Courage International, el Catholic apostolate that helps men and women who experience attraction for the same sex to “persevere in the path of holiness”, commemorated 45 years of ministry this September 26, celebrating almost half a century of help to people fighting with sexuality to “live a caste life” according to the teaching of the Church.
The organization, based in Connecticut (United States), traces its first roots to an initiative of the then Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Terence Cooke, who in 1978 conceived a ministry for people with attraction for the same sex and asked P. John Harvey, OSFS, to lead the effort.
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Harvey, who died in 2010, wrote in 1979 the brochure A spiritual plan to reorient one’s lifeoffering a program for “people with homosexual guidance” in order to “achieve a caste, productive and happy life.”
The Apostolate held its first official meeting the following year, on September 26, at the Santa Isabel Ana Seton sanctuary in Manhattan. In 1981, the group published the first version of its “five goals”, which include dedications to chastity, service, sacraments and fraternity.
A few years later, the program expanded to Canada, officially becoming an international organization; It also began to expand throughout the United States in that period.
An approval of the Holy See arrived in 1994. By then, the group had already begun to organize the annual “coupferences”, and Harvey published several new works on the ministry over the years.
What the group offers to those who fight with the attraction for the same sex includes retreats, literature, online chat groups and a sports camp for men, a weekend of “team sports with breath, training and abundant Christian fraternity” (where the teams compete in an “epic annual battle for the coveted Harvey Cup”).
“Such a necessary ministry”
Fr. Brian Gannon, executive director of Courange, said that the group was originally founded to serve men with same sex and eventually expanded to include women. A brother program, “finding”, accompanies relatives of people with attraction for the same sex.
The group works mainly through chapters, which add up to 160 worldwide and function as clergy -led support groups.
“There are individual groups in various dioceses that are coordinated by chaplains – they are priests or deacons – and they meet regularly, usually once a week,” Gannon said.
The members of the group “gather, read the goals, comment on their experiences and challenges of the week and pray,” he said. “Prayer is absolutely central.”
Courage has a presence in numerous countries of the world, including Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Panama, Dominican Republic and Spain. In addition to the Executive Directorate, the group is supervised by an Episcopal Board composed of several bishops. “It is fully approved by the Church,” Gannon said.
Gannon himself assumed the position of leader in 2024. Years before he helped start a chapter of Courage in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The organization approached him last year and asked him to serve as director.
The priest assumed that role in addition to his work as a pastor in St. Theresa Parish in Trumbull, Connecticut. “It’s a challenge,” he said with a smile. “But one balances it as best as possible. You always want to do more in both (roles).”
He described the men and women who participate in the apostolate as “truly inspiring”, while the organization’s staff, including another full -time priest, is “very hardworking.”
Looking ahead, Gannon said the group expects to expand their presence in social networks. He also pointed out that they are making efforts to contact each new bishop installed in the United States.
“We just started communicating with the freshly appointed bishops, sending them a welcome letter and encouraging them to contact us, letting them know that we would love to talk to them about starting a courage chapter if they don’t have one,” he said.
Gannon said that ministry participants do not seek a diluted version of the Catholic doctrine. “They want to follow exactly what the Church teaches,” he said.
“The secular world has a distorted vision of sexuality,” he said. “This is such a necessary ministry. Help people find peace.”
Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.
Daniel Payne
Daniel Payne is a senior editor of Catholic News Agency. He previously worked at College Fix and Just the News. He lives in Virginia with his family.