[Catholic Caucus] In Marking Trans Day of Remembrance, One Catholic Preaches Hope After Papal Encounter

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Posted on 11/20/2024 11:38:35 AM PST by ebb tide

Today is the Transgender Day of Remembrance, which is marked each November 20th to mourn trans victims of violence and recommit to efforts supporting gender-diverse people. The following is a reflection for this day of remembrance from guest contributor Lynn Discenza.

My name is Lynn Discenza, and I am a Catholic trans woman who is an active member in my Franciscan parish, St. Patrick-St. Anthony, Hartford, Connecticut, following my transition in 2019. I serve as a Eucharistic minister, sacristan, and co-leader of our Open Hearts LGBT+ ministry. In September, I had the blessing of meeting Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square with three other trans women, and I’d like to share a little bit about the experience, as well as some good news that followed.

This past summer at the 2024 Outreach conference held at Georgetown University, I met Fr. Andrea Conochia, an Italian priest who has been taking trans women from his parish to visit the pope. I thought, I am a trans woman and I would like to meet the pope, too. With Fr. Andrea’s help, I was able to do so, along with three other trans women who have been active and visible at many Catholic LGBT conferences, and we have met and shared our stories with several US bishops.

After the meeting, I was asked by Camillo Barone of The National Catholic Reporter if I was excited to see the pope, and I replied a tepid “yes,” saying that I am not really focused on popes, but I thought the visit could accomplish things that will contribute to making Catholic trans lives better.

Recently, our parish held a Mass in anticipation of the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), which the world marks today. At the Mass I set up a table on the altar, with three candles, a trans flag, and pictures of the trans persons lost to violence this past year. In a special way, we remembered Lucero Rodriquez Valdivia, an  Argentinian trans women who met with the pope at least twice but was murdered during the summer. I learned of her murder when, while in Italy, Fr. Andrea brought our group of trans women to Lucero’s parish by the sea south of Rome. I was moved to tears over this senseless tragedy, and together our group recited the rosary for her.

This Mass has occurred for the past four years, but this year had a twist, though, in that I had good news to share about a visit with the archbishop of Hartford, Connecticut, following my encounter with the pope.

In a reflection following communion at the TDOR Mass, I asked the congregation three questions: What can we do to make trans persons lives easier? How can we as a parish continue to welcome trans persons like myself? What can we do as a Catholic community to support trans lives?

Following my own reflections on the first two questions, I provided an informational answer to the third question:

“Following my visit with Pope Francis, I was able to meet with our new Archbishop Christopher Coyne. During the meeting, the archbishop made it clear that he welcomes and supports the LGBTQ community. He agreed with me that as an archdiocese we can do more. He recognized that St. Patrick-St. Anthony is a welcoming parish. It is the only parish in our Archdiocese that has an LGBT ministry. I am glad he recognized that.

“The other thing is he agreed with me that we need to create safe spaces for youth in our Catholic schools. Right now youth in our Catholic schools do not receive any kind of recognition or support for being LGBT. One of the initiatives that we are going to take on here at our parish is to create safe space for our LGBT students.

“The last thing that I talked to the Archbishop about was our archdiocesan policy for trans students. He agreed with me that it does not reflect his values of welcoming and dignity for all. He agreed to mark that up and change that to be more positive.” 

This last statement was followed by applause. I truly believe I am coming full circle with the help of the Holy Spirit to embrace God’s call to live out a life of service and activism within the Catholic Church as a trans woman. I strive to help make the lives of all trans Catholics better so they can feel confident in both their Catholic and Trans identities as I do.

I close with a prayer we offered at Mass:

“God of love and mercy, hear us as we come before you in solemn remembrance of your transgender children who have died at the hands of violent persons. Speak peace and consolation to our hearts and help us to carve a new path of understanding and acceptance in our society which often rejects those who are different.  We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

—Lynn Discenza, November 20, 2024

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FrankenChurch Barf Alert

1 posted on 11/20/2024 11:38:35 AM PST by ebb tide

To: Al Hitan; Fedora; irishjuggler; Jaded; kalee; markomalley; miele man; Mrs. Don-o; ...

2 posted on 11/20/2024 11:39:05 AM PST by ebb tide ("The Spirit of Vatican II" is nothing more than a wicked "ideology" of the modernists.)

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