EnCourage meeting – what to do when God opens the door

“Our role as parents is to keep our family members close to God, keep praying. Our role is not to judge; it is to love” expressed one parent at the monthly online EnCourage meeting held on Monday, February 17.

At this meeting, an intriguing short video entitled ‘The Hidden Shrine’ was shown. It is set in Wales in a period perhaps in the late 1800s. The dialogue between the priest and the lonely man was a model of “how to” enter into a conversation when God opens that door.

Another parent shared that the movie resonated. “It felt like a coming home in this Jubilee Year. The more open the family is, God is bringing about healing in our relationship, not just for my family member, but for me too… as we are both reaching out and expressing love…”

The power of forgiveness, a mother’s prayer (Mary’s intercession), God’s mercy and allowing ourselves to be transformed were key themes in the movie. As another parent shared, we are to “remain firm in faith and trusting in God, despite the storms. There is a reason we are in many situations, and we are called to act as bearers of God’s word, truth, love, and hope. Our children are on their journey and God loves them even more than we do.”

The meeting ended with praying Romans 5:3-5 “we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us”.

EnCourage is a spiritual accompaniment group for parents, family members and friends of persons who experience a same-sex attraction. This confidential support ministry is sponsored by the Archdiocese.

EnCourage monthly meetings are held on the third Monday via Zoom. The next meeting is Monday, May 19 at 7 p.m. For details about attending this meeting, you can email: encourage.trinidad@gmail.com

To learn more about Courage International, please visit couragerc.org