In our Trust Vision we state, “Every member of our community will be welcomed and valued; no one will be prejudged on their ethnicity, faith (or none), gender, sexuality or age”.
This statement is inspired by the fact that God creates every person as a precious, unique and sacred individual in His own image. In the Book of Jeremiah, we are reminded that God knew us – as unique individuals – before He “formed us in our mother’s womb”. In other words, our unique natures are not just important; they are at the very centre of God’s love for us.
Inspired and led by this, the St Thomas Aquinas Catholic MAT welcomes and stands by our LGBT+ members of staff and pupils. Failure to do so would be un-Christian and wrong; indeed, the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that “every sign of unjust discrimination” must be avoided (No.2358). We want to ensure that our LGBT+ colleagues are supported to flourish whilst working in our organisation, which is why we are proud to share the details of the Diocese of Nottingham LGBT+ Pastoral Ministry Team who are available to offer support and advice, or just to provide a listening ear to anyone who needs them.
The LGBT+ Pastoral Ministry Team was formed by Bishop Patrick McKinney for the Diocese of Nottingham to welcome and support LGBT+ Catholics, their families and allies. The team is served by lay people who are in regular dialogue with the Bishop and other clergy in the Diocese. If you or someone you know is looking for support, fellowship or advice please email lgbt.pastoral@dioceseofnottingham.uk.