Aloha! Gerald Farinas in Chicago

[Gerald Farinas]

Aloha! My name is Gerald Farinas. Most people call me Gerry, Jerry, Seb or Sebby. I was born and raised in Honolulu, HI and attended Loyola University Chicago, a Jesuit university. I decided to make the move permanent and I now reside in the northside neighborhood of Lake View East in the heart of the Boystown gay village. I'm a political consultant which makes me very busy during election season; I was principal advisor for a U.S. Senate campaign in Illinois. Step away from advising and run myself? I don't know yet. When I'm not advising candidates, I work full-time as a sociotherapist for an Evanston, IL lifecare firm.

I'm a devout Roman Catholic and parishioner of St. Clement Church in Lincoln Park, which has vibrant parish life opportunities specifically for its gay and lesbian parishioners. More recently, I've been worshipping with a Presbyterian community. Being Catholic and gay is of course very challenging and became even tougher as president of Loyola University's gay and lesbian association for a short time before being forced out of the position. Impeachment came and my resignation submitted, I was branded as "controversial," "too extreme" and "a lightning rod." I have to admit, I did let it get to me and shied away from gay rights activism for a long time thereafter. That was almost three years ago.

When a much older friend told me, "If you want something cooked right, sometimes you have to stir the pot," I knew I needed to get back into the fray, return to the fight for my faith and my very life, my mission and my purpose. And that was when I remembered that a friend of mine was an organizer for Soulforce and that is how I found myself here.

The feeling of inspiration and empowerment became even more compelling when I accidentally stumbled upon a little piece of paper on which I scribbled something one of my political heroes, Patsy Mink, once said. "It is easy enough to vote right and be consistently with the majority…. but it is more important to be ahead of the majority and this means being able to cut the first furrow in the ground and stand alone for a while if necessary."

In Catholicism, there is great mystery in what is called "The Calling." If that little scrap of paper isn't a calling, a calling to be active and do something for the betterment of all people around me, for the preservation of the very faith upon which my life is foundered, I don't know what is.

[Gerald Farinas]

I forgot to mention the important stuff! I'm an avid writer and a hiker. If anyone ever wants to trash my short stories and poems or hit the trails with me, hit me up with a message! I love wandering the city and poke my head in little shops and cafes. I like simple activities... spending time with one or a couple of friends over dinner and coffee (order me a Chai latte!) and maybe head back to someone's home for a quiet movie and just talk. Sitting on a beach or lakefront pier at night, looking up at the stars, hearing the serenade of waves lapping upon boulders and opening up our minds to almost everything and anything - that's the perfect night for me.

At the theater... a bag of peachy penguins and malt balls. I love Thai and Chinese food. I prefer spring rolls to egg rolls. Independent movies are great, especially dramas. The taiko drum is a sexy instrument. The fastest way to your own death is me finding out you tune your mp3 player to smooth jazz.

[kara speltz]

Aloha! My name is Gerald Farinas. Most people call me Gerry, Jerry, Seb or Sebby.

In Catholicism, there is great mystery in what is called "The Calling." If that little scrap of paper isn't a calling, a calling to be active and do something for the betterment of all people around me, for the preservation of the very faith upon which my life is foundered, I don't know what is.

Dear Gerry: I very much resonated with your statement about the mystery of the "calling." Truly I am a liturgy junkie, and nothing does it better for me than Mass, except for a Gay Pride Mass:love: which my parish has every June.

Is St. Clement the parish that initiated that wonderful letter from the 23 Chicago priests? I seem to recall that name. It's always good to know there are other parishes that are alive and welcoming.

Welcome to our Forum. Be sure to check out the Catholic page, under anti-gay watch. You'll find some great stuff there. My favorite is the section on our 4 gay and lesbian saints.

Kara

[Gerald Farinas]

Is St. Clement the parish that initiated that wonderful letter from the 23 Chicago priests? I seem to recall that name. It's always good to know there are other parishes that are alive and welcoming. Kara

Thank you so much for your warm welcome. Yes, St. Clement and our pastor did initiate that beautiful letter in support of gay and lesbian Catholics in this archdiocese. I am quite the liturgy junkie, as well. One of my favorite rites is the Passover reading each Maundy Thursday, of God telling Abraham to prepare the chosen for the sacrifices of that holy night. The message of the one sacrifice of Christ generations after Abraham, his blood shed and smeared upon us as a sign for God to "pass over" and free us from the bondage of "death," to save us from the ultimate of plagues, is truly one of the most moving messages from scripture. For three years, I had the opportunity to deliver and proclaim that reading from the heart at Madonna Della Strada, the chapel of the Jesuit's Chicago Province.

[Gerald Farinas]

How could I have missed one of the most significant spiritual events in my life?! I was preparing to become a Jesuit!

[Pablo Rafael]

Gerald,

Welcome. I apprecate your thoughts. It is good to welcome a fellow Catholic to the Soulforce forums. You are right that being a Catholic and gay is a challenging situation. From what I gather by reading the comments posted here, however, it doesn't seem as challenging being gay and fundamentalist.

Many years ago I decided to follow the Lord's leading and become a teacher in a Christian school. It has been a fulfilling calling. From what you write I sense that you have a real dedication to the Lord's work as well. There is much work to be done.

Please join in the forums and let us hear your thoughts.

Tu Amigo, Pablo


P.S. I have a rather small computer screen, and the font you have chosen is pretty small. How about making it a little bigger?

[Gerald Farinas]

Sorry... I changed the font sizes for ease of reading. My twenty-three year old eyes like small fonts for some reason. Thanks for your welcome, Pablo.

I found a link to that letter signed by my welcoming Catholic parish, an open letter to the Archdiocese of Chicago and the church hierarchy (http://ncronline.org/mainpage/specialdocuments/chicagoletter.htm).

[kategraceb]

Hey Gerald,

I just registered myself and saw that you're living in my old stomping grounds. I'm in NYC now but I lived in East Lakeview for five years. I highly recommend Bamee Noodle on Broadway and Barry for some wonderful Thai Food.

Kate

[Gerald Farinas]

Hey Gerald, I just registered myself and saw that you're living in my old stomping grounds. I'm in NYC now but I lived in East Lakeview for five years. I highly recommend Bamee Noodle on Broadway and Barry for some wonderful Thai Food. Kate

Thanks for the recommendation. I love Bamee Noodle.... especially for their spring rolls! :love:

[Daniel]

Gerald- Welcome!

Glad you hear you are read to stir the pot again. There is a lot of cooking going on around here.

I'm working on writing myself and took four classes with a very good teacher here in NYC over the last two years. The impetus for me was a decade of research. I thought, "What am I waiting for? I need tools!" Got them. Now I'm cranking it out. Can't wait until I can get to that third or fifth draft.

On liturgy: I've sung in many churches and retain a fondness for the Episcopal liturgy- the higher the better! But then, seeing that I'm a child of the theatre (opera) that would make sense, wouldn't it? :rolleyes:

[Lydia]

Welcome, Gerald.

What topics do you write about?

[Gerald Farinas]

Welcome, Gerald. What topics do you write about?

Thanks for the welcome Lydia! Many of my short stories feature characters that have tackled personal faith, spirituality and the emotions of growing up gay. Another manuscript deals with punk street life, homelessness and survival pinned down with themes of spirituality and gay youth street culture, as well as family issues. A lot of that comes with experiences with homeless youth.

My biggest project is a novel loosely based on my experiences working as a principal advisor for a failed Republican US Senate race and the many people I met along the campaign trail. Theme: being the gay advisor for an ultra-conservative former presidential candidate brought to a midwestern state to battle a popular Democratic rising star. Sounds like PURE DRAMA!!

Teaser: (1) Closet cases who volunteered on the campaign, having thought they've "cured" themselves of homosexuality, (2) Working with a young high school conservative club president who travels from the West Coast to work as a personal assistant and ends up falling in love with the 21 year old gay advisor, (3) candidate's gay son, (4) street culture mafia exploiting homeless teens, prostituting them and getting them into narcotics and crime, and more.

[Gerald Farinas]

Gerald- Welcome!

Glad you hear you are read to stir the pot again. There is a lot of cooking going on around here.

I'm working on writing myself and took four classes with a very good teacher here in NYC over the last two years. The impetus for me was a decade of research. I thought, "What am I waiting for? I need tools!" Got them. Now I'm cranking it out. Can't wait until I can get to that third or fifth draft.

On liturgy: I've sung in many churches and retain a fondness for the Episcopal liturgy- the higher the better! But then, seeing that I'm a child of the theatre (opera) that would make sense, wouldn't it? :rolleyes:

I'd love to read pieces from your manuscript! Sounds exciting!

[Vanessa White]

It is so nice to have you here! As far as the notion of having "the calling", I'm not sure if this qualifies or not. Not really in a religious sense, but more of a spiritual sense, I believe helping to lead LGBT youths toward self-acceptance and love, and to break down stereotypes and biases and others seems to be my calling in life. I live openly lesbian at my job, which is on a University campus, with my family, and in my community. I feel most connected to others when I am most being myself. And, being a part of Soulforce has also helped me to realize that I was overdue to do my own pot stirring!! Glad to see you here and see you around often! Peace, Vanessa :love:

[zimnah]

Gerry, while I am not Catholic, I am Jewish, and our religions share much in the way of liturgy and tradition. Much of our liturgy is quite literally over a thousand years old, and it is that link to our history which holds us in our faith...
Having said that, I am intrigued, and I look forward to future postings..so don't let us down! :-)
Soulforce is a haven for me, and I hope you find peace and love and acceptance as I have. I envy you your courage.
As for the rest, I spent half my life on O'ahu. There is something unique in Hawai'i that does not seem to exist on the mainland. As the holiday season descends upon us:
Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!!!

--Dawn :love: