GNRC Mission

The Global Network of Rainbow Catholics (GNRC) brings together groups and their members who work for pastoral care and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people and their families. The Network works for the inclusion, dignity and equality of this community in the Roman Catholic Church and wider society.

KEY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

1. PROPHECY & JUSTICE

We acknowledge, support and lift up the voices of LGBTI people, and all who are marginalized in the Catholic Church and in society. These groups include racial, gender, and sexual minorities. We advocate for those who suffer from violence, prejudice, persecution and criminalization because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. We foster a culture of equal rights and acceptance. We promote the equality of women in the Catholic Church.

2. DIALOGUE

We work to connect LGBTI Catholics with one another and with the wider church. We promote dialogue with theologians, Church leaders and lay people to facilitate pastoral practice, theological reflection and doctrinal development.

3. INCLUSION

We respect the different cultural experiences that LGBTI people encounter across the globe. We aim for fair representation of peoples from all regions, nations and cultures in church, society and our own network. We develop a culture of inclusivity and understanding in our network. Among our members, we support collaboration, developing resources, and sharing ideas and best practices.

4. SPIRITUALITY AND FAITH DEVELOPMENT

We share our spiritualities, sensibilities and faith with one another, with other LGBTI people and the whole church. We strive to educate Catholic leadership, institutions, and audiences about the spiritual gifts that LGBTI people bring to the Church. We encourage the church to support and welcome pastoral activities that respect the diversity of LGBTI spiritualities and reach out to LGBTI people who feel alienated from the church.

It´s Time for a Change

When Pope Francis announced an extraordinary global bishop’s synod on the family, he also inspired LGBT Catholics and their families to organize themselves on a global level. The GNRC originated in Rome, Italy, on October 3, 2014, by a group of LGBT+ Catholic and ally leaders who had gathered there for “Ways of Love” – an international theological conference on LGBT people and the Church which was organized by the European Forum of LGBT Christian Groups.

One year later, the GNRC was founded in Rome in October 2015 by more than twenty LGBT+ communities from all over the world. After two years of hard work, GNRC was legally established in December 2017, when 32 groups formally ratified and adopted its Constitution and Internal Regulations in Munich- Dachau. Since then, GNRC has worked to increase its capacity, add new members and keep working for full LGBTIQ inclusion in the Catholic Church, which includes three extraordinary Assemblies – Rome (Italy, 2015), Dachau (Germany, 2017) and Chicago (USA, 2019) – and an oncoming Assembly in Mexico City (Mexico, 2022). Today GNRC comprises 45 member groups and 6 Associate members from around the world.

2014

Rome Italy. First Part of the Ways of Love International Conference

2015

Rome Italy. Second Part of the Ways of Love International Conference

• Inaugural Assembly
• More than 80 people from almost 30 nations
• Election of a Steering Committee (SC) of ten representatives from around the world

2018

Launch of the Grant Me Justice Campaign.

• LGBT + discrimination and criminalization and the impact of the Catholic Church within this reality.
• Incorporation of 3 new communities to the network

2019

Chicago, USA. Third Assembly

• Regional pre-conferences
• Thematic Workshops on Mission, Visibility, Justice, Capacity, Spirituality and Network Extension
• Election of the New Board (2019 – 2022)
• Incorporation of 10 new communities to the network

GNRC Board 2019 – 2022

The GNRC Board comprises regional, sexual orientation, gender identity and diversity representatives who bring a range of perspectives to the management of our Network. The Board is chosen by the GNRC member groups and its current lineup was elected on July 2019 during the GNRC Third Assembly in Chicago.

Board Composition