Last summer, Dan became reconciled with the Catholic Church. This year, he returned to the Courage Conference to share his story of resolution and redemption with upward of 300 attendees at the annual event that addresses sex-same attraction and the spiritual life. “I longed to tell my story of how God took me from anger to reconciliation and how his kindness led me to repentance,” Dan said, characterizing the spirit that covers the four-day Courage Conference. Dan’s opening tale set the stage for a number of speakers, workshops and spiritual events that blanketed Courage Conference 2010 at the University of St. Mary of the Lake from July 29 to Aug. 1. It was the third time the Mundelein campus has hosted the annual event that aims to provide inspiration, fellowship and spiritual tools to men and women who experience same-sex attraction, as well as those who love them. Courage Conference mission Sponsored by the New York-based Courage Apostolate, a 30-year-old organization that offers formal outreach to those drawn to same-sex attraction, the Courage Conference encourages attendees to believe that the church loves and embraces them as children of God, said Courage Apostolate executive director Father Paul Check. “We want to confirm them in their identity and then encourage chastity as freedom, which is the way the church regards that virtue,” Check said. Though the Catechism of the Catholic Church has termed same-sex attraction a disorder, Check is quick to point out that the church’s terminology does not pass moral judgment. Yet, while same-sex attraction might be involuntary, acting on such sexual impulses is the precise willed action the conference tackles. It is, Check admits, a complex and controversial topic that the conference addresses in a charitable manner. “Participants hear things here that help them come to a deeper self knowledge in order to lead holy lives,” he said. “The Gospel encourages this kind of refreshment, a way to renew faith in God and even oneself.” The event attracted U.S. and even international attendees, most of whom attend regular Courage meetings in their own dioceses (including the Archdiocese of Chicago). Many of the attendees, said Courage Apostolate founder Father John Harvey, feel isolation in their own lives and find vital fellowship and inspiration at the event. “Our job is to teach them how to be chaste and we hope these folks, full of good thoughts and ambitions, leave with a renewed resolve of effort to lead a chaste life and invite others into the group,” Harvey said. Cardinal welcomes participants In a welcoming letter to Courage Conference participants, Cardinal George noted the difficulty of aligning one’s life and sexual morality with the Gospel and teachings of the Catholic Church in today’s sexuality-saturated culture. “Spiritual support and chaste fellowship are essential to live a Christian life, and I am grateful that this conference will provide you with both,” Cardinal George wrote. Indeed, such support and understanding are what prompt many to attend the Courage Conference. Frances (last names of Courage members are left out to respect the group’s insistence on anonymity and confidentiality) first attended the Courage Conference in 2007. Dealing with self-hatred issues prompted by her same-sex attraction, she found camaraderie and spirit running high at the conference, a reality that compelled her to attend this year’s conference, her third. “The Courage Conference is the one place I feel I can be all of myself,” she said. “It provides the understanding that I’m not alone and that it’s not my fault I struggle with same-sex attraction.” Frances hoped to leave the conference with an understanding of how she might serve others who struggle with same-sex attraction and Catholic life. “So many people think they have to choose, but I found peace in my struggle and hope to help others find that as well,” she said.