How is possible that a Republican political activist (at the national, state and county levels), an advisor to a very conservative former U.S. Senator and Republican candidate for President who nearly won his party’s nomination to be President, and a conservative Catholic become an ally to the LGBT community? This is my story of how through a series of human encounters and events over a decade changed my worldview and allowed me to see all peoples with new eyes, through a prism seeing multi-colors.
I am a career U.S. Army soldier and senior field grade officer. It was through a series of professional events that my personal perspective on LGBT peoples began to change as the Department of Defense (DoD) policy regarding LGBT peoples changed. The first event involved a 3-star general investigation of a young sergeant who had “came out of the closest” during the transition period before the new policy was implemented. We were still under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy where if one kept their sexual activity private, no one asked or cared. If it was publicly discussed though, then any known LGBT soldier was immediately discharged out of the service. I was assigned as the senior field grade investigating officer for this high-level case at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
A military police sergeant, a decorated combat veteran of Iraq, had publicly disclosed his sexual orientation before his pending honorable discharge out of service. He had honorably served his nation and nearly fulfilled his full military contract. He was getting out to go to graduate school. Unfortunately, it was discovered that he was “gay” by his chain of command, forcing the gears of the military bureaucracy to turn on. I recommended no punishment be issued against this sergeant. He had never once been in trouble for anything during his two full tours of service. He was a highly decorated non-commissioned officer, and overall, just a good guy. It just didn’t make any professional or personal sense to me to punish this good solider for being who he truly was.
The second professional event occurred when my military organization was conducting its annual military ball. I was serving as the Branch Officer, the senior representative of my career field, for my organization. One of my officers was selected to be the Master of Ceremonies (the M.C.) for our military ball. He was actively “gay” and married to another man whom he brought to the ball. This was the first time in my long career that I had ever witnessed or participated in something like this. The DoD policy had changed by then being more inclusive of LGBT peoples. Not only did he do an absolutely fabulous job at the ball; his husband was just a great guy. Once again, it was through meeting active gay men that both my professional and personal perspectives began to change. This topic was not just an abstraction for me any longer. As I began to personally know real people, real human faces in the LGBT community, I became more aware of the challenges that the LGBT community faced.
The third event occurred pastorally after I was ordained a ministerial Catholic priest. A deacon (now retired) in my church is transgender. Having a close working relationship and friendship with him allowed me to see the LGBT world through his eyes. Both he and his spouse introduced me to the local LGBT community here in St. Joseph. From that moment of grace, nothing but a full-colored spectrum of beauty has been as a result. I have met so many amazing people across the LGBT spectrum. I thank God for all of them, in all of their diversity. It’s liked I had lived my life in black and white, and now I was seeing color for the first time!
Why do I participate in and support local LGBT events including worship?
The answer is very simple to me. I actively participate in LGBT events because my friends invite me to. I can think of no better reason, one of fellowship, or being in communio with one's friends and neighbors. To be in communio means bearing with one another in love. For the Church, it means the natural or organic life of the Church where the diversity of gifts work together in complementary ways to usher in the Kingdom of God. This is what it means to be Christian or Celtic Catholic to me. Friendship or communio is at the heart of Celtic spirituality.
How does one compare Roman Catholic views on the LGBT community versus the Celtic Catholic view on the same?
The Roman Catholic Church and fundamentalist Protestant/Evangelical denominations hold to what they view as a traditional Biblical view of homosexuality. Homosexuality is for them a mortal or grave sin, meaning active participation in any homosexual acts, condemns one to eternal conscious torment.
The irony is that this view is neither “traditional” nor good Biblical exegesis/interpretation of the original Hebrew and Greek texts. They deny the sacraments, i.e. the Eucharist (or the Lord’s Table) and Marriage, to anyone they view actively sinning as well. Rome also denies Holy Orders, meaning ordination to ministry, to women and any active LGBT peoples.
In general, historically to contemporary times, Rome promotes systemic discrimination and homophobia against women and LGBT peoples.
For many churches in the Independent/Apostolic Sacramental Movement (ISM/ASM), including my own, we ordain all peoples to ministry. This includes all genders, all gender expressions, and all sexual orientations. No one is denied the sacraments.
The Eucharist, or communion, is given to anyone who desires it. The sacrament of matrimony (same-sex marriage) is also offered to LGBT peoples. No sacraments are fenced or barred from full participation of LGBT peoples. If anyone desires a fully liturgical and sacramental church which is welcoming, open and affirming, please come and see us!
I hope to show there is a better way of being Catholic. One who is fully inclusive of everyone who made in the Image of God. We are walking on “The Way” at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Celtic Catholic Church.
How does my congregation differ from traditional Catholicism?
Our congregation or mother church is The Celtic Catholic Church USA. The Celtic Catholic Church USA is an Independent Catholic Church grounded in the Celtic Tradition committed to serving God and the needs of you and your loved ones. We are an independent, self-governing, and autonomous body, in no way dependent upon the Church of Rome, or upon any other see or authority outside its own administration. We are not Roman Catholic, we are Celtic Catholic!
From our long-standing historical roots, we offer a new vision based on the original First Century Church of Jesus Christ, for those who seek a Church that is Catholic, Apostolic, Orthodox and Sacramental. The altars of our church are open to everyone and that in Jesus we are neither Greek nor Jew, of one skin color or another, nor male or female. No ministry is denied to anyone and we do not require anyone to renounce their denominational affiliation or faith to worship with us.
The Cornerstones of the Celtic Catholic Church USA are the two primary theological views of the radical Incarnation of God within Creation, and the belief in Universal Salvation (Universalism). The crippling fear of God’s wrath, the attitude of abject self-degradation, and the haunting fear of eternal hell are foreign to Celtic Catholic thought. We believe that such beliefs are contrary to the image of a loving Heavenly Father revealed by Christ in the Gospels.
Our other two Cornerstones of our Church are based on the ‘Great Commission’ of Jesus who told us to ‘Love God’ and ‘Love Our Neighbor’. Without Love, we believe there can be no Church.
I hope to see you all at the end of the rainbow by a pot of gold coming through the prism of the Divine! For the record, there are no literal “pots of gold” at our local church, Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Far from it, we are simple and humble Celtic Franciscans. We do have spiritual ones though!
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Friar David L. Jones is an Independent Catholic Priest, specifically an ordained Celtic Catholic Priest of the Celtic Catholic Church USAin the Independent/Apostolic Sacramental Movement (ISM/ASM). He is a Friar of the Celtic Franciscan Companions, a religious order within New Monasticism. In 2017 by the grace of God and the working of the Holy Spirit, he along with family and friends began a small church plant/mission named Our Lady of Mount Carmel Celtic Catholic Church in St. Joseph, Missouri.
Friar David holds a Masters in Theological Studies from the Institute of Religious and Pastoral Studies, University of Dallas. He has spoken internationally in Italy at the Rimini Meeting and throughout much of the United States. He is a regular columnist for Il Sissidiario, Catholic Online, the Clarion Journal of Spirituality and Justice.
His conversion story is published in the Italian book entitled Sotto Il Cielo D'America (Under the American Sky) written by Marco Bardazzi. The introduction of this book has been translated into English and is available on-line. Another story of his life is published in the Italian book entitled Mi Mancano Solo Le Hawaii (They Lack Only Hawaii - Living and travel notes of an Italian transplanted to America) written by Maurizio "Riro" Maniscalco. Friar David was also recently interviewed on the Sacramental Whine Podcast.
Friar David is a 26-year active-duty U.S. Army retiree. He is a combat veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as a humanitarian mission to Haiti. He currently teaches full-time at a local high school, freshmen through seniors, in St. Joseph, MO.
Friar David has been married to Becky for 25 years. They have four children, three dogs, one cat, one guinea pig, and a home full of books.
DISCLAIMER - The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and not those of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Army.
I was excommunicated from a church I love decades ago for being misunderstood as a "sodomite" with no hope.I was devastated and had my first breakdown,a harsh one with overmedication and hospitilization.I,ve been hospitalized over 29 times in the last 3 decades since then.The church apologized and reconciled with me,i,m forgiven and learned how to forgive.I,m not gay,I,m passionate about women,but I knew a gay man who committed suicide,I wanted to reach out to him and be a good friend.But because of pride and others opinons in fear,I didn,t.I regret that.He was a beautiful fellow with a humble caring spirit.I knew him in a depression bi polar group and sat in his group once as he facillitated it. outside of the compound I saw him standing there all alone,self effacing,I wanted to approuch him and make friends with him but hesitated.A month later he left us.Genuine friendship and love is such a beautiful emotion and can cross many boundaries if we would venture out on a daily basis.With much regret john
Posted by: john w. barber | September 14, 2019 at 11:08 PM
I have always suspected the reason Jesus was so inclusive in is ministry was because he took the time to meet and know those who others avoided. Friar Jones you are an example of what it means to be a follower of the Carpenter from Nazareth. Blessings on your journey and mission. You are and will be a blessing for all who come to you.
Posted by: Ruth Jewell | August 21, 2019 at 12:13 PM