Story perspectives

Diocese Hosts Second LGBT-Inclusive Mass With Bishop Endorsement

8/22/2026

Summary

Diocese Hosts LGBT

Diocese of San Bernardino held its second annual LGBT-inclusive Mass at the cathedral.
Embrace Family Ministries organized the Mass with the bishop’s endorsement, diocese’s first such event.
Karla and her partner Lisa joined a commission to rebuild the diocese’s LGBT relationship.
Their Gifted & Called Ministry, a dozen members, meets monthly at St. Mary’s of Fontana.
This year the ministry emphasized spirituality, asking “What do we need as LGBTQ Catholics?”

Summary

He Rejoins Church

The author sensed queer oppression in 2008 when Prop 8 supporters handed out signs after Mass at St. Peter & St. Paul.
He spent two years exploring a “baby-butch” identity and a Bieber-style haircut.
After dropping out of high school in 2011, he rejoined the Church by enrolling in Confirmation classes.
He enrolled at Chaffey College to study art history after the Confirmation program restored his confidence.

History

Historical Context

The US bishops’ 1997 pastoral letter “Always Our Children” urged respect for gay Catholics while condemning homosexual acts, and the 2003 CDF “Considerations” rejected legal recognition of same-sex unions. In June 2024 Bishop John Armstrong and Embrace Family Ministries held an LGBT-inclusive Mass in San Bernardino, reflecting the shift highlighted by Pope Francis’s 2023 decree allowing non-liturgical blessings for same-sex couples.

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Diocese Hosts LGBT

Diocese of San Bernardino held its second annual LGBT-inclusive Mass at the cathedral.
Embrace Family Ministries organized the Mass with the bishop’s endorsement, diocese’s first such event.
Karla and her partner Lisa joined a commission to rebuild the diocese’s LGBT relationship.
Their Gifted & Called Ministry, a dozen members, meets monthly at St. Mary’s of Fontana.
This year the ministry emphasized spirituality, asking “What do we need as LGBTQ Catholics?”

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