Special Section: Gay and lesbian Catholics

While legislation regarding same-sex marriage may have pushed gay and lesbian issues to the fore in recent years, the history of gay and lesbian Catholics and their relationship with the church has been a long, winding road. U.S. Catholic has been covering the issue for decades. We've collected a sample of articles from recent issues and from the archives by and about gay and lesbian Catholics. Read on to learn more.

Pride and prejudice [1]
Gays and lesbians have made big strides toward acceptance in society at large, but many struggle to be at home in a church still unsure about their place at the table.

The mamas and the papas [2]
The parents of GLBT Catholics have a lot to say about the church and their children.

Pride and prejudice: A timeline [3]
A brief history of the relationship between GLBT Catholics and their church.

Mom, Dad: I'm gay [4]
The news of a son's or daughter's homosexuality brings with it many challenges. Some parents move through the tears and isolation into helping the church do a better job of welcoming their children.

Mind the gap [5]
Which path do we choose when the twain of experience and church teaching don’t meet?

A good fit? [6]
Church teaching on gay and lesbian people must reflect their dignity as God's daughters and sons.

What I learned from Father Dan [7]
Many gay priests have served and continue to serve our church well. Let's not make them scapegoats for the sins of others.

One gay priest's story [8]
Defying the current scapegoating and stereotypes, a priest shares his journey and struggle

Thoughts from a gay teacher in a Catholic school [9]
A junior high teacher yearns to be a positive gay role model in her Catholic school. But she wonders, "Does the church love me as much as I love it?

Let's watch our language about gays and lesbians [10]
Official statements calling gays and lesbians "disordered" and "violent" do little to make them feel welcomed and respected in the church. A pastor argues that it's time to stop the name-calling and start treating gays and lesbians as brothers and sisters in Christ

Gay and lesbian Catholics beg to differ [11]
Recognition of same-sex marriage is only one of the hotly contested issues involving gay and lesbian Catholics. There are many sides of the debate about homosexuality and the church.

Why we never married [12]
A Roman Catholic man, former gay activist, and veteran of over a decade in a same-sex relationship argues why he and his partner have chosen a celibate relationship.

Let's invite gay and lesbian Catholics to a church wedding [13]
In this 1997 article that accompanies the one above, one Catholic argues that same-sex marriage would allow the church to encourage more loving, nurturing, and lasting relationships.

I promise to do my best [14]
How one community struggles with the Boy Scouts' anti-gay policies.

We can be better than bitter [15]
There is room in the church for all human beings, no matter which way your sexuality tilts.

Out of the closet and into your living room [16]
For most of the 20th century, movies and television have cast gay and lesbian characters as deviant bad guys. But as attitudes in the larger public change, so has Hollywood's portrayal of gays.