Fortunate Families

ANITA CAPILLO (KY)
BETTY DIRR (OH)
DEACON STEVE HESTER (RI)
JANICE SCHWEGMANN (KY)
FR. MARIO SERRANO, OFM CONV. (TX)
JASON STEIDL (NY)

ATTENTION!  NEW YORK CITY, FEB. 27, 2019

*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ***

LETTER TO CARDINAL DANIEL DINARDO,
President, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Click here to read the letter
(As of 15 February 2019, Fortunate Families has not received a response nor acknowledgement from Cardinal DiNardo nor anyone associated with the USCCB. Our letter was sent overnight with signature required.)


10 September 2018
WELCOME OUR NEWEST EPISCOPAL ADVISOR

We are delighted to announce that Bishop Thomas Gumbleton
has become an Episcopal Advisor to the Executive Director of Fortunate Families.
His prophetic voice and ministry is a gift to the Church.
Welcome Bishop Gumbleton!

27 August 2018
 IMPORTANT RETREAT INFORMATION!
OUR OCTOBER RETREAT IS FILLED TO CAPACITY FOR OVERNIGHT RETREATANTS.
WE CAN ONLY ACCEPT COMMUTER REGISTRATIONS.
Thank you for your outstanding support!

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 2 June 2018

Part of our restructuring involves, as of June 30, 2018,
working independently of the Equally Blessed Coalition as we focus on our new vision,
launch new initiatives, and seek to reach more families, friends and allies of LGBTQ+ Catholics. 

We value the work that we have accomplished with the coalition,
are appreciative of the deepened relationships we have cultivated with members of the coalition, and look forward to working with the organizations that comprise the Equally Blessed Coalition, among others, as opportunities arise.

Since hiring a new Executive Director, Fortunate Families is restructuring 
with a specific focus on our mission 
"to support LGBTQ+ sisters and brothers by facilitating respectful conversation
and sharing personal stories within dioceses, parishes and communities,
especially with bishops, pastors and Church leadership. 
By accompaniment and bridge building we seek to uphold and safeguard the dignity
of LGBTQ+ daughters and sons of God."

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February 2019

Dear sisters and brothers,

Building the culture of encounter together, we begin with prayer. Please join me in praying every day, "God, make my heart like yours. Help me love like you love."  And, let's pray daily for our church leaders, too -  pope, cardinals, bishops, priests, deacons and lay - "God, make their hearts like yours. Help them love like you love."  

Rooted in prayer, trusting in the Spirit, and working together, we'll soon be standing in awe at the miraculous and wonderful things God will accomplish.

Our LGBT+ sons and daughters, sisters and brothers, have a place in the Church. Their dignity as Children of God must be safeguarded and celebrated. Their call to ministry, issued at baptism, must be acknowleged, discerned and respected. It is up to you and me to facilitate conversations and help create the culture of encounter.

Fortunate Families' mission calls us to dialogue so that respect, compassion, justice  and sensitivity for every LGBT sister and brother - and every sister and brother - become the hallmarks of our dioceses and churches.

We are living in an exciting time in the Church's history; the dialogue already begun is lifegiving, if difficult; the Spirit's movement is palpable.  To move forward, we must be respectful, loving and kind when we tell our stories and in our discussion; we must presume goodwill even when words sting or downright hurt us. We must not react, but pray every single day, "God, make my heart like yours. Help me love like you love." 

It is our duty, our sacred obligation,to pray for our church leadership. For them we pray,  "God make their hearts like your heart. Help them love like you love." If this one prayer, alone, is answered, then hearts will be tranformed and all will be miraculously well. We don't need to pray for anything else. If we all learn to love like God loves, it will be heaven. May it be so.

When you pray, pray for me, too. And, please, consider supporting us financially, so that this ministry can continue and grow. 

Your brother,

Stanley Francis "JR" Zerkowski


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If you are in the Lexington, KY, area please join this wonderful group, our newest Ministry Site. Check out their new website.  http://fortunatefamilieslex.org/

If you are in the Detriot area, please join this dynamic group building the "Kin-dom" of God!
https://www.fortunatefamiliesdetroit.com