Are you or a loved one experiencing same-sex attraction and looking for answers?
A Roman Catholic apostolate for men and women who experience same-sex attractions and those who love them.Courage
Courage is a ministry dedicated to the spiritual needs of persons with same-sex attraction. A Courage Chapter meets monthly. Confidentiality is deeply respected.
EnCourage
EnCourage is a ministry dedicated to the spiritual needs of parents, siblings, children, and other relatives and friends of persons who deal with same-sex attractions. An EnCourage Chapter meets monthly. Confidentiality is deeply respected.
Courage and EnCourage Cards
If you are interested in a local Courage Chapter or an EnCourage Chapter, please contact
Ann Lankford at 608-791-2658 or email alankford@diolc.org.
For more information about Courage International visit couragerc.org
The Five Goals of Courage:
- To live chaste lives in accordance with the Roman Catholic Church’s teaching on homosexuality.
- To dedicate our entire lives to Christ through service to others, spiritual reading, prayer, meditation, individual spiritual direction, frequent attendance at Mass, and the frequent reception of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist. (Prayer and Dedication)
- To foster a spirit of fellowship in which we may share with one another our thoughts and experiences, and so ensure that no one will have to face the problems of homosexuality alone. (Fellowship)
- To be mindful of the truth that chaste friendships are not only possible but necessary in a chaste Christian life; and to encourage one another in forming and sustaining these friendships. (Support)
- To live lives that may serve as good examples to others. (Good Example/Role Model)
The Goals of EnCourage:
- Help members themselves to grow spiritually through developing a vital relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ as authentically taught in our Roman Catholic Tradition.
- Enable members to gain a deeper understanding of the needs, problems, and issues experienced by men and women with same-sex attractions.
- Help members establish and maintain a healthy and wholesome relationship with the loved one who experiences same-sex attractions.
- Assist other parents and families not to reject but to reach out with compassion and truth to their loved one with same-sex feelings and behaviors.
- Witness to our loved one by our own lives that a happy, wholesome life is to be found in union with Jesus Christ and with His body, the Church.