After years of studying theology and serving as a lay minister, Mark Guevarra decided to form an LGBTQ+ prayer and support group. Although many in the community welcomed the group, the local archdiocese did not. Mark was summoned for a meeting, told he was the subject of an ongoing investigation, and interrogated about the most personal aspects of his life. Instead of being thanked for his bridge-building ministry, Mark was subjected to a modern-day Inquisition, an experience shared in common with many LGBTQ employees in faith-based institutions.
As Mark’s story unfolds, Matt and Mark touch upon many themes central to contemporary Catholicism, including how to hold being gay and Catholic together, the reasons for the mass Exodus out of the Church, the fragility of those currently holding religious and administrative power, the unique spiritual gifts of LGBTQ+ folks, and the critical distinction between what Richard Rohr has dubbed “Churchianity” and authentic Christianity.
Mark demonstrates what integrity and faithfulness look like in the face of betrayal, exclusion, and ignorance, and points toward a spirituality that is rich, integrated, Jesus-centered, and authentically Catholic. To listen to Mark is a spiritual treat that challenges us all to ask hard questions about the religion we are actually practicing, questions that the inquisitors would do well to ask of themselves…
Mark’s story as covered by the Edmonton Journal
Cornerstones: Sacred Stories of LGBTQ+ Employees in Catholic Institutions
(A collection of LGBTQ experiences in Catholic workplaces co-edited by Mark and Ish Ruiz)
Mark Guevarra on LinkedIn
Catholic Church Reform International
Richard Rohr’s page with the Center for Action and Contemplation
