Marking the 25th Anniversary of LGBT+ Catholics

Marking the 25th Anniversary of LGBT+ Catholics

By Alberto Gonzalez

This year, 2024, marks the 25th anniversary of LGBT+ Catholics, a remarkable organisation whose story is truly unparalleled. If you haven’t heard of them, you are in for a treat.

Twenty-five years ago, a Neo-Nazi placed a nail bomb inside The Admiral Duncan, a gay pub, intending to harm the LGBT+ community. The attack resulted in three deaths and injured 30 others. In response to this atrocity, a small group of people gathered to pray for the victims, thus founding the LGBT+ Catholics congregation. Initially, they met at Saint Ann’s in Soho before moving to a Catholic Church on Warwick Street. The endorsement by the Catholic Church did not come without opposition and controversy, but through dialogue and understanding, the congregation was eventually welcomed by the Diocese of Westminster.

Sadly, not everyone was pleased about LGBT+ Catholics receiving a Mass service at a Catholic Church. For several weeks, protestors (Christians themselves) disrupted services with offensive homophobic remarks, both outside and inside the church. The tension escalated to the point where police had to be stationed outside the church every Sunday to protect the congregation. I commend the resilience of the LGBT+ Catholics members during these challenging times. The protests finally ceased when the congregation moved to Farm Street, where they have since found a home under the care of the Jesuit order in a magnificent church.

As part of the 25th-anniversary celebration, we walked through Soho, visiting significant sites in LGBT+ Catholic history. At each location, we read a prayer and meditated together. At St Anne’s in Soho, the resident priest welcomed us and reminisced about the early years where the congregation met at an Anglican Church. For some members, attending Mass at an Anglican Church was easier due to the trauma and exclusion they had experienced from the Catholic establishment.

The walk was nostalgic, with many stories shared that enlightened those of us who were unaware of such a tumultuous and rich history. We concluded the walk at Farm Street, where we prayed and sang together.

On May 25th, at the Aula Magna of the Jesuit Centre, we celebrated the anniversary with a conference. The founding members shared their personal experiences, recounting a tale of success and resilience against all odds. In small groups, we discussed what LGBT+ Catholics means to us and its future. Many wonderful comments were shared, with a common theme of gratitude for the founders’ work over the years. We stand on their shoulders.

We also emphasised the importance of being a Catholic congregation centred around the Eucharist and communion. Remembering how the LGBT+ congregation started, we reflected on how we changed the world, creating something that seemed impossible for so many people. Because of this, we could be a model for other congregations worldwide.

At the conference, I took the opportunity to highlight how much LGBT+ Catholics have done for the HIV cause and noted that they have been less vocal about it in recent years. I stressed that HIV remains a significant part of queer history and it continues to affect many members of our congregation today, including myself. It is crucial to remember those who have died and to support those still living with the virus.

To conclude the conference, Father Timothy Radcliffe joined us with a recorded talk, praising the congregation for its achievements and urging us to help the Catholic Church address LGBT issues across various cultures, aiming for a peaceful agreement where no one is left behind.

The next day, we had an Anniversary Mass officiated by the Bishop of Westminster, assisted by seven other priests and attended by the Lord Mayor and Mayoress of Westminster. The church was full, and a hymn was composed for the occasion was performed.

Who would have thought 25 years ago, against all odds, that LGBT+ Catholics would have come this far? Surely, the Holy Spirit has had a hand in this remarkable journey.