EnCourage

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.

Read Online: How Courage and EnCourage Gave Us Hope - By "An EnCourage Dad" 

Spiritual and Emotional Growth: Nine Spiritual Truths

HELPFUL RESOURCES

Read Online: Loving Our Children with Same-Sex Attractions: One Mother's Story

There are some very informative pages on the Courage web site which parents and other concerned individuals will find helpful for correctly understanding the Church's teachings regarding homosexuality and those of God's children who struggle with same-sex attractions.  We have listed them here.  If you know of others that should be included in this list, please contact the Courage Central Office.

Spiritual and Emotional Growth: Six Areas of Personal Growth

Living in Truth: 11 Church Teachings on Homosexuality

Living in Truth: Unsure of Your Sexuality?

Living in Truth: A Research Report About Psychological Treatment

Living in Truth: Catholic Language Regarding Homosexuality

Living in Truth: Erroneous Assumptions

Living in Truth: Homosexuality and Hope
(Clicking this link will take you to an external web site: The Catholic Medical Association.  This is their official position paper regarding homosexual issues.)

Facing Society: Unlocking the "Coming Out" Trap 

Facing Society: Overcoming the Four Hatreds

Facing Society: What is Chastity?

FROM THE "PUTTING INTO PRACTICE" SECTION (Under the Resources Tab)

FROM THE "RESOURCES FOR PRIESTS" SECTION (Under the Resources Tab)

Is There a Gay Gene?

What Does Research Show: Therapies for Same-Sex Attractions

Catechesis on Homosexuality: Making the Distinctions

Outreach to Homosexual Persons: The Understanding Heart

Don't Call Me Gay!

What is Marriage?

Note: These links will take you to an external web site.  The page will open in a separate browser window, so when you have finished reading, simply close the page and you should be back on this page.

A Label That Sticks by Fr. Paul Scalia

Designed For Sex: What We Lose When We Forget What Sex is For by J. Budziszewski

The Gay Invention: Homosexuality Is a Linguistic as Well as a Moral Error by R.V. Young

"Gay Genes," Sexual Attractions, and the Call to Chastity by Fr. Tad Pacholczyk

FROM THE "INFORMED CONSENT" SECTION (Under the Resources Tab)

A Paper on the Psychology of Forgiveness by Dr. Robert Enright

Who Am I? Psychological Issues in Gender Identity and Same-Sex Attraction

I Am Not Gay ... I Am David by David Prosen

OTHER HELPFUL PAGES IN THE COURAGE WEB SITE

Read Online: EnCourage Testimonial
Michelle Ramonetti

COURAGE TESTIMONIALS: A collection of deeply inspiring testimonies from Courage members.  

Fr. Michael Schmitz is the Chaplain for the Newman Catholic Campus Ministry of the University of Minnesota Duluth.  Every month the Diocese of Duluth publishes a diocesan newspaper.  Fr. Mike is a regular columnist answering fundamental questions of the Catholic Faith.  Below are four of those questions and his answers.

Defining Homosexuality
Why is homosexuality a sin?

Why Don't Same-Sex Couples Have a Right to Marry?
It seems unfair to say that gay people can't get married.
Is it a violation of their civil rights?

Same-Sex Marriage Laws Force the Church to 'Fuss'
Why does my same-sex marriage have to do with you?
Why the fuss over this?

God Made Me This Way"
I don't know how to respond when someone "explains away" their bad behavior by just saying, "God made
me this way."  Is that true?

Fr. Paul Check, Executive Director of Courage International, Inc., asks parents to be guided by the clarity and authentic compassion of the Gospel message.