Religion and spirituality can be topics loaded higher than a twice-baked potato — discussions best avoided at the dinner table along with politics, exes and other peoples’ children.
A survey by the Pew Research Center found that LGBTQ people are much less religious than the broader American population; however, 51 percent do follow a religion, and 17 percent say religion is “very important” in their lives. Of those who are religious, most are Protestant or Catholic.
A group called Out & Faithful has been in existence for nearly a decade at the William Way LGBT Community Center in Philadelphia. Out & Faithful exists to encourage discussion and explore issues of religion and spirituality in the queer community.
PGN was recently invited to attend an Out & Faithful board meeting, which drew seven members that included a “recovering” Catholic, a practicing Catholic, a queer-identified Hindu, a Buddhist, two Presbyterians and a Methodist. Although this list may sound like the opening line to a terrible joke, it was just the opposite — an example of what can happen when faiths come together to support LGBTQ issues.
Out & Faithful, which welcomes LGBTQ people of all faiths and those without a faith tradition, has big plans for 2015-16. The group’s agenda includes an event that brings spirited, provocative storytellers for a Moth-like series of story sharing and socializing to the center. Ironically, new William Way program director Eric Thomas is the host of The Moth storytelling event in Philadelphia, which can only be a boon for the group.
Out & Faithful is also preparing events to be held in conjunction with the World Meeting of Families, Sept. 22-27. Pope Francis will arrive in Philadelphia on the final two days of the gathering.
When the pope arrives, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence from San Francisco may make a cameo in the Gayborhood and are in talks with William Way and other local organizations about event-planning. Mostly men in drag, the “nuns” are a charity and protest group that uses religious imagery and satire to call attention to sexual injustice. With names like Sister Honey BE!, Sister MaryMae Himm and Sister OyVey Maria, it’s clear the ladies bring a healthy dose of humor to their work.
William Way and the Out & Faithful group would like to be a welcome haven for LGBTQ visitors during the papal visit, said board member Jimmy Calnan.
“When you’ve had enough of straight people for one day, you want to go somewhere gay to relax and be comfortable,” said Calnan. “I’d like William Way to become a place they can come and hang out, have a cup of coffee and unwind.”
Calnan, 73, met his husband Rob while attending Dignity/USA services in the Gayborhood. They married last August after 24 years together. Dignity is a community of LGBT Catholics who hold weekly gatherings Sundays at 7 p.m. at Saint Luke & The Epiphany, where Calnan says they have a robust group of older gay men, but could use a few more young people.
For more information about Out & Faithful, contact Thomas at [email protected] or visit www.waygay.org/v2/programs/category/out_and_faithful.