Transgender Day of Visibility 2022

Today is International Transgender Day of Visibility. United Catholic Youth Ministries stands in solidarity with our transgender siblings and, especially on this day, we affirm that we see you and we love you! In a Theology on Tap talk, (then) Archbishop Wilton Gregory addressed the question of LGBTQIA+ persons and their participation in the church and he said, "You belong to the heart of this Church. There is nothing that you may do, may say, that will rip you from the heart of this Church." Today, around the world, we recognize your human dignity and want to remind you that you do belong to the heart of our ministry. 
 
We offer this prayer (adapted by James Holzhauer-Chuckas, ObSB):
 
God of life and love that resides within and among us, we enter this moment with all that we are, with an open heart, and with a love for justice.
 
We hold in love and prayer all transgender people, so many of whom live under the weight of violence, fear, and intolerance. 
 
We hold in love and prayer all the ways that transgender people have survived and thrived in a hostile world. 
 
We hold in love and prayer all who recognize the significance of gender justice for all people.
 
We pray for the dawn of a new day when the very humanity of trans people is no longer called into question or ignored. 
 
We pray that physical, emotional, and spiritual violence will come to an end. 
 
We pray that a spirit of compassion and care will fill us to overflowing, that we may have the capacity to listen, learn, and grow not only in our awareness but also in our willingness to act. 
 
We pray for teachers, spiritual leaders, social workers, lawyers, and all people who heed the call to support Trans liberation, Trans leadership, and Trans visibility. May they ultimately lean into the Light of truth and justice, offering hope to Trans and gender nonconforming youth and adults. 
 
We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. 
 
Amen.