't say for sure that anyone had an immediate change of mind as a result of my time at the podium, but perhaps something I said in those 10 minutes planted a seed in a few hearts that will eventually bear fruit. Please join me in fervently asking the Holy Spirit to bestow grace and understanding on everyone who was there, "for nothing will be impossible with God!"

Of course, please also pray fervently for our staff, our speakers, our hosts at Mundelein, and everyone who will be attending our conference in-person and online. Remember, too, that you are in our daily prayers as we gather for Mass in the Courage Office, and that we welcome requests for prayers and Masses for special intentions. I hope to see you in a few weeks!

The focus of this year's conference will be on developing our interior life, especially as prescribed through the shared goal of Courage and EnCourage members: "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."

"Lord Teach us to Pray"

Speaker bios, schedule, registration

on conference page.

Spanish registration is closed

Dr. Timothy Lock will be one of our plenary speakers at the conference. He serves on the board of Courage International and works as a clinical psychologist and educator. He recently co-authored a book, Choosing Forgiveness: Unleash the Power of God's Grace, and his presentation will be on the same subject.

Read an interview with Dr. Lock about Choosing Forgiveness

Since our 2022 Annual Courage and EnCourage conference will focus on the spiritual life, we are surveying our readers to find out what has been most helpful to you in this area. Please consider taking a few moments to tell us about your favorite resources for prayer and spiritual reading as well as your favorite retreats. We plan to share the results after the conference so that we can benefit from each other's experiences.

St. Josemaría Escrivá (The Way)

American Courage member, Jerry G., recently visited Poland where he shared his story with Courage advocate, Fr. Wit Chondowski, OFM. Jerry talks about how Courage has blessed him through the years. He provides a great example of how the lay faithful can make a big difference by initiating and providing ongoing support for local Courage chapters.

Note that while Father speaks in Polish for his Polish audience, Jerry speaks in English. In the notes, Father shares a link to the Polish version of the Courage handbook. In addition to the English version, there is also a Spanish version with more languages to come.

Jerry's testimony is one of many on our Testimonies playlist

Visit our YouTube channel

Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M. Cap., has been the Preacher to Papal Household since 1980. In Advent 2018 he delivered a powerful sermon on purity that is worthy of study and reflection. Here is an excerpt:

Courage member, Avera Maria Santo, was a guest on Father Josh Johnson's podcast. The show notes explain that in their discussion, they "answer questions about choosing a vocation when experiencing gender dysphoria and how to respond to a family member in a same-sex relationship. Avera also shares her story about same-sex attractions and finding her identity as a beloved daughter of God."

Listen to Avera on the Ask Fr. Josh show

As both a Courage member and a lay facilitator for an EnCourage chapter, Rilene Simpson has particularly valuable insights to offer people who have loved ones who identify as LGBTQ+. In her appearance on Catholic Answers Live, Rilene replies to questions from the mother of an adult child who has "come out" and from a man who identifies as gay and has suffered from self-hatred plus much more.

Watch Rilene on Catholic Answers Live

See Rilene's story in Courage's documentary film, Desire of the Everlasting Hills

Courage Internacional website in Spanish

On the Pints With Aquinas podcast, Father Gregory Pine, O.P., a doctoral candidate in dogmatic theology, presents a strong philosophical and theological explanation of why the Church cannot bless same-sex "marriage."

Watch Fr. Pine on same-sex "marriage"

There is no charge for the study day! We want to make it easy for you to come.

There is a charge for clergy attendance at the general conference.