Reflections on the historic rainbow ‘jubilee of grace’

Last weekend, a group of pilgrims from Drachma LGBTI+ and Drachma Parents joined about 1,400 other LGBTIQ+ pilgrims from all over the world in what was a historic first jubilee pilgrimage organised for LGBTIQ+ Catholic pilgrims.

The jubilee was hosted by Tenda di Gionata, a Catholic LGBTI+ group operating in Italy. Ten members of Drachma LGBTI+ took part in the pilgrimage under the banner of the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics (GNRC), an umbrella network of about 50 LGBTI+ organisations worldwide, which was also one of the pilgrimage’s official partners.

This was a historic first, in many ways. Just 25 years ago, a colleague of mine who had tried to attend the jubilee held in 2000 was hustled by security simply because she sported a rainbow flag. At that time, LGBTIQ+ Catholics who wished to integrate their sexuality with their spirituality were cast in the shadow of terms like ‘objectively disordered’ and ‘homosexual tendencies’, as well as faced the shame of strong rejection.

Over 1,000 people packed Jesuit Chiesa del Gesù in Rome, for the Friday vigil service.

Over the past 25 years, there has been a sea change in social perspectives around the world, with the introduction of LGBTIQ+ human rights and the right to civil unions and civil marriage. Even the Church, during Pope Francis’s pontificate from 2013 till 2025, adopted a more humane pastoral approach towards LGBTIQ+ people. While there have been no changes to Church doctrine, there has been a grounded conversion in the way the Church looks at LGBTIQ+ people. So the decision to host this jubilee was another grounded pastoral decision made in the synodal spirit that welcomes LGBTIQ+ persons as children of God.

I did not know what to expect during the few days we spent in Rome. Part of me was afraid of potential opposition and protests by right-wing Catholics but, thankfully, there were no such protests. Instead, what remains etched in my memory is the experience of over 1,000 people packing the beautiful Jesuit Chiesa del Gesù in the heart of Rome, singing, praying, reflecting and joyously celebrating our faith in Christ during the beautiful Friday vigil service. As one of the celebrants exclaimed: “Our eyes have known the tears of rejection… Today, however, there are other tears, tears of hope.”

On Saturday, the Chiesa del Gesù hosted a beautiful Mass co-celebrated by over 40 priests involved in pastoral accompaniment with LGBTIQ+ persons. The over 1,000+ congregation comprised LGBTIQ+ persons, parents, nuns and members of consecrated life.

About 1,400 pilgrims joined the pilgrimage walk on Saturday afternoon, pictured here on Via della Conciliazione.

Bishop Francesco Savino, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, said the pope gave him warm and tender encouragement when he mentioned he was going to celebrate Mass for us.

Equally poignant was his call that “it is time to restore dignity to everyone, especially to those to whom it has been denied. Dignity is indelible”.

While such words echo the words of the Catechism that urge against discrimination, hearing it from this bishop at that special moment made this strong public announcement a memorable and special one.

But, in a reminder that there is still a long way for LGBTIQ+ persons’ authentic inclusion in the Church and society, we were informed that no African pilgrim was granted a visa to attend the celebration. Several African countries have regrettably criminalised homosexuality in the past few years, often with the blessing of local Catholic leaders.

While there have been no changes to Church doctrine, there has been a grounded conversion in the way the Church looks at LGBTIQ+ people- Chris Vella

On Saturday afternoon, we joined about 1,400 other pilgrims for the pilgrimage walk along Via della Conciliazione towards and through Piazza San Pietro before finally entering through the Jubilee Door.

I cannot explain the feeling I felt as we walked through the holy door, hand in hand with my husband. Who would have told us a few years ago, when we last visited St Peter’s, that we could candidly hold hands without shame, sporting Drachma’s T-shirt proudly stating “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) and not feeling any shame or embarrassment?

The Maltese delegation from Drachma LGBTI+ at St Peter’s Square, Rome.

The pilgrimage walk on Saturday was also meaningful given that, had we been in Malta, on this same day we would have participated in the Gozo Pride. While our pilgrimage walk was by no means a pride march in the classical sense, as it was not intended to be a protest march, we walked just the same, as we do at every pride march, as witnesses to the dignity we hold, as humans, as children of God, as Catholics, and as LGBTIQ+ persons and proud parents of LGBTIQ+ persons.

While it is good to normalise our participation in the life of the Church and take part in a pilgrimage with other pilgrims, we are also grateful for our queerness and difference, which is in itself God’s gift to us and to the Church.

On Saturday evening, hundreds of pilgrims shared dinner in a homely environment at the St Paul’s Episcopalian church in Rome, hosted by the GNRC, where we shared experiences and memories of the day. This was indeed an important evocation of GNRC’s mission to bring LGBTIQ+ Catholics together from around the world.

Ironically, my husband and I only felt the true portent of this jubilee experience after the pilgrimage had ended.

On Sunday, as we were walking along the streets of Rome, we decided to attend Mass at a random church. While it was a normal Sunday Mass in a place not remotely linked to LGBTIQ+ issues, it was the first time that I ever heard a priest publicly and unashamedly call LGBTIQ+ persons by our name – not by a pseudonym, or worse, by some grotesque title such as ‘people with homosexual tendencies’ or ‘homosexualists’ – as church people often do.

Participants wearing the Drachma LGBTI+’s T-shirt with the phrase 'I am fearfully and wonderfully made' (Psalm 139:14), seen in TG1 news coverage of the event.

He not only mentioned LGBTIQ people specifically, and their names distinctly, but unreservedly and unashamedly embraced us as children of God, with dignity, with a genuine yearning of love. He unequivocally explained that God’s love is unconditional and brings no shame on LGBTIQ+ people.

I had never ever heard such a beautiful message delivered so bluntly and publicly during a random Mass that was not specifically organised for LGBTIQ+ people. It was so powerful that both my husband and I ended up shedding tears of gratitude to God for this grace.

To me, indeed, while the previous days’ events had seemingly reached a climax, this Mass was an unexpected and yet truly providential moment that enraptured our hearts in a most singular way. It really proved to be a truly sublime end to what has been an extraordinary LGBT jubilee pilgrimage of hope.

I hold these memories in my heart and look forward in hope to a time when we are called by name, not by a pseudonym or a slur, and where there is no embarrassment or shame for being Catholic and queer.

Chris Vella is co-chair of the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics and president of Drachma LGBTI+.