Message From Our Executive Director | | |
Dear Friends,
A beautiful story of youthful but remarkable spiritual intuition comes to us from the great St. Teresa of Avila. “I went because I want to see God, and to see God we must die.” So spoke the 7-year-old Teresa, in 1520’s Spain, where she instinctively related that voyaging to the land of the Moors would easily incite martyrdom and a crown in heaven. Her uncle heard the assertive little girl had ambitiously departed town and he ran quickly to catch up with her! Some might say it was naive, childish whimsy, sheer foolishness. But aren’t we in fact charged by St. Paul to become fools for Christ (1Cor 4:10)?
Even at age seven, St. Teresa teaches us about the universal, ever-present human thirst for love, peace, and joy. Yet coupled with the stark reality that the beauty, peace, and bliss for which we hunger is achieved by a challenging “dying to self.” A trust in the infinite mercy of God over the world that teaches us when momentary desire rises: “go for it.” That one must journey out of the electronic comfort zones of a technologically advanced world and instead seek the companionship of the Crucified and Risen Lord. A powerful truth about the holy saints is that they best understood human nature. How? That while the ancient Greeks extolled virtue and self-control, the saints went deeper and showed us that virtue only reaches its fullest potential when rooted in grace, God’s life, and fidelity to Christ. As the Good Lord declared: the meek shall inherit the earth. Meekness is never about being a pushover, but the opposite: about mastering the passions (love, hate, joy sadness), putting reins on them like powerful horses that instead of harming us, lead us to peaceful holiness, one day at a time.
Where am I on that journey to God? Like in the road to Emmaus in Scripture (Luke 24: 14-35), Our Lord simply joins us wherever we are; patient, listening, loving and leading. The Good Lord sees us confused, grappling for hope like the disciples at Emmaus; He at first is invisible to them. But when we turn to Him, profess commitment, acknowledge our weakness and go to confession, we begin to see His glory and peace of soul. We must never compare ourselves to others but only seek to emulate the best we might see in the saints. This reveals the power of the Cross. God in His infinite love sees us harming ourselves through sin. He springs into action and unhesitatingly pursues and embraces the Cross to rescue us. Let us allow Christ to rescue us; it requires challenging trust. But like St. Teresa’s uncle, he rescued her from misguided virtue to true virtue and thus, a life made glorious by the surrender to Christ.
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Father Brian Gannon
Executive Director
| | | A Ministry of Hope and Accompaniment | | |
What does it mean to accompany individuals and families with the love of Christ? In a recent interview on The Drew Mariani Show, Father Colin Blatchford, Associate Director of Courage International, discussed the mission of Courage and EnCourage, addressing common misconceptions about the apostolate and sharing how the Church can offer faithful, compassionate support to persons who experience same-sex attraction and their loved ones. Through prayer, authentic friendship, and a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, Courage and EnCourage remind us that no one has to walk the journey of faith alone.
Listen to the interview here.
| | Look for us at SEEK 2027! | |
Courage International is thrilled to announce that we will again be represented at SEEK 2027 in Columbus, Ohio! Find our booth at this annual gathering of Catholic young adults to learn more about the mission of Courage and EnCourage, meet members of our apostolate, and discover how we accompany individuals who experience same-sex attraction and their families in living out the call to holiness. Whether you are seeking support for yourself or a loved one, or simply want to learn more about our ministry, we look forward to meeting you! Stop by our booth and say hello!
You can get more information about SEEK here.
| | Please be advised that the 2026 Courage & EnCourage Chaplain Retreat has been cancelled. Please contact the Courage office with any questions! | | |
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| | 2026 Monthly Prayer Intentions | | |
Please join us again this year in praying together as a community for a specific intention each month.
Click here to save or print as a reminder to pray along with us!
“Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:19-20
October: That by following the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may encounter our neighbor through diligent and generous service.
November: That Christ, our Merciful King, may sanctify our hearts and grant eternal rest to the deceased chaplains and members of Courage and EnCourage, that they may continue interceding for us.
| | New Chapters and Ways to Stay Connected | | Remember to Help Us Keep Chapter Information Up-To-Date! | | |
Do you know if the information for your chapter is accurate on the Courage website? Do you know about a recent change in your chapter? Please take a look at your chapter listing on our website and let us know if there have been any changes. Chapters are organized by state and diocese for both Courage and EnCourage.
You can submit changes directly through our form. Thanks for keeping us informed! Keeping this updated and accurate means that any person who reaches out can find help and support near them.
| | Truth & Love, an initiative of Courage International, is a multifaceted Catholic resource for anyone seeking the tools to support men and women who experience same-sex attractions. | |
| Will the Good of the Other | |
In one of his Sunday Sermons from September, titled "Will the Good of the Other", Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester reflects on the true meaning of Christian love. Drawing on Scripture and the wisdom of the Church, he reminds us that love is not simply about sharing another person’s feelings or avoiding difficult conversations, but about sincerely desiring what is truly good for them. This understanding of love calls us to go beyond empathy alone and to accompany others with both compassion and a commitment to truth, the way Christ does.
Watch Bishop Barron’s sermon here.
| | Preparing for the Holidays: A Resource for Families | | |
As we do each year, we’re sharing this helpful video as the holiday season approaches. We know that family gatherings can sometimes bring unique challenges for our Courage and EnCourage members. This resource offers families practical advice on how to approach the holidays with greater understanding, compassion, and Christ-centered love. Though we share it every year, its message remains an important resource for families preparing to gather during the holidays.
See the video (and check out others from the playlist!) here.
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Visit our YouTube channel for lots of helpful content like these resources!
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| | For Spanish Speaking Members and Friends | | There's a lot going on in the Courage and EnCourage apostolate all over the world! Don't forget that our website can be viewed in Spanish, and that there is a Spanish language newsletter sent out on the same day as this, our English version! | | | | |
Online Clergy Study Day in Spanish - Register Now!
Join us to explore “Truth and Mercy: Pastoral Guidelines for the Accompaniment of Men and Women Who Experience Same-sex Attraction”
Monday, November 9, 2026
10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (Mexico City time)
Click here for more information or to register.
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Southern California Courage & EnCourage Retreat
November 13-15, 2026
Diocese of San Bernardino, California
This retreat will be a time of prayer and fellowship for both Courage and EnCourage brothers and sisters and will include daily Mass, Confession, Holy Hours, the Liturgy of the Hours, and inspirational talks.
Check out this email for more information, including how to register! Deadline to register is October 30.
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Courage Men's Retreat
January 29-31, 2027
Stamford, Connecticut (Diocese of Bridgeport)
Save the date! You can take a look at the events page here.
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Watch our Events Calendar regularly for updates.
NOTE TO CHAPLAINS: You are encouraged and more than welcome to participate in all Courage & EnCourage events. Please feel free to reach out to the event organizer to see how you can be involved.
| | Disclaimer: Courage does not necessarily fully endorse all of the ideas included in resources that are not produced by Courage, but we still like to share items that we and our members have found to have considerable helpful content. | | | | |
