HH_031518

homerhorizon.com FAITH
the Homer Horizon | March 15, 2018 | 21
Local parishes to sponsor presentation on transgenderism
The Rev. Loya
to speak at
Annunciation
Byzantine Church
Jacquelyn Schlabach
Assistant Editor
Five area
parishes are
sponsoring a
presentation
titled Transgenderism:
A
Compassionate
Approach Loya
on Thursday,
March 15, as part of the
Knowledge and Prayer Series
held throughout the year
at the participating churches.
The series is sponsored
by Our Lady of the Woods,
St. Francis of Assisi and St.
Michael in Orland Park, as
well as Our Mother of Good
Counsel and Annunciation
Byzantine Catholic Church
in Homer Glen. Transgenderism:
A Compassionate
Approach will be held at
Annunciation Byzantine
Church, where The Rev.
Thomas Loya will speak.
The Knowledge and
Prayer Series was created
in response to the sense that
people, not only in the parishes,
but in the communities,
need more opportunities
to learn about their faith, particularly
in regards to issues
revolving around life. Loya
said topics discussed during
these monthly presentations
include abortion, current
events in the government,
marriage, taking care of the
elderly and more. The prominence
of transgenderism in
society sparked the interest to
talk about it with parish and
community members.
“It’s one of the many
events related to life issues,
and it’s a very prominent
topic right now where a lot
of people have questions
about, a lot of confusions
about, so we thought that
now would be a good time to
address it,” Loya said.
Loya said the key aspect to
his presentation is focusing
on the word compassionate.
“I’m going to talk about
that compassionate is a function
of truth, that we have to
really know the truth about
something,” he said. “And
if we’re very, very honest
about something, absolutely
honest about something, that
that’s the only way we can
be truly compassionate. So,
I will explore the truth about
this issue of transgenderism,
this phenomenon, and suggest
then what would be a
way of responding to it that
is most honest, most compassionate.”
This event is geared toward
families and parents,
with Loya presenting what
he believes to be the compassionate,
wise and appropriate
responses toward a child or
someone in their family who
identifies as transgender.
“Their origins are not necessarily
originally in just sexuality;
there are other issues
related to the human person
and human development that
are more fundamental, that
are really at the base of all
this,” Loya said. “You want
to help the person to look at
that, in other words, what’s
behind this. If you are born as
a male person and you want
to be a female, OK, what’s
really behind that thinking,
that desire?”
Loya mentions that he will
discuss how he believes,
“It’s important to not seize
[sexual development] at any
moment and concretize any
expression like that, even
with same-sex attraction.
These things cannot be concretized,
especially during
the developmental periods
of a person that are very
fluid.”
As a result, Loya will explain
to those in attendance
Thursday evening that those
responding to someone identifying
as transgender should
do so in a compassionate
way that is honest with the
person, keeping in mind the
fluidity of development and
the “realities” behind it.
“There’s a why behind
this, why has a person developed
this what is a disconnect
or dysphoria,” Loya
said. “It’s a delusion for a
certain length of time that
this is what you are and to
pretend or imagine you can
be something else. It’s delusionary
and will ultimately
be destructive for the person
and society. So, it’s important
to work with the person
on the why behind it all, to
get to the root of it, and not
to concretize their expression
at any point and not
just simply take it face value.
That’s a very misguided
form of compassion.”
Transgenderism: A Compassionate
Approach will
look at true compassion and
not phony compassion, because
there is no real compassion
without truth and
absolute honesty, Loya said.
All ages are welcome to
attend the free event held 7
p.m. Thursday, March 15,
at Annunciation Byzantine
Catholic Church, 14610 S.
Will Cook Road, Homer
Glen.
FAITH
From Page 20
Weekend Mass
5 p.m. Saturday
8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. Sunday
Bible Study
7 p.m. Mondays. Books of
the Bible are read and discussed
to develop a deeper
understanding of Scripture.
For more information, contact
Mati Principe at (708)
301-6246.
Confessions
4-4:45 p.m. Saturdays;
9:30-10:15 a.m. Sundays;
8:30 a.m. every first Friday
Council of Catholic Women
7 p.m. Second Tuesday of
the month.
Women of the parish meet
to discuss its needs. The
group also hosts a monthly
charity bake sale.
St. Bernard Parish (13030 W. 143rd St.,
Homer Glen)
Weekday Worship
9:30 a.m. weekdays. Communion
Service on Thursdays.
Weekend Worship
4:30 p.m. Saturdays. 8:30
a.m., 10 a.m., and 11:30 a.m.
every Sunday.
Confession
3:30-4:15 p.m. First and
third Saturday of the month.
Confessions are also available
upon request at any
time.
Community Choir Practice
7:30-9 p.m. Thursdays.
Parish members ages 16
and older may join the choir.
The choir needs vocalists
and instrumentalists. For
more information, join the
weekly rehearsal or contact
the music director, Julie
Kane, after Mass on Sundays.
First United Methodist Church of Lockport
(1000 S. Washington St., Lockport)
Sunday Worship
9 a.m. Sunday School
10:25 a.m. Worship
Circle of Love
9 a.m. Wednesdays. Circle
of Love provides diapers,
feminine and incontinence
products to clients who are
qualified to use the local
FISH Food Pantry. For more
information, call (815) 838-
1017.
Communion
First Sunday of the month.
Annunciation Byzantine Catholic Church
(14610 S. Will Cook Road, Homer Glen)
Transgenderism: A
Compassionate Approach
7 p.m. Thursday, March
15. The Rev. Thomas Loya
will speak on the “Theology
of the Body” to discuss
the issue of transgenderism.
This presentation is part of
the Knowledge and Prayer
series and is sponsored by
the Multi-Parish Respect
Life Ministries.
Sunday Services
8:15 a.m. Orthros; 9:30
a.m. Divine Liturgy; 10 a.m.
Sunday School. For more
information, call (708) 645-
0652.
Adult Bible Study
9-9:45 a.m., first and third
Sundays of the month
Assumption Greek Orthodox Church
(15625 S. Bell Road, Homer Glen)
Sunday Services
8:15 a.m. Orthros; 9:30
a.m. Divine Liturgy; 10 a.m.
Sunday School. For more
information, call (708) 645-
0652.
New Life Community Church - Homer Glen
(14832 W. 163rd St., Homer Glen)
Weekly Worship Services
10 a.m. Sundays; for more
information, call (815) 838-
1416
Kids Zone Ministry
10 a.m. Sundays.
Children up to fifth grade
can participate in games,
singing, take part in interactive
Bible teaching and participate
in hands-on crafts.
Participants should arrive
5-10 minutes prior to the service
to sign children up for
the group. For more information,
call (815) 838-1416.
Women’s Ministry
9:30 a.m. Fridays. Bible
study for women of all ages.
Prayer Meeting
10 a.m. Tuesdays.
Parkview Christian Church - Homer Glen
(14367 W. 159th St., Homer Glen)
Senior Connections
10:45 a.m.-1 p.m.. Orland
Park Campus, 11110 Orland
Parkway, Orland Park. Second
Friday of the month,
chili lunch and program. The
cost is $10, and Pastor Chaz
will speak. To RSVP, call
(708) 478-7477 ext. 272 or
email merry-o@att.net.
Sunday Services
9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Lemont United Methodist Church (25 W.
Custer St., Lemont)
Palm Sunday Last Supper
7:30 p.m. Sunday, March
25. The play will take place
at the church.
Sunday Services
8:30 a.m. Communion
Worship Service
9:30 a.m. Sunday School
10:45 a.m. Contemporary
Worship Service (nursery
available)
Christ Community Church (13400 Bell
Road, Lemont)
Sunday Worship
9:30 a.m. Sundays. Worship
is casual.
Have something for Faith
Briefs? Contact Assistant
Editor Jacquelyn Schlabach at
j.schlabach@22ndcentury
media.com or call (708) 326-
9170 ext. 15. Information is
due by noon Thursday one
week prior to publication.