Message from Bishop John

June 2024

CATY MRAZ | THE U.P. CATHOLIC

Dcn. Zachary Mazurek (left) elevates the Precious Blood in the Baraga chalice while Bishop John Doerfler elevates the Eucharist at Dcn. Mazurek's ordination Mass to the transitional diaconate on May 31, 2024. The ordination Mass was held at St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette.

National Eucharistic Congress and Same-sex Attraction

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Eucharistic Congress

Last June we celebrated our Diocesan Eucharistic Congress at the Superior Dome. It was a privileged opportunity for us to worship God, enjoy fellowship with one another and learn more about the esteemed gift of our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament.

There are still free tickets available for the National Eucharistic Congress, July 17-21 in Indianapolis. These tickets are available through a grant from the Legacy of Faith Endowment of the Upper Peninsula Catholic Foundation.

I encourage you to attend. Though the tickets are good for the whole Congress, you could also attend for just a day or a couple days as your schedule allows. This will be an opportunity to gather with Catholics from across the country to worship God, experience the community of the Church, and deepen our faith.

To learn more about the National Eucharistic Congress, visit the official Congress website: https://www.eucharisticcongress.org/

To claim your free ticket, follow this link: https://dioceseofmarquette.org/retreats-and-pilgrimages

Same-sex Attraction

Do you have a friend or family member with same-sex attraction? Do you wonder how to love, reach out and care for them? Do you have same-sex attraction and are looking for your place in the Church?

Know that the Church embraces persons with same-sex attraction with the love of Jesus Christ. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that persons with same-sex attraction “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.” (CCC 2358) The Catechism also notes that like every human being, persons with same-sex attraction are called to live according to God’s plan for human sexuality.

I would like to recommend the Courage Apostolate for persons with same-sex attraction and the Encourage Apostolate for the people who love them. What is Courage?

Courage provides pastoral care for persons with same-sex attraction. It might be best summarized by its 5 goals:

To live chaste lives in accordance with the Roman Catholic Church’s teaching on homosexuality (Chastity);
To dedicate our entire lives to Christ through service to others, spiritual reading, prayer, meditation, individual spiritual direction, frequent attendance at Mass, and the frequent reception of the sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist (Prayer and Dedication);
To foster a spirit of fellowship in which we may share with one another our thoughts and experiences, and so ensure that no one will have to face the problems of homosexuality alone (Fellowship);
To be mindful of the truth that chaste friendships are not only possible but necessary in a chaste Christian life; and to encourage one another in forming and sustaining these friendships (Support);
To live lives that may serve as good examples to others (Good Example/Role Model).

EnCourage provides pastoral care to family members and friends of persons with same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria. Its goals are:

To grow spiritually through spiritual reading, prayer, meditation, individual spiritual direction, frequent attendance at Mass, and the frequent reception of the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist;
To gain a deeper understanding of the needs, difficulties, and challenges experienced by men and women who experience same-sex attractions;
To establish and maintain a healthy and wholesome relationship with their loved ones who experience same-sex attractions;
To assist other family members and friends to reach out with compassion and truth, and not to reject, their loved ones who experience same-sex attractions;
To witness to their loved ones by their own lives that fulfillment is to be found in Jesus Christ through His Body, the Church.

For more information, see the Courage website: https://couragerc.org/

Before I became a bishop, I served as a chaplain in the Courage apostolate for several years, and I greatly admire the Courage members and their faith.

May God fill you with his blessings this summer.

+Most Reverend John Doerfler

Bishop of Marquette