Pax Christi Executive Director Proposes Viewing LGBTQ+ Ministry as a Form of Gospel Nonviolence

Robert Shine, Executive Director of the Pax Christi International Fund for Peace and former managing editor of New Ways Ministry , has proposed considering ministry to LGBTQ+ people within the Catholic Church as a form of nonviolent resistance and Gospel nonviolence. He published this statement on September 20 on the website of the Catholic LGBTQ+ organization New Ways Ministry, following his attendance at the first global conference of the Catholic Institute for Nonviolence, which took place in Rome in early September.

According to Shine, LGBTQ+ Catholics often face the denial of their dignity, a situation he compares to the dehumanization seen during global armed conflicts. As an example, he cited the radical statements of some global politicians who deny the human worth of entire populations, emphasizing that attempts to strip individuals of their dignity are widespread in society and frequently targeted at queer people.

Shine notes that continuing to participate in church life, openly acknowledging one’s relationships and gender identity, and being willing to engage in dialogue despite periodic rejection from church institutions are all acts of active nonviolent resistance. “To reject dehumanization and insist on our place at the table is effective active nonviolence being practiced by our community,” he emphasized, urging believers to replace the logic of categorizing people with the divine logic of inclusive love.

The international Catholic peace movement Pax Christi was founded in France in 1945 to promote reconciliation among nations after World War II. Today, it actively advocates for human rights, disarmament, and social justice, holding consultative status with the UN. New Ways Ministry, which published Shine’s reflection, is based in the US and has advocated for the inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals in the Catholic Church for decades, frequently serving as a platform for discussions on the role of minorities in religion.

Earlier, in July 2026, as previously reported by Uránia, during Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Spain, representatives of another Catholic LGBTQ+ organization, Madrid’s CRISMHOM, received a direct invitation to an official meeting with the pontiff for the first time .