twter</tle><path fill-le="evenodd" d="M24,4.3086 C23.117,4.7006 22.168,4.9646 21.172,5.0836 C22.188,4.4746 22.969,3.5096 23.337,2.3596 C22.386,2.9246 21.332,3.3336 20.21,3.5556 C19.312,2.5976 18.032,1.9996 16.616,1.9996 C13.897,1.9996 11.692,4.2046 11.692,6.9236 C11.692,7.3096 11.736,7.6856 11.82,8.0456 C7.728,7.8406 4.099,5.8806 1.671,2.9006 C1.247,3.6286 1.004,4.4736 1.004,5.3766 C1.004,7.0846 1.873,8.5926 3.195,9.4756 C2.388,9.4486 1.628,9.2276 0.964,8.8596 L0.964,8.9206 C0.964,11.3066 2.661,13.2966 4.914,13.7486 C4.501,13.8626 4.065,13.9216 3.617,13.9216 C3.299,13.9216 2.991,13.8906 2.69,13.8336 C3.317,15.7896 5.135,17.2136 7.29,17.2536 C5.604,18.5736 3.481,19.3606 1.175,19.3606 C0.777,19.3606 0.385,19.3376 0,19.2926 C2.179,20.6886 4.767,21.5046 7.548,21.5046 C16.605,21.5046 21.557,14.0016 21.557,7.4946 C21.557,7.2816 21.552,7.0696 21.543,6.8586 C22.505,6.1636 23.34,5.2966 24,4.3086"></path></svg></span></a></li><li class="popoutAlt__SocialLksItem-sc-10p9c1t-2 kdOnUz"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href=" rel="" target=""><span class="popoutAlt__InWrapper-sc-10p9c1t-3 jMELyv facebook"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 320 512" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>facebook</tle><path d="M279.14 288l14.22-92.66h-88.91v-60.13c0-25.35 12.42-50.06 52.24-50.06h40.42V6.26S260.43 0 225.36 0c-73.22 0-121.08 44.38-121.08 124.72v70.62H22.89V288h81.39v224h100.17V288z"></path></svg></span></a></li><li class="popoutAlt__SocialLksItem-sc-10p9c1t-2 kdOnUz"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href=" rel="" target=""><span class="popoutAlt__InWrapper-sc-10p9c1t-3 jMELyv stagram"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 448 512" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>stagram</tle><path d="M224.1 141c-63.6 0-114.9 51.3-114.9 114.9s51.3 114.9 114.9 114.9S339 319.5 339 255.9 287.7 141 224.1 141zm0 189.6c-41.1 0-74.7-33.5-74.7-74.7s33.5-74.7 74.7-74.7 74.7 33.5 74.7 74.7-33.6 74.7-74.7 74.7zm146.4-194.3c0 14.9-12 26.8-26.8 26.8-14.9 0-26.8-12-26.8-26.8s12-26.8 26.8-26.8 26.8 12 26.8 26.8zm76.1 27.2c-1.7-35.9-9.9-67.7-36.2-93.9-26.2-26.2-58-34.4-93.9-36.2-37-2.1-147.9-2.1-184.9 0-35.8 1.7-67.6 9.9-93.9 36.1s-34.4 58-36.2 93.9c-2.1 37-2.1 147.9 0 184.9 1.7 35.9 9.9 67.7 36.2 93.9s58 34.4 93.9 36.2c37 2.1 147.9 2.1 184.9 0 35.9-1.7 67.7-9.9 93.9-36.2 26.2-26.2 34.4-58 36.2-93.9 2.1-37 2.1-147.8 0-184.8zM398.8 388c-7.8 19.6-22.9 34.7-42.6 42.6-29.5 11.7-99.5 9-132.1 9s-102.7 2.6-132.1-9c-19.6-7.8-34.7-22.9-42.6-42.6-11.7-29.5-9-99.5-9-132.1s-2.6-102.7 9-132.1c7.8-19.6 22.9-34.7 42.6-42.6 29.5-11.7 99.5-9 132.1-9s102.7-2.6 132.1 9c19.6 7.8 34.7 22.9 42.6 42.6 11.7 29.5 9 99.5 9 132.1s2.7 102.7-9 132.1z"></path></svg></span></a></li></ul></div></div></div></nav></div></div></div></hear><div class="flt__Wrapper-sc-ivw9mm-0 ifMAeN"><ma class="flt__Ma-sc-1zss9-0 jfVGbz se-ntent se-ntent--sgle irvg__body-wrapper irvg__body-wrapper--flt" id="ntent"><div class="ntentWidth__ContaerWrapper-sc-1p9n6rf-0 gnvRpv irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--ntentWidth"><div class="flt__SibarWrapper-sc-1l879b1-0 heJNCx le-mon__sgle-sponsor le-mon__sibar le-mon__sibar--ntentWidth" id="sgle_sponsor"><div></div></div><div class="articleHear__ContaerWrapper-sc-ct0iug-0 lisEqa article-hear irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--articleHear"><a class="eyebrow__LkWrapper-sc-tqc2sf-0 jIAEBq article-hear__eyebrow irvg__term-lk irvg__term-lk--eyebrow" href=" rel="" target=""><div class="flt__TextWrapper-sc-hmou3q-0 nVGhA irvg__term-name irvg__term-name--flt">Lln Park, Old Town</div></a><h1 class="primaryFontHeadg__TextWrapper-sc-1otf4oo-0 sgleHeadg__TextWrapper-sc-1rx3zam-0 jGqHzL iTAVMZ article-hear__post-tle irvg__post-tle irvg__post-tle--sgleHeadg">Catholic And Queer: Affirmed Church Group Creatg A Welg Space For LGBTQ Chigoans</h1><p class="k__TextWrapper-sc-ktbqq9-0 jwCKVS article-hear__k irvg__text irvg__text--k">The group is buildg bridg between Catholicism and LGBTQ Chigoans. "We are acceptg here, we're clive and we have a space for you if you're terted."</p></div><div class="articleMeta__ContaerWrapper-sc-mnxmjt-0 kiZEZ article-meta article-meta--top irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--articleMeta"><div class="flt__SocialShargWrapper-sc-1ap9xvz-0 fInWHe article-meta__social-sharg irvg__post-social-sharg irvg__post-social-sharg--pill"><ul class="pill__SocialShargList-sc-19unuas-0 hpxHWY post-social-sharg__list"><li class="pill__SocialShargItemWrapper-sc-19unuas-1 iWrpEJ redd"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href=" rel="" target="_blank"><span class="pill__InWrapper-sc-19unuas-2 iCbVVq redd"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 24 24" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>Share on redd</tle><path fill-le="evenodd" d="M15.57,15.284 C14.673,15.284 13.91925,14.5565 13.91925,13.6595 C13.91925,12.7625 14.673,12.011 15.57,12.011 C16.467,12.011 17.1945,12.7625 17.1945,13.6595 C17.1945,14.5565 16.467,15.284 15.57,15.284 M15.951,18.437 C15.1155,19.27175 13.827,19.6775 12.012,19.6775 C12.00825,19.6775 12.00375,19.67675 11.99925,19.67675 C11.9955,19.67675 11.991,19.6775 11.9865,19.6775 C10.1715,19.6775 8.88375,19.27175 8.049,18.437 C7.7925,18.1805 7.7925,17.76575 8.049,17.51 C8.30475,17.25425 8.7195,17.25425 8.976,17.51 C9.552,18.086 10.53675,18.3665 11.9865,18.3665 C11.991,18.3665 11.9955,18.36725 11.99925,18.36725 C12.00375,18.36725 12.00825,18.3665 12.012,18.3665 C13.46175,18.3665 14.44725,18.086 15.024,17.51 C15.2805,17.2535 15.69525,17.25425 15.951,17.51 C16.20675,17.7665 16.20675,18.18125 15.951,18.437 M6.8055,13.6595 C6.8055,12.76325 7.55775,12.011 8.454,12.011 C9.351,12.011 10.0785,12.76325 10.0785,13.6595 C10.0785,14.5565 9.351,15.284 8.454,15.284 C7.55775,15.284 6.8055,14.5565 6.8055,13.6595 M19.998,3.311 C20.6055,3.311 21.09975,3.80525 21.09975,4.412 C21.09975,5.0195 20.6055,5.51375 19.998,5.51375 C19.3905,5.51375 18.89625,5.0195 18.89625,4.412 C18.89625,3.80525 19.3905,3.311 19.998,3.311 M24,11.87525 C24,10.2845 22.70625,8.99075 21.1155,8.99075 C20.427,8.99075 19.79475,9.23375 19.29825,9.638 C17.5395,8.5325 15.3075,7.8665 12.915,7.7255 L14.163,3.77975 L17.59275,4.5875 C17.68275,5.83625 18.72675,6.82475 19.998,6.82475 C21.32775,6.82475 22.41,5.7425 22.41,4.412 C22.41,3.08225 21.32775,2 19.998,2 C19.068,2 18.2595,2.5295 17.85675,3.30275 L13.87125,2.3645 C13.5375,2.28575 13.2,2.47775 13.0965,2.80475 L11.547,7.70225 C8.96925,7.76525 6.546,8.4335 4.65825,9.6035 C4.1685,9.22025 3.55275,8.99075 2.8845,8.99075 C1.29375,8.99075 0,10.2845 0,11.87525 C0,12.8585 0.495,13.72775 1.24875,14.24825 C1.21725,14.477 1.20075,14.70725 1.20075,14.9405 C1.20075,16.92875 2.3565,18.77825 4.455,20.14775 C6.4665,21.461 9.129,22.184 11.95125,22.184 C14.7735,22.184 17.436,21.461 19.4475,20.14775 C21.546,18.77825 22.70175,16.92875 22.70175,14.9405 C22.70175,14.72825 22.6875,14.5175 22.66125,14.30825 C23.46525,13.796 24,12.89675 24,11.87525"></path></svg></span></a></li><li class="pill__SocialShargItemWrapper-sc-19unuas-1 iWrpEJ facebook"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href=" rel="" target="_blank"><span class="pill__InWrapper-sc-19unuas-2 iCbVVq facebook"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 320 512" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>Share on facebook</tle><path d="M279.14 288l14.22-92.66h-88.91v-60.13c0-25.35 12.42-50.06 52.24-50.06h40.42V6.26S260.43 0 225.36 0c-73.22 0-121.08 44.38-121.08 124.72v70.62H22.89V288h81.39v224h100.17V288z"></path></svg></span></a></li><li class="pill__SocialShargItemWrapper-sc-19unuas-1 iWrpEJ twter"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href=" rel="" target="_blank"><span class="pill__InWrapper-sc-19unuas-2 iCbVVq twter"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 24 24" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>Share on twter</tle><path fill-le="evenodd" d="M24,4.3086 C23.117,4.7006 22.168,4.9646 21.172,5.0836 C22.188,4.4746 22.969,3.5096 23.337,2.3596 C22.386,2.9246 21.332,3.3336 20.21,3.5556 C19.312,2.5976 18.032,1.9996 16.616,1.9996 C13.897,1.9996 11.692,4.2046 11.692,6.9236 C11.692,7.3096 11.736,7.6856 11.82,8.0456 C7.728,7.8406 4.099,5.8806 1.671,2.9006 C1.247,3.6286 1.004,4.4736 1.004,5.3766 C1.004,7.0846 1.873,8.5926 3.195,9.4756 C2.388,9.4486 1.628,9.2276 0.964,8.8596 L0.964,8.9206 C0.964,11.3066 2.661,13.2966 4.914,13.7486 C4.501,13.8626 4.065,13.9216 3.617,13.9216 C3.299,13.9216 2.991,13.8906 2.69,13.8336 C3.317,15.7896 5.135,17.2136 7.29,17.2536 C5.604,18.5736 3.481,19.3606 1.175,19.3606 C0.777,19.3606 0.385,19.3376 0,19.2926 C2.179,20.6886 4.767,21.5046 7.548,21.5046 C16.605,21.5046 21.557,14.0016 21.557,7.4946 C21.557,7.2816 21.552,7.0696 21.543,6.8586 C22.505,6.1636 23.34,5.2966 24,4.3086"></path></svg></span></a></li><li class="pill__SocialShargItemWrapper-sc-19unuas-1 iWrpEJ email"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href="mailto:?;subject=Catholic%20And%20Queer%3A%20Affirmed%20Church%20Group%20Creatg%20A%20Welg%20Space%20For%20LGBTQ%20Chigoans" rel="" target="_self"><span class="pill__InWrapper-sc-19unuas-2 iCbVVq email"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 24 24" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>Share on email</tle><path fill-le="evenodd" d="M23,20 L23,6 L12,15 L1,6 L1,20 L23,20 Z M12,12 L22,4 L2,4 L12,12 Z"></path></svg></span></a></li><li class="pill__SocialShargItemWrapper-sc-19unuas-1 iWrpEJ ptert"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href=" rel="" target="_blank"><span class="pill__InWrapper-sc-19unuas-2 iCbVVq ptert"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 24 24" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>Share on ptert</tle><path fill-le="evenodd" d="M12,0 C5.37225,0 0,5.37225 0,12 C0,17.0835 3.16275,21.426 7.62675,23.17425 C7.52175,22.22475 7.42725,20.76825 7.66875,19.73175 C7.88625,18.79575 9.07575,13.767 9.07575,13.767 C9.07575,13.767 8.7165,13.0485 8.7165,11.98575 C8.7165,10.317 9.684,9.07125 10.88775,9.07125 C11.9115,9.07125 12.4065,9.84 12.4065,10.76175 C12.4065,11.7915 11.751,13.3305 11.41275,14.757 C11.13,15.95175 12.01125,16.926 13.1895,16.926 C15.3225,16.926 16.962,14.67675 16.962,11.43075 C16.962,8.5575 14.89725,6.54825 11.949,6.54825 C8.535,6.54825 6.531,9.1095 6.531,11.75625 C6.531,12.7875 6.92775,13.89375 7.4235,14.4945 C7.52175,14.61375 7.536,14.71725 7.50675,14.83875 C7.416,15.21825 7.2135,16.03275 7.17375,16.2 C7.12125,16.419 6.99975,16.46625 6.7725,16.3605 C5.27325,15.66225 4.3365,13.4715 4.3365,11.71125 C4.3365,7.926 7.08675,4.44975 12.2655,4.44975 C16.428,4.44975 19.6635,7.416 19.6635,11.3805 C19.6635,15.516 17.05575,18.8445 13.43625,18.8445 C12.2205,18.8445 11.0775,18.21225 10.686,17.466 C10.686,17.466 10.0845,19.75725 9.93825,20.319 C9.6675,21.36075 8.93625,22.66725 8.4465,23.4645 C9.57,23.8125 10.76325,24 12,24 C18.62775,24 24,18.627 24,12 C24,5.37225 18.62775,0 12,0"></path></svg></span></a></li><li class="pill__SocialShargItemWrapper-sc-19unuas-1 iWrpEJ lked"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href=" rel="" target="_blank"><span class="pill__InWrapper-sc-19unuas-2 iCbVVq lked"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 24 24" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>Share on lked</tle><path fill-le="evenodd" d="M20.45175,20.45025 L16.89225,20.45025 L16.89225,14.88075 C16.89225,13.5525 16.86975,11.844 15.04275,11.844 C13.191,11.844 12.90825,13.2915 12.90825,14.7855 L12.90825,20.45025 L9.3525,20.45025 L9.3525,8.997 L12.765,8.997 L12.765,10.563 L12.81375,10.563 C13.2885,9.66225 14.4495,8.71275 16.18125,8.71275 C19.78575,8.71275 20.45175,11.08425 20.45175,14.169 L20.45175,20.45025 Z M5.33925,7.4325 C4.1955,7.4325 3.27375,6.50775 3.27375,5.36775 C3.27375,4.2285 4.1955,3.30375 5.33925,3.30375 C6.47775,3.30375 7.4025,4.2285 7.4025,5.36775 C7.4025,6.50775 6.47775,7.4325 5.33925,7.4325 L5.33925,7.4325 Z M7.11975,20.45025 L3.5565,20.45025 L3.5565,8.997 L7.11975,8.997 L7.11975,20.45025 Z M23.00025,0 L1.0005,0 C0.44775,0 0,0.44775 0,0.99975 L0,22.9995 C0,23.55225 0.44775,24 1.0005,24 L23.00025,24 C23.55225,24 24,23.55225 24,22.9995 L24,0.99975 C24,0.44775 23.55225,0 23.00025,0 L23.00025,0 Z"></path></svg></span></a></li><li class="pill__SocialShargItemWrapper-sc-19unuas-1 iWrpEJ whatsapp"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href=" rel="" target="_blank"><span class="pill__InWrapper-sc-19unuas-2 iCbVVq whatsapp"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 512 512" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>Share on whatsapp</tle><path d="M260.062 32C138.605 32 40.134 129.701 40.134 250.232c0 41.23 11.532 79.79 31.559 112.687L32 480l121.764-38.682c31.508 17.285 67.745 27.146 106.298 27.146C381.535 468.464 480 370.749 480 250.232 480 129.701 381.535 32 260.062 32zm109.362 301.11c-5.174 12.827-28.574 24.533-38.899 25.072-10.314.547-10.608 7.994-66.84-16.434-56.225-24.434-90.052-83.844-92.719-87.67-2.669-3.812-21.78-31.047-20.749-58.455 1.038-27.413 16.047-40.346 21.404-45.725 5.351-5.387 11.486-6.352 15.232-6.413 4.428-.072 7.296-.132 10.573-.011 3.274.124 8.192-.685 12.45 10.639 4.256 11.323 14.443 39.153 15.746 41.989 1.302 2.839 2.108 6.126.102 9.771-2.012 3.653-3.042 5.935-5.961 9.083-2.935 3.148-6.174 7.042-8.792 9.449-2.92 2.665-5.97 5.572-2.9 11.269 3.068 5.693 13.653 24.356 29.779 39.736 20.725 19.771 38.598 26.329 44.098 29.317 5.515 3.004 8.806 2.67 12.226-.929 3.404-3.599 14.639-15.746 18.596-21.169 3.955-5.438 7.661-4.373 12.742-2.329 5.078 2.052 32.157 16.556 37.673 19.551 5.51 2.989 9.193 4.529 10.51 6.9 1.317 2.38.901 13.531-4.271 26.359z"></path></svg></span></a></li></ul></div><div class="sibar__ByleWrapper-sc-135rg5d-0 dFphtv article-meta__byle le-mon__post-byle le-mon__post-byle--sibar"><div class="sibar__AuthorsWrapper-sc-135rg5d-1 cOMElx post-byle__thors-wrapper"><div class="sibar__Avatars-sc-135rg5d-3 cYVCSw post-byle__grouped-avatars"><div class="flt__Element-sc-8r6934-0 Eajbf post-byle__left irvg__agment irvg__agment--flt"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma irvg__lk irvg__lk--flt" aria-hidn="te" href=" rel="" target="" tabx="-1"><figure class="flt__FigureWrapper-sc-1lmy-0 fjaYGN post-byle__avatar irvg__post-featured-image irvg__post-featured-image--flt"><span style="paddg-bottom:100%" class="flt__ImageWrapper-sc-1lmy-1 hnRmkg"><img alt="" height="888" loadg="lazy" src=" srcSet=" 1001w, 300w, 768w, 54w, 564w, 615w, 86w, 191w, 381w, 761w, 254w, 507w, 225w, 451w, 902w, 600w" siz="100px" width="1001" class="flt__ImageTag-sc-1lmy-2 jDWYqd"/></span></figure></a></div></div><div class="sibar__AuthorNam-sc-135rg5d-2 cqTYOK post-byle__thor-nam"><span class="flt__AuthorWrapper-sc-3fiqtm-2 cAJsvb post-byle__thor"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma post-byle__thor-lk irvg__lk irvg__lk--flt" href=" rel="" target=""><span class="flt__TextWrapper-sc-hmou3q-0 nVGhA irvg__text irvg__text--flt">Leigh Giangre</span></a></span></div></div></div><div class="timtamp__TextWrapper-sc-1uu26yx-0 fBbNtW article-meta__post-timtamp le-mon__post-timtamp le-mon__post-timtamp--timtamp"><div class="post-date">12:45 PM CDT on Jun 30, 2022</div> </div></div><div class="flt__ContaerWrapper-sc-1k8y94x-0 bTqzht article-featured-image irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--flt" id="sgle_media"><figure class="article__FigureWrapper-sc-7s8aer-0 enkhzk irvg__post-featured-image irvg__post-featured-image--article"><span style="paddg-bottom:56.25%" class="article__ImageWrapper-sc-7s8aer-1 cLpHBB"><img alt="" height="675" loadg="lazy" src=" srcSet=" 5297w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 2048w, 1080w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 253w, 507w, 1012w, 2025w, 600w, 1200w, 1366w" siz="(max-width: 350px) 350px, (max-width: 1058px) 768px, (max-width: 1700px) 1080px, 2400px" width="1012" class="article__ImageTag-sc-7s8aer-2 ehmVhs"/></span><div class="article__ImageMeta-sc-7s8aer-3 eBXNjs"><figptn class="article__ImageCaptn-sc-7s8aer-4 hrwttr">Easter service at St. Clement's, where a group of parishners have formed an anizatn, Affirmed, to build bridg between Catholicism and the LGBTQ muny.</figptn><span class="article__ImageCred-sc-7s8aer-5 ieDIYX">Provid/Michele V Wagner Photography</span></div></figure></div></div><div class="flt__ContaerWrapper-sc-1k8y94x-0 bTqzht article-ntent-ntaer irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--flt"><div class="ntentWidth__ContaerWrapper-sc-1p9n6rf-0 gnvRpv irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--ntentWidth"><div class="flt__CredibilyInditorsWrapper-sc-18725oc-0 iUZmNj le-mon__credibily-ditors le-mon__credibily-ditors--flt"><ul class="credibily-ditors__list"><li class="credibily-ditors__list-em"><span class="flt__TextWrapper-sc-hmou3q-0 nVGhA credibily-ditors__tle irvg__text irvg__text--flt">Credibily:</span></li><li class="credibily-ditors__list-em"><div class="flt__PopoverWrapper-sc-19b13eh-0 aA-dxY le-mon__popover le-mon__popover--flt"><div class="popover" aria-modal="false" aria-hidn="te" role="dialog" style="posn:fixed;visibily:hidn;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0">This article ntas new, firsthand rmatn unvered by s reporter(s). This clus directly terviewg sourc and rearch / analysis of primary source documents.<button class="popover__close" type="button" aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-label="Close" role="button" tabx="0">×<span class="screenrearOnly">close</span></button></div><button type="button" class="popover__trigger" aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" role="button" tabx="0"><svg fill="none" viewBox="0 0 18 12" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns=" class=""><g clip-path="url(#ditor-origal-reportg_svg__clip0)"><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M8.524 1.632c3.228 0 6.068 3.26 6.968 4.409-.9 1.152-3.74 4.411-6.968 4.411-3.228 0-6.07-3.26-6.97-4.41.9-1.15 3.74-4.409 6.97-4.409v-.001zm0 10.368c4.082 0 7.383-4.022 8.295-5.256a1.203 1.203 0 000-1.406C15.907 4.108 12.607.085 8.524.085 4.44.084 1.14 4.108.227 5.34a1.204 1.204 0 000 1.408C1.14 7.978 4.44 12 8.524 12zm.043-8.194c1.153 0 2.088.983 2.088 2.194 0 1.212-.935 2.194-2.088 2.194-1.152 0-2.088-.983-2.088-2.194 0-1.212.936-2.192 2.088-2.194zm0 5.944c1.971 0 3.57-1.68 3.57-3.75 0-2.071-1.599-3.75-3.57-3.75-1.972 0-3.57 1.679-3.57 3.75.002 2.07 1.6 3.748 3.57 3.75z" fill="currentColor"></path></g><fs><clipPath id="ditor-origal-reportg_svg__clip0"><path fill="#fff" d="M0 0h18v12H0z"></path></clipPath></fs></svg><span class="flt__TextWrapper-sc-hmou3q-0 nVGhA irvg__text irvg__text--flt">Origal Reportg</span></button></div></li><li class="credibily-ditors__list-em"><div class="flt__PopoverWrapper-sc-19b13eh-0 aA-dxY le-mon__popover le-mon__popover--flt"><div class="popover" aria-modal="false" aria-hidn="te" role="dialog" style="posn:fixed;visibily:hidn;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0">Indit that a Newsmaker/Newsmakers was/were physilly prent to report the article om some/all of the lotn(s) ncerns.<button class="popover__close" type="button" aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-label="Close" role="button" tabx="0">×<span class="screenrearOnly">close</span></button></div><button type="button" class="popover__trigger" aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" role="button" tabx="0"><svg fill="none" viewBox="0 0 11 16" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns=" class=""><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M7.55 14.085c-.32.602-.862.937-1.406.937-.383 0-.735-.2-.895-.502-.223-.401-.128-1.004.256-1.64.032-.066.128-.2.192-.267.671.335 1.406.569 2.173.736-.128.301-.224.569-.32.736zm.767-1.673c-.83-.167-1.598-.401-2.3-.769l-.032-.033c-.288-.1-.64-.067-.864.167-.19.167-.415.535-.415.535-.767 1.305-.51 2.208-.288 2.643.32.636.96 1.004 1.694 1.004h.032c.895 0 1.726-.536 2.205-1.439.192-.335.384-.836.512-1.17a.697.697 0 00-.16-.737.848.848 0 00-.384-.2v-.001zm.801-2.584c-.182.297-.394.627-.606 1.024H8.48c-.849-.397-1.607-.594-2.092-.727.363-.891.272-1.42.212-1.849-.06-.33-.09-.594.151-1.155.667-1.519 1.577-2.212 2.154-2.113.485.099.88.825 1.03 2.047.152 1.188-.21 1.75-.818 2.773h.001zm-.092-5.745c-1.062-.165-2.305.892-3.093 2.642-.364.825-.303 1.32-.212 1.75.06.363.12.693-.213 1.42a.952.952 0 00-.03.759c.09.198.273.33.485.396.394.099 1.274.297 2.184.726.12.066.212.066.333.066a.936.936 0 00.79-.462c.211-.363.423-.693.575-.99.667-1.09 1.152-1.882.97-3.434-.273-2.18-1.122-2.774-1.79-2.873h.001zM3.262 8.852c-.12 1.038-.629 1.415-.928 1.54-.39.158-.838.126-1.108-.125-.299-.22-.419-.629-.359-1.1.03-.19.09-.472.18-.818.718.188 1.466.314 2.215.314a.21.21 0 010 .189zm.868-.535c-.09-.314-.33-.534-.659-.566h-.03a8.569 8.569 0 01-2.334-.346h-.06c-.33-.031-.659.158-.749.472-.09.346-.239.818-.269 1.164-.12.817.15 1.54.69 1.98.328.284.747.41 1.166.41.27 0 .57-.063.838-.19.808-.377 1.347-1.194 1.467-2.295-.03 0 0-.409-.06-.629zM1.438 5.514c.146-1.513.234-2.175 1.228-3.279.936-1.04 1.784-1.513 2.252-1.23.38.221.672 1.104.38 2.491-.117.536-.35.726-.644 1.01-.38.315-.818.725-1.052 1.702a11.74 11.74 0 00-2.194-.347c.03-.126.03-.252.03-.347zM1.29 6.775c.995.032 1.813.253 2.223.347.058 0 .117.032.175.032.351 0 .644-.252.731-.694.147-.725.44-.946.76-1.23.352-.315.79-.662.966-1.544.35-1.672.03-2.996-.82-3.5-1.14-.662-2.543.599-3.274 1.387C.852 2.897.765 3.843.591 5.388c-.03.158-.03.284-.06.442-.03.22.03.441.176.63.146.19.38.284.584.315" fill="currentColor"></path></svg><span class="flt__TextWrapper-sc-hmou3q-0 nVGhA irvg__text irvg__text--flt">On the Ground</span></button></div></li><li class="credibily-ditors__list-em"><div class="flt__PopoverWrapper-sc-19b13eh-0 aA-dxY le-mon__popover le-mon__popover--flt"><div class="popover" aria-modal="false" aria-hidn="te" role="dialog" style="posn:fixed;visibily:hidn;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0">As a news piece, this article c verifiable, third-party sourc which have all been thoroughly fact-checked and emed credible by the Newsroom.<button class="popover__close" type="button" aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-label="Close" role="button" tabx="0">×<span class="screenrearOnly">close</span></button></div><button type="button" class="popover__trigger" aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" role="button" tabx="0"><svg fill="none" viewBox="0 0 13 14" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns=" class=""><path clip-le="evenodd" d="M1 12.429V2.714v9.715zM10.247 12v1H2.304s-.759-.017-1.087-.426C1.096 12.42 1 12.055 1 11.857l9.247.143zM9.818 1H1.982C1.442 1 1 1.43 1 1.957v.25c0 .526.442.957.982.957h8.265v2.979L9.818 1zm-.752 0s-1.357 1.214.637 2.286L9.066 1zm.637 5.143c1.502 0 2.72 1.279 2.72 2.857 0 1.578-1.218 2.857-2.72 2.857-1.502 0-2.72-1.279-2.72-2.857 0-1.578 1.218-2.857 2.72-2.857z" stroke="currentColor" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round"></path><path d="M9.16 8.802l.525.77 1.106-1.143" stroke="currentColor" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round"></path></svg><span class="flt__TextWrapper-sc-hmou3q-0 nVGhA irvg__text irvg__text--flt">Sourc Ced</span></button></div></li></ul></div></div><div class="flt__ContaerWrapper-sc-1k8y94x-0 bTqzht article-ntent irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--flt"><div><div class="articleContent__Wrapper-sc-1rqfqf-0 bDtujo le-mon__article-ntent pi-ntent le-mon__gutenberg-ntent le-mon__gutenberg-ntent--articleContent" id="pi"><p>LINCOLN PARK — When Kathere Abel held the first meetg for Affirmed, a mistry based out of St. Clement’s parish Lln Park that weled LGBTQ Catholics, she expected perhaps a dozen people to turn out.</p><p>To Abel’s surprise, more than 40 Catholics om the Chigo area and Indiana showed up for a readg that foced on buildg bridg between Catholicism and the LGBTQ muny.</p><p>“We had someone who was g om northwt Indiana, so he was drivg two hours,” Abel said. “But was somethg that he didn’t have his area, and he need so much that was worth to him once a month to e out and jo person.”</p><p>Abel, who is a straight ally, -found Affirmed 2019 the hop she uld create a space where her sister, who is queer, would feel safe. She wasn’t aaid to approach her pastor about formg the group; St. Clement’s, 642 W. Demg Place, had a history of rg for members of the LGBTQ muny, and Abel knew members of the church intified as queer.</p><p>The group gathered wh members of other nearby parish, cludg St. Vcent Pl, 1010 W. Webster Ave.; and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 708 W. Belmont Ave.; for the Affirmed meetg.</p><p>“I wanted to be very clear and explic: … We are acceptg here, we’re clive and we have a space for you if you’re terted,” said Abel, 38.</p><p>After the first meetg, members cid to tablish Affirmed as an opportuny for readg and fah sharg, whether that meant as a Bible study or book club. Affirmed members also started volunteerg wh youth experiencg homelsns, many of whom intified as LGBTQ.</p><p>When the panmic h 2020, Affirmed’s members psed their -person mistry but kept up the book club. The tradn beme a bean of light not jt for queer Catholics, but those seekg a sense of normalcy durg COVID, members said.</p><p>“It was the prence of the book club, which was jt somethg that always happens every week at the same time, that jt gave me a sense of stabily,” said member Hyunm Park. “Especially durg the panmic, when everybody was so aaid and nfed, this was an onle space that we uld all go to and somehow people were really mted to g to this group.”</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 6486w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 2048w, 1080w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 254w, 507w, 1013w, 2025w, 600w, 1200w, 1366w" class="wp-image-545341" alt="" src=" height="683" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid/Michele V Wagner Photography</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">St. Clement’s, where a group of parishners have formed an anizatn, Affirmed, to build bridg between Catholicism and the LGBTQ muny.</figptn></figure><p>Gog to church was a big part of Park’s childhood South Korea, where queer muni still face discrimatn and a lack of protectns. She didn’t go to mass for a while after g out as bisexual her mid-20s, but she was lookg for ways to get back when she disvered St. Clement’s.</p><p>“I knew that there are Catholic church that are LGBT-affirmg, but I wasn’t sure how to tell,” Park said. “I felt like whenever I went to a Catholic church space, there was always a chance that I would hear somethg that would make me feel unwele. Then I jt didn’t want to expose myself to that sort of emotnal risk.”</p><p>Park stggl wh what the Catholic church says about her sexualy and believ the stutn has harmed queer people. Yet she also said affirmg LGBTQ muni is at the heart of Christian teachgs to love your neighbors, and she thks the church is progrsg a posive directn.</p><p>Ryan Zieman saw signs of that progrs when he watched Old St. Patrick’s Church pastor Father Tom Hurley give the benedictn at Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s guratn, he said.</p><p>“I’m like, well, if he’s dog that for our our new queer mayor, they mt be a really open-md Catholic parish,” Zieman said.</p><p>After rearchg LGBT-iendly parish, Zieman disvered Affirmed and attend one of s earlit meetgs fall 2019. He was his late 20s; before that, had never met or really heard of other young, queer Catholics, he said. Like Park, he has stayed wh the church bee he feels s tradns, orr of mass and history provi a source of stabily for him a chaotic world, he said.</p><p>“I’m never not gog to be Catholic for all of those reasons. I uld jo another … sect of Christiany that is more like ‘rah, rah, rabows and unirns, go gay,’ but that’s not who I am and that’s not why I have the fah that I have,” Zieman said. “I’m tryg to do my ltle part to help progrs the church and, at the very least, to be part of a space that is open and welg to queer Catholics or even jt to let people know that we exist.”</p><p>Affirmed isn’t the first mistry for queer Catholics Chigo.</p><p>In 1988, Cardal Joseph Bernard tablished the Archdce Gay and Lbian Outreach. Bernard was a pragmatic centrist who found a middle ground wh the Church hierarchy on gay issu, said Michael O’Loughl, thor of “Hidn Mercy: AIDS, Catholics, and the Untold Stori of Compassn the Face of Fear.” At the time, takg a more nciliatory tone wh the LGBTQ muny and tablishg a group was a unique move for a rdal.</p><p>Bernard was steadfast his support for Chigo’s gay muny, particularly durg the AIDS crisis, said Joe Vek, director of muny outreach at Archdce Gay and Lbian Outreach.</p><p>But the archbishop’s relatnship wh queer people was more plex. In 1986, he opposed a <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href=">proposed ordance</a> Chigo outlawg discrimatn agast gay people. The followg year, he supported the cisn of five lol parish to admister munal r to those wh AIDS. The rdal also lled upon Catholics to “open their doors and their hearts to those touched any way by AIDS, as well as to their iends and fay.”</p><p>For some queer Catholics, Bernard’s words of fort rang hollow. Rick Garcia, then executive director of the Catholic Advote for Lbian and Gay Rights, wrote a 1987 Tribune op-ed that the archdce failed to provi meangful outreach to those sufferg.</p><p>“While other Catholic dc have provid fundg for direct servic to people wh AIDS, opened hospic and taken learship rol AIDS tn, the Archdce of Chigo has done virtually nothg,” Garcia wrote.</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 6346w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 2048w, 1080w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 253w, 507w, 1012w, 2025w, 600w, 1200w, 1366w" class="wp-image-545343" alt="" src=" height="683" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid/Michele V Wagner Photography</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">St. Clement’s, where a group of parishners have formed an anizatn, Affirmed, to build bridg between Catholicism and the LGBTQ muny.</figptn></figure><p>Parishners at St. Clement’s did take actn. Its lotn not far om Boystown placed at the epicenter of the epimic. The parish already served sick people who were unable to leave their hom, and adapted those servic to HIV and AIDS patients, O’Loughl said.</p><p>“What might have been unique about St. Clement’s and some other parish around the untry was they were willg to engage mistry wh a muny that was so margalized and the topic of homosexualy was so taboo the church,” he said. “That took a lot of urage.”</p><p>St. Clement’s servic were simple. AIDS would sicken patients to the pot that they beme homebound. Cut off om iends and fay, parishners would do grocery shoppg, prepare meals and clean their hom for them, O’Loughl said. Viss om volunteers also provid rpe om the lonels flicted by the social stigma that me wh AIDS at the time.</p><p>“You had groups at Catholic parish like St Clement’s that would simply listen to those qutns, engage nversatns about them, provi kd of pastoral re, maybe send a prit over who you knew would be non-judgmental and be prent,” O’Loughl said. “Those kds of thgs, they sound kd of mundane, but they were val, pecially those early years before pharmactil treatments improved.”</p><p>The church also beme a refuge for people mourng loved on lost to AIDS. In “Hidn Mercy,” O’Loughl scrib the AIDS Pastoral Care Network’s ndlelight vigil held each Memorial Day Weekend. Startg 1986, the vigil would beg at St. Clement’s, and subdued marchers would proceed through Boystown. Catholics, leathermen and an Ain Amerin Catholic children’s choir sang, wept and prayed durg an terfah service held si the ornate, Byzante church.</p><p>Whether St. Clement’s today is an outlier s attu on LGBTQ issu or a lear a gradual liberalizatn the church is a difficult qutn even for queer Catholics Affirmed. For every progrsive parish like St. Clement’s or Old St. Patricks, there are more nservative church.</p><p>“There’s always gog to be the ltle ternal stggl and movements, but this thg has been around for 2,000 years and ’s, God willg, gog to ntue,” Affirmed member Marty Malone said. “There’s been some good movement right now the past maybe dozen years wh the LGBT muny, but ’s still so small on the sle…Wh that said, I’m still very posive about the outlook.”</p><p>Although there may be hts of change om Pope Francis, Affirmed member Brian Christ hasn’t seen enough evince of progrs at an anizatnal level.</p><p>“I thk dividually people feel very wele. They feel part of their dividual parish and muni,” Christ said. “Perhaps that’s where the change will e om.”</p><p>For Affirmed members like Park, ’s the dividuals they meet through mistry groups that brg them back to the church, not the msage om Pope Francis, whom she believ should take a stronger, more affirmg stance on LGBTQ issu. While not every Catholic muny may wele her full inty, she’s grateful to have found Affirmed.</p><p>“For a long time, I felt like I uldn’t exist both spac at the same time, or I uldn’t hold onto both inti at the same time, beg Catholic and beg queer,” Park said. “And was jt a matter of fdg the right set of people. … So I jt want to say that for the sake of other people out there who feel isolated and who feel like they they n’t hold on to both inti, jt that ’s possible. You jt have to fd other iends who are like you.”</p><p class="pi__hi-for-payg"><em><a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href=">Subscribe to Block Club Chigo</a>, an pennt, 501(c)(3), journalist-n newsroom. Every dime we make funds reportg om Chigo’s neighborhoods.</em></p><p class="pi__hi-for-payg"><em>Click <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href=">here</a> to support Block Club wh a <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href=">tax-ductible donatn.</a></em> </p><p class="pi__show-for-payg"><em>Thanks for subscribg to Block Club Chigo, an pennt, 501(c)(3), journalist-n newsroom. Every dime we make funds reportg om Chigo’s neighborhoods</em>.<em> Click <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href=">here</a> to support Block Club wh a <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href=">tax-ductible donatn.</a></em></p><p><a href="><strong>Watch our “On The Block” TV show on The U, CW26 and MeTV.</strong></a></p><p><strong>Listen to “It’s All Good: A Block Club Chigo Podst”:</strong></p><iame class="" style="width:100%" width="640px" height="377px" src=" allowfullscreen=""></iame><div style="height:1px;left:0;marg:0 to;posn:absolute;poter-events:none;right:0;top:50%;width:1px" id="wp-irvg-gtm-article-midpot"></div></div></div></div><div class="ntentWidth__ContaerWrapper-sc-1p9n6rf-0 gnvRpv article-meta article-meta--bottom irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--ntentWidth"><div class="flt__SocialShargWrapper-sc-1ap9xvz-0 fInWHe irvg__post-social-sharg irvg__post-social-sharg--pill"><ul class="pill__SocialShargList-sc-19unuas-0 hpxHWY post-social-sharg__list"><li class="pill__SocialShargItemWrapper-sc-19unuas-1 iWrpEJ redd"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href=" rel="" target="_blank"><span class="pill__InWrapper-sc-19unuas-2 iCbVVq redd"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 24 24" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>Share on redd

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* LGBT CATHOLIC CHURCH CHICAGO

twter</tle><path fill-le="evenodd" d="M24,4.3086 C23.117,4.7006 22.168,4.9646 21.172,5.0836 C22.188,4.4746 22.969,3.5096 23.337,2.3596 C22.386,2.9246 21.332,3.3336 20.21,3.5556 C19.312,2.5976 18.032,1.9996 16.616,1.9996 C13.897,1.9996 11.692,4.2046 11.692,6.9236 C11.692,7.3096 11.736,7.6856 11.82,8.0456 C7.728,7.8406 4.099,5.8806 1.671,2.9006 C1.247,3.6286 1.004,4.4736 1.004,5.3766 C1.004,7.0846 1.873,8.5926 3.195,9.4756 C2.388,9.4486 1.628,9.2276 0.964,8.8596 L0.964,8.9206 C0.964,11.3066 2.661,13.2966 4.914,13.7486 C4.501,13.8626 4.065,13.9216 3.617,13.9216 C3.299,13.9216 2.991,13.8906 2.69,13.8336 C3.317,15.7896 5.135,17.2136 7.29,17.2536 C5.604,18.5736 3.481,19.3606 1.175,19.3606 C0.777,19.3606 0.385,19.3376 0,19.2926 C2.179,20.6886 4.767,21.5046 7.548,21.5046 C16.605,21.5046 21.557,14.0016 21.557,7.4946 C21.557,7.2816 21.552,7.0696 21.543,6.8586 C22.505,6.1636 23.34,5.2966 24,4.3086"></path></svg></span></a></li><li class="popoutAlt__SocialLksItem-sc-10p9c1t-2 kdOnUz"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href=" rel="" target=""><span class="popoutAlt__InWrapper-sc-10p9c1t-3 jMELyv facebook"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 320 512" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>facebook</tle><path d="M279.14 288l14.22-92.66h-88.91v-60.13c0-25.35 12.42-50.06 52.24-50.06h40.42V6.26S260.43 0 225.36 0c-73.22 0-121.08 44.38-121.08 124.72v70.62H22.89V288h81.39v224h100.17V288z"></path></svg></span></a></li><li class="popoutAlt__SocialLksItem-sc-10p9c1t-2 kdOnUz"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href=" rel="" target=""><span class="popoutAlt__InWrapper-sc-10p9c1t-3 jMELyv stagram"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 448 512" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>stagram</tle><path d="M224.1 141c-63.6 0-114.9 51.3-114.9 114.9s51.3 114.9 114.9 114.9S339 319.5 339 255.9 287.7 141 224.1 141zm0 189.6c-41.1 0-74.7-33.5-74.7-74.7s33.5-74.7 74.7-74.7 74.7 33.5 74.7 74.7-33.6 74.7-74.7 74.7zm146.4-194.3c0 14.9-12 26.8-26.8 26.8-14.9 0-26.8-12-26.8-26.8s12-26.8 26.8-26.8 26.8 12 26.8 26.8zm76.1 27.2c-1.7-35.9-9.9-67.7-36.2-93.9-26.2-26.2-58-34.4-93.9-36.2-37-2.1-147.9-2.1-184.9 0-35.8 1.7-67.6 9.9-93.9 36.1s-34.4 58-36.2 93.9c-2.1 37-2.1 147.9 0 184.9 1.7 35.9 9.9 67.7 36.2 93.9s58 34.4 93.9 36.2c37 2.1 147.9 2.1 184.9 0 35.9-1.7 67.7-9.9 93.9-36.2 26.2-26.2 34.4-58 36.2-93.9 2.1-37 2.1-147.8 0-184.8zM398.8 388c-7.8 19.6-22.9 34.7-42.6 42.6-29.5 11.7-99.5 9-132.1 9s-102.7 2.6-132.1-9c-19.6-7.8-34.7-22.9-42.6-42.6-11.7-29.5-9-99.5-9-132.1s-2.6-102.7 9-132.1c7.8-19.6 22.9-34.7 42.6-42.6 29.5-11.7 99.5-9 132.1-9s102.7-2.6 132.1 9c19.6 7.8 34.7 22.9 42.6 42.6 11.7 29.5 9 99.5 9 132.1s2.7 102.7-9 132.1z"></path></svg></span></a></li></ul></div></div></div></nav></div></div></div></hear><div class="flt__Wrapper-sc-ivw9mm-0 ifMAeN"><ma class="flt__Ma-sc-1zss9-0 jfVGbz se-ntent se-ntent--sgle irvg__body-wrapper irvg__body-wrapper--flt" id="ntent"><div class="ntentWidth__ContaerWrapper-sc-1p9n6rf-0 gnvRpv irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--ntentWidth"><div class="flt__SibarWrapper-sc-1l879b1-0 heJNCx le-mon__sgle-sponsor le-mon__sibar le-mon__sibar--ntentWidth" id="sgle_sponsor"><div></div></div><div class="articleHear__ContaerWrapper-sc-ct0iug-0 lisEqa article-hear irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--articleHear"><a class="eyebrow__LkWrapper-sc-tqc2sf-0 jIAEBq article-hear__eyebrow irvg__term-lk irvg__term-lk--eyebrow" href=" rel="" target=""><div class="flt__TextWrapper-sc-hmou3q-0 nVGhA irvg__term-name irvg__term-name--flt">Lln Park, Old Town</div></a><h1 class="primaryFontHeadg__TextWrapper-sc-1otf4oo-0 sgleHeadg__TextWrapper-sc-1rx3zam-0 jGqHzL iTAVMZ article-hear__post-tle irvg__post-tle irvg__post-tle--sgleHeadg">Catholic And Queer: Affirmed Church Group Creatg A Welg Space For LGBTQ Chigoans</h1><p class="k__TextWrapper-sc-ktbqq9-0 jwCKVS article-hear__k irvg__text irvg__text--k">The group is buildg bridg between Catholicism and LGBTQ Chigoans. "We are acceptg here, we're clive and we have a space for you if you're terted."</p></div><div class="articleMeta__ContaerWrapper-sc-mnxmjt-0 kiZEZ article-meta article-meta--top irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--articleMeta"><div class="flt__SocialShargWrapper-sc-1ap9xvz-0 fInWHe article-meta__social-sharg irvg__post-social-sharg irvg__post-social-sharg--pill"><ul class="pill__SocialShargList-sc-19unuas-0 hpxHWY post-social-sharg__list"><li class="pill__SocialShargItemWrapper-sc-19unuas-1 iWrpEJ redd"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href=" rel="" target="_blank"><span class="pill__InWrapper-sc-19unuas-2 iCbVVq redd"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 24 24" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>Share on redd</tle><path fill-le="evenodd" d="M15.57,15.284 C14.673,15.284 13.91925,14.5565 13.91925,13.6595 C13.91925,12.7625 14.673,12.011 15.57,12.011 C16.467,12.011 17.1945,12.7625 17.1945,13.6595 C17.1945,14.5565 16.467,15.284 15.57,15.284 M15.951,18.437 C15.1155,19.27175 13.827,19.6775 12.012,19.6775 C12.00825,19.6775 12.00375,19.67675 11.99925,19.67675 C11.9955,19.67675 11.991,19.6775 11.9865,19.6775 C10.1715,19.6775 8.88375,19.27175 8.049,18.437 C7.7925,18.1805 7.7925,17.76575 8.049,17.51 C8.30475,17.25425 8.7195,17.25425 8.976,17.51 C9.552,18.086 10.53675,18.3665 11.9865,18.3665 C11.991,18.3665 11.9955,18.36725 11.99925,18.36725 C12.00375,18.36725 12.00825,18.3665 12.012,18.3665 C13.46175,18.3665 14.44725,18.086 15.024,17.51 C15.2805,17.2535 15.69525,17.25425 15.951,17.51 C16.20675,17.7665 16.20675,18.18125 15.951,18.437 M6.8055,13.6595 C6.8055,12.76325 7.55775,12.011 8.454,12.011 C9.351,12.011 10.0785,12.76325 10.0785,13.6595 C10.0785,14.5565 9.351,15.284 8.454,15.284 C7.55775,15.284 6.8055,14.5565 6.8055,13.6595 M19.998,3.311 C20.6055,3.311 21.09975,3.80525 21.09975,4.412 C21.09975,5.0195 20.6055,5.51375 19.998,5.51375 C19.3905,5.51375 18.89625,5.0195 18.89625,4.412 C18.89625,3.80525 19.3905,3.311 19.998,3.311 M24,11.87525 C24,10.2845 22.70625,8.99075 21.1155,8.99075 C20.427,8.99075 19.79475,9.23375 19.29825,9.638 C17.5395,8.5325 15.3075,7.8665 12.915,7.7255 L14.163,3.77975 L17.59275,4.5875 C17.68275,5.83625 18.72675,6.82475 19.998,6.82475 C21.32775,6.82475 22.41,5.7425 22.41,4.412 C22.41,3.08225 21.32775,2 19.998,2 C19.068,2 18.2595,2.5295 17.85675,3.30275 L13.87125,2.3645 C13.5375,2.28575 13.2,2.47775 13.0965,2.80475 L11.547,7.70225 C8.96925,7.76525 6.546,8.4335 4.65825,9.6035 C4.1685,9.22025 3.55275,8.99075 2.8845,8.99075 C1.29375,8.99075 0,10.2845 0,11.87525 C0,12.8585 0.495,13.72775 1.24875,14.24825 C1.21725,14.477 1.20075,14.70725 1.20075,14.9405 C1.20075,16.92875 2.3565,18.77825 4.455,20.14775 C6.4665,21.461 9.129,22.184 11.95125,22.184 C14.7735,22.184 17.436,21.461 19.4475,20.14775 C21.546,18.77825 22.70175,16.92875 22.70175,14.9405 C22.70175,14.72825 22.6875,14.5175 22.66125,14.30825 C23.46525,13.796 24,12.89675 24,11.87525"></path></svg></span></a></li><li class="pill__SocialShargItemWrapper-sc-19unuas-1 iWrpEJ facebook"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href=" rel="" target="_blank"><span class="pill__InWrapper-sc-19unuas-2 iCbVVq facebook"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 320 512" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>Share on facebook</tle><path d="M279.14 288l14.22-92.66h-88.91v-60.13c0-25.35 12.42-50.06 52.24-50.06h40.42V6.26S260.43 0 225.36 0c-73.22 0-121.08 44.38-121.08 124.72v70.62H22.89V288h81.39v224h100.17V288z"></path></svg></span></a></li><li class="pill__SocialShargItemWrapper-sc-19unuas-1 iWrpEJ twter"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href=" rel="" target="_blank"><span class="pill__InWrapper-sc-19unuas-2 iCbVVq twter"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 24 24" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>Share on twter</tle><path fill-le="evenodd" d="M24,4.3086 C23.117,4.7006 22.168,4.9646 21.172,5.0836 C22.188,4.4746 22.969,3.5096 23.337,2.3596 C22.386,2.9246 21.332,3.3336 20.21,3.5556 C19.312,2.5976 18.032,1.9996 16.616,1.9996 C13.897,1.9996 11.692,4.2046 11.692,6.9236 C11.692,7.3096 11.736,7.6856 11.82,8.0456 C7.728,7.8406 4.099,5.8806 1.671,2.9006 C1.247,3.6286 1.004,4.4736 1.004,5.3766 C1.004,7.0846 1.873,8.5926 3.195,9.4756 C2.388,9.4486 1.628,9.2276 0.964,8.8596 L0.964,8.9206 C0.964,11.3066 2.661,13.2966 4.914,13.7486 C4.501,13.8626 4.065,13.9216 3.617,13.9216 C3.299,13.9216 2.991,13.8906 2.69,13.8336 C3.317,15.7896 5.135,17.2136 7.29,17.2536 C5.604,18.5736 3.481,19.3606 1.175,19.3606 C0.777,19.3606 0.385,19.3376 0,19.2926 C2.179,20.6886 4.767,21.5046 7.548,21.5046 C16.605,21.5046 21.557,14.0016 21.557,7.4946 C21.557,7.2816 21.552,7.0696 21.543,6.8586 C22.505,6.1636 23.34,5.2966 24,4.3086"></path></svg></span></a></li><li class="pill__SocialShargItemWrapper-sc-19unuas-1 iWrpEJ email"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href="mailto:?;subject=Catholic%20And%20Queer%3A%20Affirmed%20Church%20Group%20Creatg%20A%20Welg%20Space%20For%20LGBTQ%20Chigoans" rel="" target="_self"><span class="pill__InWrapper-sc-19unuas-2 iCbVVq email"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 24 24" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>Share on email</tle><path fill-le="evenodd" d="M23,20 L23,6 L12,15 L1,6 L1,20 L23,20 Z M12,12 L22,4 L2,4 L12,12 Z"></path></svg></span></a></li><li class="pill__SocialShargItemWrapper-sc-19unuas-1 iWrpEJ ptert"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href=" rel="" target="_blank"><span class="pill__InWrapper-sc-19unuas-2 iCbVVq ptert"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 24 24" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>Share on ptert</tle><path fill-le="evenodd" d="M12,0 C5.37225,0 0,5.37225 0,12 C0,17.0835 3.16275,21.426 7.62675,23.17425 C7.52175,22.22475 7.42725,20.76825 7.66875,19.73175 C7.88625,18.79575 9.07575,13.767 9.07575,13.767 C9.07575,13.767 8.7165,13.0485 8.7165,11.98575 C8.7165,10.317 9.684,9.07125 10.88775,9.07125 C11.9115,9.07125 12.4065,9.84 12.4065,10.76175 C12.4065,11.7915 11.751,13.3305 11.41275,14.757 C11.13,15.95175 12.01125,16.926 13.1895,16.926 C15.3225,16.926 16.962,14.67675 16.962,11.43075 C16.962,8.5575 14.89725,6.54825 11.949,6.54825 C8.535,6.54825 6.531,9.1095 6.531,11.75625 C6.531,12.7875 6.92775,13.89375 7.4235,14.4945 C7.52175,14.61375 7.536,14.71725 7.50675,14.83875 C7.416,15.21825 7.2135,16.03275 7.17375,16.2 C7.12125,16.419 6.99975,16.46625 6.7725,16.3605 C5.27325,15.66225 4.3365,13.4715 4.3365,11.71125 C4.3365,7.926 7.08675,4.44975 12.2655,4.44975 C16.428,4.44975 19.6635,7.416 19.6635,11.3805 C19.6635,15.516 17.05575,18.8445 13.43625,18.8445 C12.2205,18.8445 11.0775,18.21225 10.686,17.466 C10.686,17.466 10.0845,19.75725 9.93825,20.319 C9.6675,21.36075 8.93625,22.66725 8.4465,23.4645 C9.57,23.8125 10.76325,24 12,24 C18.62775,24 24,18.627 24,12 C24,5.37225 18.62775,0 12,0"></path></svg></span></a></li><li class="pill__SocialShargItemWrapper-sc-19unuas-1 iWrpEJ lked"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href=" rel="" target="_blank"><span class="pill__InWrapper-sc-19unuas-2 iCbVVq lked"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 24 24" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>Share on lked</tle><path fill-le="evenodd" d="M20.45175,20.45025 L16.89225,20.45025 L16.89225,14.88075 C16.89225,13.5525 16.86975,11.844 15.04275,11.844 C13.191,11.844 12.90825,13.2915 12.90825,14.7855 L12.90825,20.45025 L9.3525,20.45025 L9.3525,8.997 L12.765,8.997 L12.765,10.563 L12.81375,10.563 C13.2885,9.66225 14.4495,8.71275 16.18125,8.71275 C19.78575,8.71275 20.45175,11.08425 20.45175,14.169 L20.45175,20.45025 Z M5.33925,7.4325 C4.1955,7.4325 3.27375,6.50775 3.27375,5.36775 C3.27375,4.2285 4.1955,3.30375 5.33925,3.30375 C6.47775,3.30375 7.4025,4.2285 7.4025,5.36775 C7.4025,6.50775 6.47775,7.4325 5.33925,7.4325 L5.33925,7.4325 Z M7.11975,20.45025 L3.5565,20.45025 L3.5565,8.997 L7.11975,8.997 L7.11975,20.45025 Z M23.00025,0 L1.0005,0 C0.44775,0 0,0.44775 0,0.99975 L0,22.9995 C0,23.55225 0.44775,24 1.0005,24 L23.00025,24 C23.55225,24 24,23.55225 24,22.9995 L24,0.99975 C24,0.44775 23.55225,0 23.00025,0 L23.00025,0 Z"></path></svg></span></a></li><li class="pill__SocialShargItemWrapper-sc-19unuas-1 iWrpEJ whatsapp"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href=" rel="" target="_blank"><span class="pill__InWrapper-sc-19unuas-2 iCbVVq whatsapp"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 512 512" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>Share on whatsapp</tle><path d="M260.062 32C138.605 32 40.134 129.701 40.134 250.232c0 41.23 11.532 79.79 31.559 112.687L32 480l121.764-38.682c31.508 17.285 67.745 27.146 106.298 27.146C381.535 468.464 480 370.749 480 250.232 480 129.701 381.535 32 260.062 32zm109.362 301.11c-5.174 12.827-28.574 24.533-38.899 25.072-10.314.547-10.608 7.994-66.84-16.434-56.225-24.434-90.052-83.844-92.719-87.67-2.669-3.812-21.78-31.047-20.749-58.455 1.038-27.413 16.047-40.346 21.404-45.725 5.351-5.387 11.486-6.352 15.232-6.413 4.428-.072 7.296-.132 10.573-.011 3.274.124 8.192-.685 12.45 10.639 4.256 11.323 14.443 39.153 15.746 41.989 1.302 2.839 2.108 6.126.102 9.771-2.012 3.653-3.042 5.935-5.961 9.083-2.935 3.148-6.174 7.042-8.792 9.449-2.92 2.665-5.97 5.572-2.9 11.269 3.068 5.693 13.653 24.356 29.779 39.736 20.725 19.771 38.598 26.329 44.098 29.317 5.515 3.004 8.806 2.67 12.226-.929 3.404-3.599 14.639-15.746 18.596-21.169 3.955-5.438 7.661-4.373 12.742-2.329 5.078 2.052 32.157 16.556 37.673 19.551 5.51 2.989 9.193 4.529 10.51 6.9 1.317 2.38.901 13.531-4.271 26.359z"></path></svg></span></a></li></ul></div><div class="sibar__ByleWrapper-sc-135rg5d-0 dFphtv article-meta__byle le-mon__post-byle le-mon__post-byle--sibar"><div class="sibar__AuthorsWrapper-sc-135rg5d-1 cOMElx post-byle__thors-wrapper"><div class="sibar__Avatars-sc-135rg5d-3 cYVCSw post-byle__grouped-avatars"><div class="flt__Element-sc-8r6934-0 Eajbf post-byle__left irvg__agment irvg__agment--flt"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma irvg__lk irvg__lk--flt" aria-hidn="te" href=" rel="" target="" tabx="-1"><figure class="flt__FigureWrapper-sc-1lmy-0 fjaYGN post-byle__avatar irvg__post-featured-image irvg__post-featured-image--flt"><span style="paddg-bottom:100%" class="flt__ImageWrapper-sc-1lmy-1 hnRmkg"><img alt="" height="888" loadg="lazy" src=" srcSet=" 1001w, 300w, 768w, 54w, 564w, 615w, 86w, 191w, 381w, 761w, 254w, 507w, 225w, 451w, 902w, 600w" siz="100px" width="1001" class="flt__ImageTag-sc-1lmy-2 jDWYqd"/></span></figure></a></div></div><div class="sibar__AuthorNam-sc-135rg5d-2 cqTYOK post-byle__thor-nam"><span class="flt__AuthorWrapper-sc-3fiqtm-2 cAJsvb post-byle__thor"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma post-byle__thor-lk irvg__lk irvg__lk--flt" href=" rel="" target=""><span class="flt__TextWrapper-sc-hmou3q-0 nVGhA irvg__text irvg__text--flt">Leigh Giangre</span></a></span></div></div></div><div class="timtamp__TextWrapper-sc-1uu26yx-0 fBbNtW article-meta__post-timtamp le-mon__post-timtamp le-mon__post-timtamp--timtamp"><div class="post-date">12:45 PM CDT on Jun 30, 2022</div> </div></div><div class="flt__ContaerWrapper-sc-1k8y94x-0 bTqzht article-featured-image irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--flt" id="sgle_media"><figure class="article__FigureWrapper-sc-7s8aer-0 enkhzk irvg__post-featured-image irvg__post-featured-image--article"><span style="paddg-bottom:56.25%" class="article__ImageWrapper-sc-7s8aer-1 cLpHBB"><img alt="" height="675" loadg="lazy" src=" srcSet=" 5297w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 2048w, 1080w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 253w, 507w, 1012w, 2025w, 600w, 1200w, 1366w" siz="(max-width: 350px) 350px, (max-width: 1058px) 768px, (max-width: 1700px) 1080px, 2400px" width="1012" class="article__ImageTag-sc-7s8aer-2 ehmVhs"/></span><div class="article__ImageMeta-sc-7s8aer-3 eBXNjs"><figptn class="article__ImageCaptn-sc-7s8aer-4 hrwttr">Easter service at St. Clement's, where a group of parishners have formed an anizatn, Affirmed, to build bridg between Catholicism and the LGBTQ muny.</figptn><span class="article__ImageCred-sc-7s8aer-5 ieDIYX">Provid/Michele V Wagner Photography</span></div></figure></div></div><div class="flt__ContaerWrapper-sc-1k8y94x-0 bTqzht article-ntent-ntaer irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--flt"><div class="ntentWidth__ContaerWrapper-sc-1p9n6rf-0 gnvRpv irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--ntentWidth"><div class="flt__CredibilyInditorsWrapper-sc-18725oc-0 iUZmNj le-mon__credibily-ditors le-mon__credibily-ditors--flt"><ul class="credibily-ditors__list"><li class="credibily-ditors__list-em"><span class="flt__TextWrapper-sc-hmou3q-0 nVGhA credibily-ditors__tle irvg__text irvg__text--flt">Credibily:</span></li><li class="credibily-ditors__list-em"><div class="flt__PopoverWrapper-sc-19b13eh-0 aA-dxY le-mon__popover le-mon__popover--flt"><div class="popover" aria-modal="false" aria-hidn="te" role="dialog" style="posn:fixed;visibily:hidn;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0">This article ntas new, firsthand rmatn unvered by s reporter(s). This clus directly terviewg sourc and rearch / analysis of primary source documents.<button class="popover__close" type="button" aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-label="Close" role="button" tabx="0">×<span class="screenrearOnly">close</span></button></div><button type="button" class="popover__trigger" aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" role="button" tabx="0"><svg fill="none" viewBox="0 0 18 12" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns=" class=""><g clip-path="url(#ditor-origal-reportg_svg__clip0)"><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M8.524 1.632c3.228 0 6.068 3.26 6.968 4.409-.9 1.152-3.74 4.411-6.968 4.411-3.228 0-6.07-3.26-6.97-4.41.9-1.15 3.74-4.409 6.97-4.409v-.001zm0 10.368c4.082 0 7.383-4.022 8.295-5.256a1.203 1.203 0 000-1.406C15.907 4.108 12.607.085 8.524.085 4.44.084 1.14 4.108.227 5.34a1.204 1.204 0 000 1.408C1.14 7.978 4.44 12 8.524 12zm.043-8.194c1.153 0 2.088.983 2.088 2.194 0 1.212-.935 2.194-2.088 2.194-1.152 0-2.088-.983-2.088-2.194 0-1.212.936-2.192 2.088-2.194zm0 5.944c1.971 0 3.57-1.68 3.57-3.75 0-2.071-1.599-3.75-3.57-3.75-1.972 0-3.57 1.679-3.57 3.75.002 2.07 1.6 3.748 3.57 3.75z" fill="currentColor"></path></g><fs><clipPath id="ditor-origal-reportg_svg__clip0"><path fill="#fff" d="M0 0h18v12H0z"></path></clipPath></fs></svg><span class="flt__TextWrapper-sc-hmou3q-0 nVGhA irvg__text irvg__text--flt">Origal Reportg</span></button></div></li><li class="credibily-ditors__list-em"><div class="flt__PopoverWrapper-sc-19b13eh-0 aA-dxY le-mon__popover le-mon__popover--flt"><div class="popover" aria-modal="false" aria-hidn="te" role="dialog" style="posn:fixed;visibily:hidn;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0">Indit that a Newsmaker/Newsmakers was/were physilly prent to report the article om some/all of the lotn(s) ncerns.<button class="popover__close" type="button" aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-label="Close" role="button" tabx="0">×<span class="screenrearOnly">close</span></button></div><button type="button" class="popover__trigger" aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" role="button" tabx="0"><svg fill="none" viewBox="0 0 11 16" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns=" class=""><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M7.55 14.085c-.32.602-.862.937-1.406.937-.383 0-.735-.2-.895-.502-.223-.401-.128-1.004.256-1.64.032-.066.128-.2.192-.267.671.335 1.406.569 2.173.736-.128.301-.224.569-.32.736zm.767-1.673c-.83-.167-1.598-.401-2.3-.769l-.032-.033c-.288-.1-.64-.067-.864.167-.19.167-.415.535-.415.535-.767 1.305-.51 2.208-.288 2.643.32.636.96 1.004 1.694 1.004h.032c.895 0 1.726-.536 2.205-1.439.192-.335.384-.836.512-1.17a.697.697 0 00-.16-.737.848.848 0 00-.384-.2v-.001zm.801-2.584c-.182.297-.394.627-.606 1.024H8.48c-.849-.397-1.607-.594-2.092-.727.363-.891.272-1.42.212-1.849-.06-.33-.09-.594.151-1.155.667-1.519 1.577-2.212 2.154-2.113.485.099.88.825 1.03 2.047.152 1.188-.21 1.75-.818 2.773h.001zm-.092-5.745c-1.062-.165-2.305.892-3.093 2.642-.364.825-.303 1.32-.212 1.75.06.363.12.693-.213 1.42a.952.952 0 00-.03.759c.09.198.273.33.485.396.394.099 1.274.297 2.184.726.12.066.212.066.333.066a.936.936 0 00.79-.462c.211-.363.423-.693.575-.99.667-1.09 1.152-1.882.97-3.434-.273-2.18-1.122-2.774-1.79-2.873h.001zM3.262 8.852c-.12 1.038-.629 1.415-.928 1.54-.39.158-.838.126-1.108-.125-.299-.22-.419-.629-.359-1.1.03-.19.09-.472.18-.818.718.188 1.466.314 2.215.314a.21.21 0 010 .189zm.868-.535c-.09-.314-.33-.534-.659-.566h-.03a8.569 8.569 0 01-2.334-.346h-.06c-.33-.031-.659.158-.749.472-.09.346-.239.818-.269 1.164-.12.817.15 1.54.69 1.98.328.284.747.41 1.166.41.27 0 .57-.063.838-.19.808-.377 1.347-1.194 1.467-2.295-.03 0 0-.409-.06-.629zM1.438 5.514c.146-1.513.234-2.175 1.228-3.279.936-1.04 1.784-1.513 2.252-1.23.38.221.672 1.104.38 2.491-.117.536-.35.726-.644 1.01-.38.315-.818.725-1.052 1.702a11.74 11.74 0 00-2.194-.347c.03-.126.03-.252.03-.347zM1.29 6.775c.995.032 1.813.253 2.223.347.058 0 .117.032.175.032.351 0 .644-.252.731-.694.147-.725.44-.946.76-1.23.352-.315.79-.662.966-1.544.35-1.672.03-2.996-.82-3.5-1.14-.662-2.543.599-3.274 1.387C.852 2.897.765 3.843.591 5.388c-.03.158-.03.284-.06.442-.03.22.03.441.176.63.146.19.38.284.584.315" fill="currentColor"></path></svg><span class="flt__TextWrapper-sc-hmou3q-0 nVGhA irvg__text irvg__text--flt">On the Ground</span></button></div></li><li class="credibily-ditors__list-em"><div class="flt__PopoverWrapper-sc-19b13eh-0 aA-dxY le-mon__popover le-mon__popover--flt"><div class="popover" aria-modal="false" aria-hidn="te" role="dialog" style="posn:fixed;visibily:hidn;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0">As a news piece, this article c verifiable, third-party sourc which have all been thoroughly fact-checked and emed credible by the Newsroom.<button class="popover__close" type="button" aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-label="Close" role="button" tabx="0">×<span class="screenrearOnly">close</span></button></div><button type="button" class="popover__trigger" aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" role="button" tabx="0"><svg fill="none" viewBox="0 0 13 14" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns=" class=""><path clip-le="evenodd" d="M1 12.429V2.714v9.715zM10.247 12v1H2.304s-.759-.017-1.087-.426C1.096 12.42 1 12.055 1 11.857l9.247.143zM9.818 1H1.982C1.442 1 1 1.43 1 1.957v.25c0 .526.442.957.982.957h8.265v2.979L9.818 1zm-.752 0s-1.357 1.214.637 2.286L9.066 1zm.637 5.143c1.502 0 2.72 1.279 2.72 2.857 0 1.578-1.218 2.857-2.72 2.857-1.502 0-2.72-1.279-2.72-2.857 0-1.578 1.218-2.857 2.72-2.857z" stroke="currentColor" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round"></path><path d="M9.16 8.802l.525.77 1.106-1.143" stroke="currentColor" stroke-lep="round" stroke-lejo="round"></path></svg><span class="flt__TextWrapper-sc-hmou3q-0 nVGhA irvg__text irvg__text--flt">Sourc Ced</span></button></div></li></ul></div></div><div class="flt__ContaerWrapper-sc-1k8y94x-0 bTqzht article-ntent irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--flt"><div><div class="articleContent__Wrapper-sc-1rqfqf-0 bDtujo le-mon__article-ntent pi-ntent le-mon__gutenberg-ntent le-mon__gutenberg-ntent--articleContent" id="pi"><p>LINCOLN PARK — When Kathere Abel held the first meetg for Affirmed, a mistry based out of St. Clement’s parish Lln Park that weled LGBTQ Catholics, she expected perhaps a dozen people to turn out.</p><p>To Abel’s surprise, more than 40 Catholics om the Chigo area and Indiana showed up for a readg that foced on buildg bridg between Catholicism and the LGBTQ muny.</p><p>“We had someone who was g om northwt Indiana, so he was drivg two hours,” Abel said. “But was somethg that he didn’t have his area, and he need so much that was worth to him once a month to e out and jo person.”</p><p>Abel, who is a straight ally, -found Affirmed 2019 the hop she uld create a space where her sister, who is queer, would feel safe. She wasn’t aaid to approach her pastor about formg the group; St. Clement’s, 642 W. Demg Place, had a history of rg for members of the LGBTQ muny, and Abel knew members of the church intified as queer.</p><p>The group gathered wh members of other nearby parish, cludg St. Vcent Pl, 1010 W. Webster Ave.; and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 708 W. Belmont Ave.; for the Affirmed meetg.</p><p>“I wanted to be very clear and explic: … We are acceptg here, we’re clive and we have a space for you if you’re terted,” said Abel, 38.</p><p>After the first meetg, members cid to tablish Affirmed as an opportuny for readg and fah sharg, whether that meant as a Bible study or book club. Affirmed members also started volunteerg wh youth experiencg homelsns, many of whom intified as LGBTQ.</p><p>When the panmic h 2020, Affirmed’s members psed their -person mistry but kept up the book club. The tradn beme a bean of light not jt for queer Catholics, but those seekg a sense of normalcy durg COVID, members said.</p><p>“It was the prence of the book club, which was jt somethg that always happens every week at the same time, that jt gave me a sense of stabily,” said member Hyunm Park. “Especially durg the panmic, when everybody was so aaid and nfed, this was an onle space that we uld all go to and somehow people were really mted to g to this group.”</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 6486w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 2048w, 1080w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 254w, 507w, 1013w, 2025w, 600w, 1200w, 1366w" class="wp-image-545341" alt="" src=" height="683" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid/Michele V Wagner Photography</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">St. Clement’s, where a group of parishners have formed an anizatn, Affirmed, to build bridg between Catholicism and the LGBTQ muny.</figptn></figure><p>Gog to church was a big part of Park’s childhood South Korea, where queer muni still face discrimatn and a lack of protectns. She didn’t go to mass for a while after g out as bisexual her mid-20s, but she was lookg for ways to get back when she disvered St. Clement’s.</p><p>“I knew that there are Catholic church that are LGBT-affirmg, but I wasn’t sure how to tell,” Park said. “I felt like whenever I went to a Catholic church space, there was always a chance that I would hear somethg that would make me feel unwele. Then I jt didn’t want to expose myself to that sort of emotnal risk.”</p><p>Park stggl wh what the Catholic church says about her sexualy and believ the stutn has harmed queer people. Yet she also said affirmg LGBTQ muni is at the heart of Christian teachgs to love your neighbors, and she thks the church is progrsg a posive directn.</p><p>Ryan Zieman saw signs of that progrs when he watched Old St. Patrick’s Church pastor Father Tom Hurley give the benedictn at Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s guratn, he said.</p><p>“I’m like, well, if he’s dog that for our our new queer mayor, they mt be a really open-md Catholic parish,” Zieman said.</p><p>After rearchg LGBT-iendly parish, Zieman disvered Affirmed and attend one of s earlit meetgs fall 2019. He was his late 20s; before that, had never met or really heard of other young, queer Catholics, he said. Like Park, he has stayed wh the church bee he feels s tradns, orr of mass and history provi a source of stabily for him a chaotic world, he said.</p><p>“I’m never not gog to be Catholic for all of those reasons. I uld jo another … sect of Christiany that is more like ‘rah, rah, rabows and unirns, go gay,’ but that’s not who I am and that’s not why I have the fah that I have,” Zieman said. “I’m tryg to do my ltle part to help progrs the church and, at the very least, to be part of a space that is open and welg to queer Catholics or even jt to let people know that we exist.”</p><p>Affirmed isn’t the first mistry for queer Catholics Chigo.</p><p>In 1988, Cardal Joseph Bernard tablished the Archdce Gay and Lbian Outreach. Bernard was a pragmatic centrist who found a middle ground wh the Church hierarchy on gay issu, said Michael O’Loughl, thor of “Hidn Mercy: AIDS, Catholics, and the Untold Stori of Compassn the Face of Fear.” At the time, takg a more nciliatory tone wh the LGBTQ muny and tablishg a group was a unique move for a rdal.</p><p>Bernard was steadfast his support for Chigo’s gay muny, particularly durg the AIDS crisis, said Joe Vek, director of muny outreach at Archdce Gay and Lbian Outreach.</p><p>But the archbishop’s relatnship wh queer people was more plex. In 1986, he opposed a <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href=">proposed ordance</a> Chigo outlawg discrimatn agast gay people. The followg year, he supported the cisn of five lol parish to admister munal r to those wh AIDS. The rdal also lled upon Catholics to “open their doors and their hearts to those touched any way by AIDS, as well as to their iends and fay.”</p><p>For some queer Catholics, Bernard’s words of fort rang hollow. Rick Garcia, then executive director of the Catholic Advote for Lbian and Gay Rights, wrote a 1987 Tribune op-ed that the archdce failed to provi meangful outreach to those sufferg.</p><p>“While other Catholic dc have provid fundg for direct servic to people wh AIDS, opened hospic and taken learship rol AIDS tn, the Archdce of Chigo has done virtually nothg,” Garcia wrote.</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 6346w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 2048w, 1080w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 253w, 507w, 1012w, 2025w, 600w, 1200w, 1366w" class="wp-image-545343" alt="" src=" height="683" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Provid/Michele V Wagner Photography</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">St. Clement’s, where a group of parishners have formed an anizatn, Affirmed, to build bridg between Catholicism and the LGBTQ muny.</figptn></figure><p>Parishners at St. Clement’s did take actn. Its lotn not far om Boystown placed at the epicenter of the epimic. The parish already served sick people who were unable to leave their hom, and adapted those servic to HIV and AIDS patients, O’Loughl said.</p><p>“What might have been unique about St. Clement’s and some other parish around the untry was they were willg to engage mistry wh a muny that was so margalized and the topic of homosexualy was so taboo the church,” he said. “That took a lot of urage.”</p><p>St. Clement’s servic were simple. AIDS would sicken patients to the pot that they beme homebound. Cut off om iends and fay, parishners would do grocery shoppg, prepare meals and clean their hom for them, O’Loughl said. Viss om volunteers also provid rpe om the lonels flicted by the social stigma that me wh AIDS at the time.</p><p>“You had groups at Catholic parish like St Clement’s that would simply listen to those qutns, engage nversatns about them, provi kd of pastoral re, maybe send a prit over who you knew would be non-judgmental and be prent,” O’Loughl said. “Those kds of thgs, they sound kd of mundane, but they were val, pecially those early years before pharmactil treatments improved.”</p><p>The church also beme a refuge for people mourng loved on lost to AIDS. In “Hidn Mercy,” O’Loughl scrib the AIDS Pastoral Care Network’s ndlelight vigil held each Memorial Day Weekend. Startg 1986, the vigil would beg at St. Clement’s, and subdued marchers would proceed through Boystown. Catholics, leathermen and an Ain Amerin Catholic children’s choir sang, wept and prayed durg an terfah service held si the ornate, Byzante church.</p><p>Whether St. Clement’s today is an outlier s attu on LGBTQ issu or a lear a gradual liberalizatn the church is a difficult qutn even for queer Catholics Affirmed. For every progrsive parish like St. Clement’s or Old St. Patricks, there are more nservative church.</p><p>“There’s always gog to be the ltle ternal stggl and movements, but this thg has been around for 2,000 years and ’s, God willg, gog to ntue,” Affirmed member Marty Malone said. “There’s been some good movement right now the past maybe dozen years wh the LGBT muny, but ’s still so small on the sle…Wh that said, I’m still very posive about the outlook.”</p><p>Although there may be hts of change om Pope Francis, Affirmed member Brian Christ hasn’t seen enough evince of progrs at an anizatnal level.</p><p>“I thk dividually people feel very wele. They feel part of their dividual parish and muni,” Christ said. “Perhaps that’s where the change will e om.”</p><p>For Affirmed members like Park, ’s the dividuals they meet through mistry groups that brg them back to the church, not the msage om Pope Francis, whom she believ should take a stronger, more affirmg stance on LGBTQ issu. While not every Catholic muny may wele her full inty, she’s grateful to have found Affirmed.</p><p>“For a long time, I felt like I uldn’t exist both spac at the same time, or I uldn’t hold onto both inti at the same time, beg Catholic and beg queer,” Park said. “And was jt a matter of fdg the right set of people. … So I jt want to say that for the sake of other people out there who feel isolated and who feel like they they n’t hold on to both inti, jt that ’s possible. You jt have to fd other iends who are like you.”</p><p class="pi__hi-for-payg"><em><a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href=">Subscribe to Block Club Chigo</a>, an pennt, 501(c)(3), journalist-n newsroom. Every dime we make funds reportg om Chigo’s neighborhoods.</em></p><p class="pi__hi-for-payg"><em>Click <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href=">here</a> to support Block Club wh a <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href=">tax-ductible donatn.</a></em> </p><p class="pi__show-for-payg"><em>Thanks for subscribg to Block Club Chigo, an pennt, 501(c)(3), journalist-n newsroom. Every dime we make funds reportg om Chigo’s neighborhoods</em>.<em> Click <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href=">here</a> to support Block Club wh a <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href=">tax-ductible donatn.</a></em></p><p><a href="><strong>Watch our “On The Block” TV show on The U, CW26 and MeTV.</strong></a></p><p><strong>Listen to “It’s All Good: A Block Club Chigo Podst”:</strong></p><iame class="" style="width:100%" width="640px" height="377px" src=" allowfullscreen=""></iame><div style="height:1px;left:0;marg:0 to;posn:absolute;poter-events:none;right:0;top:50%;width:1px" id="wp-irvg-gtm-article-midpot"></div></div></div></div><div class="ntentWidth__ContaerWrapper-sc-1p9n6rf-0 gnvRpv article-meta article-meta--bottom irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--ntentWidth"><div class="flt__SocialShargWrapper-sc-1ap9xvz-0 fInWHe irvg__post-social-sharg irvg__post-social-sharg--pill"><ul class="pill__SocialShargList-sc-19unuas-0 hpxHWY post-social-sharg__list"><li class="pill__SocialShargItemWrapper-sc-19unuas-1 iWrpEJ redd"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href=" rel="" target="_blank"><span class="pill__InWrapper-sc-19unuas-2 iCbVVq redd"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 24 24" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>Share on redd .