National Catholic Reporter Names LGBTQ Advocate Jeannine Gramick Newsmaker of the Year

News provided by

The National Catholic Reporter Publishing

Dec 14, 2023, 06:00 ET

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Dec. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Catholic Reporter (NCR), the nation's premier independent Catholic news organization, named Loretto Sr. Jeannine Gramick as its 2023 Newsmaker of the Year in an editorial published December 14. In October, Pope Francis and Sr. Gramick met in person at the Vatican for a historic 50-minute encounter at the pope's residence. As News Editor Joshua McElwee explains, "Sr. Gramick's meeting with Francis represented an extraordinary step in a year of extraordinary steps made by the pope to better include and minister with the Catholic Church's LGBTQ members."

NCR cites a confluence of events changing the way the Catholic Church ministers to its LGBTQ members. As NCR notes, "In February, days before a trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan, Francis condemned the continuing criminalization of homosexuality in some African countries. In October, he expressed openness to Catholic blessings for same-sex couples, at least on a case-by-case basis. And in November, the pope signed off on a note from the Vatican's powerful doctrinal office clarifying that trans persons, even those who have undergone gender-affirming surgery, can be baptized and can serve as godparents."

Spotlighting Gramick, NCR notes that "over the past five decades of American Catholic experience, perhaps no single person has had the kind of impact for our LGBTQ community members as Loretto Sr. Jeannine Gramick. Ever since launching New Ways Ministry with the late Salvatorian Fr. Robert Nugent in 1977, she has been a tireless, persistent and effective advocate, and has the borne the scars of abuse by church authorities with uncommon dignity."

The National Catholic Reporter is an independent Catholic news source. Founded in 1964, NCR provides news and commentary on issues related to the Catholic Church and the world. The publication can be read online at NCRonline.org, or by following @ncronline on Facebook and Twitter.

For further information, please contact NCR Publisher/CEO Joe Ferullo or GM Tony Hernandez

SOURCE The National Catholic Reporter Publishing