Courage members are men and women who experience same-sex attractions and who have made a commitment to strive for chastity. They are inspired by the Gospel call to holiness and the Catholic Church’s beautiful teachings about the goodness and inherent purpose of human sexuality.
Through our apostolate, people who experience same-sex attraction receive pastoral support in the form of spiritual guidance, community prayer support, and fellowship.
The Five Goals were created by the members themselves, when Courage was founded. The goals are read at the start of each meeting and each member is called to practice them in daily life. Here are the Goals in their entirety:
Courage Chapter: Memphis, Tennessee
Contact: Chaplain: Fr. Mike Werkhoven
E-mail:Fr.Mike@incarnationcollierville.org
The Courage Chaplain is the moderator of our local Diocesan chapter and is the point of contact among all the members, between the chapter and the diocese, and between the diocese and the National Courage Office. The chaplain moderates all meetings on a monthly basis.
All potential Courage members must meet individually with the chaplain after expressing to him their interest in joining the Courage chapter. The purpose of this initial interview is to ensure that the potential member understands the Five Goals of the apostolate and that they are prepared to strive to keep them.
To protect the privacy of all Courage members, some of whom have not revealed to others or to loved ones that they are experiencing same-sex attractions; the day, time, and location of chapter meetings are kept confidential. Please contact the chaplain by e-mail and he will share the meeting information with all Courage members.
Courage members are those committed to living out the Goals of this apostolate, namely: striving to live chaste lives, developing a life of prayer, supporting one another through shared experiences, friendship and good example. Membership in a chapter is open to men and women who are 18 years or older. Courage is an apostolate of the Catholic Church and it includes Catholic prayers, the opportunities to celebrate Catholic Mass, and encourages frequent reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation; but membership is open to all persons, from any denomination.
EnCourage is an apostolate which provides pastoral care for families and friends of people who experience same-sex attractions and/or gender dysphoria. In many cases, their loved ones have adopted the LGBTQ label, and may have moved away from actively practicing their faith.
Through our chapters and national online support, our members receive help and encouragement to understand the experience of their loved ones more deeply, to foster healthy relationships within their families, and to deepen their own relationship with Christ.
The apostolate was first formed in 1987 by families in search of guidance and understanding for supporting their loved ones who experience same-sex attraction. In 1992, this group adopted the name EnCourage, and now includes more than 75 chapters worldwide including one here in the Diocese of Memphis.
Courage Chapter: Memphis, Tennessee
Contact: Chaplain: Fr. Mike Werkhoven
E-mail: Fr.Mike@incarnationcollierville.org
The Courage and EnCourage Chaplain is the moderator of our local Diocesan chapter and is the point of contact among all the members, between the chapter and the diocese, and between the diocese and the National EnCourage Office. The chaplain moderates all meetings on a monthly basis.
All potential EnCourage members must meet individually with a chaplain after expressing to them their interest in joining the EnCourage chapter. The purpose of this initial interview is to ensure that the potential member understands the Five Goals of the apostolate and that they are prepared to strive to keep them.
To protect the privacy of all Courage and EnCourage members; the day, time, and location of chapter meetings are kept confidential. Please contact the chaplains by e-mail and they will share the meeting information with all EnCourage members.
EnCourage is open to parents, spouses, siblings, other relatives and friends of people who are experiencing same-sex attractions. More often than not, our loved ones living with same-sex attractions will not be members of Courage, and may be involved in same-sex actions and relationships, and often may be separated from active participation in the life of the Church. Our primary focus is to support our members in their own lives of faith.
Membership in a chapter is open to men and women who are 18 years or older. EnCourage is an apostolate of the Catholic Church and it includes Catholic prayers, the opportunities to celebrate Catholic Mass, and encourages frequent reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation; but membership is open to all persons, from any denomination.
EnCourage members are parents, spouses, sibling and friends of people who identify as LGBTQ. They are looking for help to keep the faith and keep their family bonds intact.
EnCourage members work together to understand the experiences of their loved ones, and to respond to them with compassion. They know that it is possible to express love for someone even if we can’t support all of their choices or actions. They find spiritual guidance to grow in their relationship with Christ, and community support from other members that helps them remember that they are not alone on this journey.
In recognition of the irreplaceable role of the family in attaining an understanding of the experience of same-sex attractions and embracing a life of chastity, EnCourage was founded. As an apostolate of Courage, and flowing from its central purpose, EnCourage provides pastoral care to family members and friends of persons who identify as LGBT. Here are the Five Goals of EnCourage:
For your local chapter information on Courage, please CLICK HERE
For your local chapter information on Encourage, please CLICK HERE
