“I find these EnCourage meetings helpful…. It gives me some clarity.” This can be a deeply disorienting experience for parents so yes, God wants us to get some direction in our faith experience as we navigate this” contributed one parent at our last online EnCourage meeting for the year on November 25. At this session, there was a viewing and discussion on Invited to Courageous Love – Homosexuality and the Family, a series on formed.org.
This episode focused on “Can a mother forget her … child?” (Isaiah 49:15). When a daughter, son, or other loved one announces that he or she is lesbian or gay, this can be a life-changing event for the whole family. Members of EnCourage—the support group for parents, friends, and relatives—share stories and practical insights on how to keep both faith and relationships intact.
As the discussion unfolded after, a take-away for one parent was, “God is in control and we let God be in control. Pray for our loved ones, love and reassure them that God is with them too”
“The grief that the parent goes through, but more than the grief, I think that the conversion is what stood out. It is very strange that given the situation we, as parents find ourselves in when we have children with same sex attraction. The fact of the matter is that we go through conversion and we go through a particular journey…the conversion occurs very quietly, I suppose but it is a moment of transformation and sometimes I find myself asking God if this was the situation that he created for me…. to change me….”
Another parent shared, “…very often we think about hope in a very nice, magical way… but the truth is hope thrives in darkness. We build our hope because of the darkness that we live our life in hope and keep trusting in God.”
Reflectively, another shared, “I find myself praying for the love that my child is searching for, they will find in Christ… Pray without doubting, I struggle with that part of me. Hope escapes me at times… I pray with hope and trust that they will all return to God.
“Hope does not mean making deals with God … hope is real trust, turn to the Lord for His consolation. Do I trust the mercy of God for my loved one? Lord, help this person that I love to know your love” was the contribution of another participant.
The session ended with participants praying with Romans 5:1-8, “hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us.”
The Goals of EnCourage:
- To grow spiritually through spiritual reading, prayer, meditation, individual spiritual direction, frequent attendance at Mass, and the frequent reception of the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist;
- To gain a deeper understanding of the needs, difficulties, and challenges experienced by men and women with same sex attraction;
- To establish and maintain a healthy and wholesome relationship with their loved ones with same sex attraction;
- To assist other family members and friends to reach out with compassion and truth, and not to reject, their loved ones with same sex attraction;
- To witness to their loved ones by their own lives that fulfillment is to be found in Jesus Christ through His Body, the Church.
EnCourage meetings are held on the 3rd Monday of every month. The next meeting is January 21, 2025 at 7pm. Interested parents can email: encourage.trinidad@gmail.com for more information. Please visit couragerc.org for more resources.