- Feb 5, 2002
- 179,586
- 64,536
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Female
- Faith
- Catholic
- Marital Status
- Married
- Politics
- US-Others
The Holy Father’s handwritten note came in response to an email that Zerkowski wrote addressed to him on Oct. 10 explaining Zerkowski’s three LGBTQ ministries, two of which fall under the Diocese of Lexington.
A Kentucky man involved in LGBTQ Catholic ministry has posted a letter online he says he received earlier this month from Pope Francis thanking him for his work.
Stan “JR” Zerkowski heads the LGBTQ Outreach Commission for the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky. The commission is a “diocesan-wide effort of seeking, welcoming, accompanying, and ministering to the LGBT community.”
He also leads the LGBTQ+ Ministry at St. Paul Catholic Church in Lexington, a parish that has been the cause of controversy in the past, including for an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary draped in a gay pride flag posted on its website and a prayer to the Blessed Mother it shares under the title “Mother of Pride.”
The Holy Father’s handwritten note came in response to an email that Zerkowski wrote addressed to him on Oct. 10 explaining Zerkowski’s three LGBTQ ministries, two of which fall under the Diocese of Lexington.
“I told him about Fortunate Families. I told him what I do locally and nationally with parishes, hierarchy, educational institutions, and building intentional LGBTQ+ ministries,” Zerkowski shared in a Facebook post.
“I thanked him for opening the door to LGBTQ+ ministry and explained that it has been and still is a difficult ministry. I told him that his openness has saved lives, I know this firsthand. I mentioned that as the Synod [on Synodality] unfolds in Rome, he’s got a special place in my/our prayers,” he wrote.
Continued below.
www.ncregister.com
A Kentucky man involved in LGBTQ Catholic ministry has posted a letter online he says he received earlier this month from Pope Francis thanking him for his work.
Stan “JR” Zerkowski heads the LGBTQ Outreach Commission for the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky. The commission is a “diocesan-wide effort of seeking, welcoming, accompanying, and ministering to the LGBT community.”
He also leads the LGBTQ+ Ministry at St. Paul Catholic Church in Lexington, a parish that has been the cause of controversy in the past, including for an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary draped in a gay pride flag posted on its website and a prayer to the Blessed Mother it shares under the title “Mother of Pride.”
The Holy Father’s handwritten note came in response to an email that Zerkowski wrote addressed to him on Oct. 10 explaining Zerkowski’s three LGBTQ ministries, two of which fall under the Diocese of Lexington.
“I told him about Fortunate Families. I told him what I do locally and nationally with parishes, hierarchy, educational institutions, and building intentional LGBTQ+ ministries,” Zerkowski shared in a Facebook post.
“I thanked him for opening the door to LGBTQ+ ministry and explained that it has been and still is a difficult ministry. I told him that his openness has saved lives, I know this firsthand. I mentioned that as the Synod [on Synodality] unfolds in Rome, he’s got a special place in my/our prayers,” he wrote.
Continued below.
Pope Francis to Catholic LGBTQ Leader: ‘Thank You for Your Ministry’
The Holy Father’s handwritten note came in response to an email that Zerkowski wrote addressed to him on Oct. 10 explaining Zerkowski’s three LGBTQ ministries, two of which fall under the Diocese of Lexington.
