Bishop announces new chapter of Courage Apostolate

Dear Faithful of Eastern Washington,

I would like to announce the opening of a new chapter of the Courage Apostolate, here in Eastern Washington. In brief: “Courage members are men and women who experience same-sex attractions and who have made a commitment to strive for chastity. They are inspired by the Gospel call to holiness and the Catholic Church’s beautiful teachings about the goodness and inherent purpose of human sexuality.” (Courage Website)

"The Church seeks to enable every person to live out the universal call to holiness. Persons with a homosexual inclination ought to receive every aid and encouragement to embrace this call personally and fully. This will unavoidably involve much struggle and self-mastery, for following Jesus always mean following the Via Crucis..." (USCCB 2006) As Catholics we wish to always have the compassion of Jesus Christ and to compromise His truths, never. The Courage Apostolate is an apostolate that does just this.

The national Courage website explains the apostolate’s outlook: “By developing an interior life of chastity, which is the universal call to all Christians, one can move beyond the confines of the homosexual identity to a more complete one in Christ.” (Courage website)

Their 5 Goals are: Chastity, Prayer & Dedication to Christ, Fellowship, Support, and Good Example.

For more information go to www.spokanecourage.com or contact Fr. Gaines, the Spiritual Director and Chaplain to our local chapter by email at: SpokaneCourage@gmail.com or phone: 509-530-1033

We already have an EnCourage Chapter in the Diocese. EnCourage is a ministry within Courage dedicated to the spiritual needs of parents, siblings, children, and other relatives and friends of persons who have same-sex attractions. See www.couragerc.org/encourage/ for more information.

Respectfully yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Thomas A. Daly

Catholic Bishop of Spokane, Washington