New Ways Ministry is proud to announce the presentation of our Bridge Building Award to Bishop John Stowe, OFM, Conv., in recognition of his compassionate ministry, courageous witness, and inspiring leadership on behalf of LGBTQ+ Catholics.
The award will be presented at a ceremony on Friday, November 15, 2024, where Bishop Stowe will deliver remarks and a reception will follow. (More details on the time and location of the event are below.)
Bishop John Stowe, OFM, Conv.
Bishop Stowe was named bishop of the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky by Pope Francis in 2015. Since then, he has been a consistent and strong supporter of LGBTQ+ issues in the U.S. Catholic Church.
In addition to leading and participating in numerous LGBTQ+ events, Bishop Stowe supported the Tyler Clementi Foundation statement to protect vulnerable youth and the federal Equality Act, although this act was opposed by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. He has stood alongside the LGBTQ+ Catholic community by accepting a transgender man as a hermit in his diocese. (To read all of Bondings 2.0 blog posts about all of Bishop Stowe’s statements and actions, click here.)
New Ways Ministry’s Bridge Building Award honors those individuals who by their scholarship, leadership, or witness have promoted discussion, understanding, and reconciliation between the LGBT community and the Catholic Church. The award was first given in 1992 to Father Charles Curran, a renowned moral theologian. Other awardees were: Bishop Thomas Gumbleton (1995); Sister Margaret Farley, RSM (2002); Mary Ellen and Casey Lopata (2005); John J. McNeill (2009), Father James Martin, SJ (2016).
Attend the Award Ceremony: The November 15th award ceremony and reception are open to the public. Th event will begin at 7:o0 p.m. Eastern U.S. Time and be held at Trinity Washington University in Washington, D.C. A suggested donation is $50 per person, more or less as you are able. If you would like to attend the event, please register by October 20th by clicking here.
Become a Sponsor: If you would like to honor Bishop Stowe’s ministry in a special way, New Ways Ministry invites you to have your name or your organization’s name listed in the program booklet for the event. You may choose to be listed in one of the following categories:
Patron ($2.500 donation)
Benefactor ($1,000 donation)
Supporter ($500 donation)
Contributor ($150 donation)
Friend ($50 donation)
To have your name or organization’s name listed, please submit your information by October 7th by clicking here.
Whether it has been through his welcoming call for pastoral ministry, his support for civil protections for LGBTQ+ people, or his advocacy for more compassionate responses from the U.S. hierarchy, Bishop Stowe has moved the Catholic conversation on LGBTQ+ issues in a decidedly positive direction. We hope you will join us in honoring through attending the award ceremony, being listed as a sponsor, or both!
–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry, September 17, 2024
