From Illinois comes this surprising story of a mother who is struggling to live the gospel by reaching society’s outcasts — in this case, young men and women who are gay:

Jackie Frett of Notre Dame Parish has taken a shocking moment in her motherhood and now she is using it to reach out to others in similar situations by starting a gay and lesbian ministry at her parish in Clarendon Hills.

During a recent telephone conversation with the Catholic Explorer, she listed her qualifications for the ministry. Frett said, “I’m just a mom.” The mother of two adult children and grandmother of two children added, “I’m trying to prevent young people from suicide, self-loathing and abandonment.” The research chemist claimed that 40 percent of young people that share their homosexuality with their parents are abandoned. She added, “One-third of suicides are because of this.”

While her ministry typically applies to adults and families, Frett said she is eventually trying to create a better environment for the teenagers who are dealing with this dilemma. She asked, “If adults are struggling with this, can you imagine what a 16 year old has to go through?”

Frett is one of the coordinators of a Dec. 1 conference called, “Let Me Sow Love.” The event at Notre Dame Parish is expected to include a panel discussion with members of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays as well as a discussion with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender young adults. She stated, “The purpose of the conference is to enhance the awareness of the social and emotional issues faced by gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons and their families with the knowledge that acceptance is built on understanding.”

Frett recalled the instance in 2004 when her 22-year-old son, Sean, shared with her that he is gay. She said she wasn’t upset because of his sexual orientation, but rather because he had endured an internal struggle and he was afraid to share it with her.

Frett was also concerned about the potential conflict between her Catholic faith and loving her son, a homosexual. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines homosexuality and states, “Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that ‘homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.’ ” It also clearly points out, “Under no circumstances can they be approved.”

After further investigation, she realized there wasn’t a conflict of interest and she is now working toward clearing up misperceptions. The catechism is just as strong in stating, “They must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.”

About a year ago, she started the gay and lesbian ministry with a committee of parents and clergymen at Notre Dame Parish. It is designed to assist families in similar situations and spread awareness within the community. She said, “As Christians, this is our responsibility. Christ told us to love one another; he didn’t say it was going to be easy.”

The ministry submits monthly messages for the parish bulletins. Mostly, they consist of excerpts from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ pastoral letter entitled, “Always Our Children: A Pastoral Message to Parents of Homosexual Children and Suggestions for Pastoral Ministers.” By enlightening the greater community on the struggles of homosexuals and their families, Frett envisions the parish as a refuge and a resource of support to those in this particular need.

However, she has found that the ministry extends much further than the printed word through the phone calls she receives from concerned parents seeking resources and fellow parishioners thankful that she is spreading awareness and decreasing fear among fellow community members. She said she reminds parents: “You just have to remember this adult child is the same child he was before he told you he was gay.”

Discussing the ministry, Father Robert Schuler, pastor, told the Explorer, “The teachings (of the Catholic Church) are pretty clear.” Scripture calls Christians to love one another, even outcasts, added Father Schuler. He noted, “Sadly, we are losing a lot of people because they don’t feel that love.”

He acknowledged, “It’s probably something we don’t recognize as a big problem.” Father Schuler clarified that the ministry “is not an endorsement,” yet an extension of love to those who are suffering. He said, “Everybody is a creation of God” and should be respected as such.

There’s more about this outreach at the link. I can think of a lot of parents — and children — who would benefit from this very special minsitry. The parish where Jackie Frett’s ministry is based can be found right here.