Leaders of Courage International, a Catholic apostolate that offers pastoral accompaniment to people who experience same-sex attraction and seek to live chastely, met privately with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican Feb. 6, marking what the organization described as a “historic moment” in its 45-year history.
Those present at the audience included Bishop Frank Caggiano of Bridgeport, Connecticut, chairman of Courage’s episcopal board; Father Kyle Schnippel, a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and chair of the apostolate’s executive board; Father Brian Gannon, Courage’s executive director; and Angelo Sabella, a longtime member and staff representative.
In an emailed press release after the audience, Courage said the meeting provided an opportunity “to share with the Holy Father the works of the apostolate” and to reflect on its mission to provide pastoral accompaniment to “persons who experience same-sex attraction but who strive to live chaste lives,” as well as family members “who have a loved one who identifies as LGBTQ,” through its affiliated EnCourage ministry.
“The apostolate has grown steadily over the last 45 years, expanding to serve members in countries around the world,” the statement noted, adding that the meeting “affirms the peaceful joy of the staff and members of Courage who seek to grow in holiness through living the truth in love.”
About Courage and EnCourage
Catholic teaching on sexuality, as articulated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (nos. 2357–2359), calls persons who experience same-sex attraction to a life of chastity — a vocation the Church acknowledges can involve profound trial, particularly when undertaken in isolation.
Founded in 1980 by Father John F. Harvey, O.S.F.S., at the request of Cardinal Terence Cooke of New York, Courage was established to support Catholics who experience same-sex attraction and have chosen to live according to the Church’s teaching on chastity.
Through what it calls the “Five Goals of Courage,” the apostolate seeks to hold together fidelity to Church teaching with sustained communal support. Members commit to living chastely, but they do so within a network of fellowship, prayer, and sacramental life meant to counter the loneliness that often makes perseverance difficult. Courage emphasizes the formation of chaste friendships, mutual encouragement, and spiritual direction, proposing that growth in holiness is not a solitary endeavor but one carried within the life of the church.
In 2016, Courage and EnCourage received canonical recognition as a diocesan clerical association of the Christian faithful. Today, Courage reports more than 160 chapters in 15 countries.