Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the archbishop of Washington, D.C., speaking at the “Outreach” Conference for Catholics who identify as LGBTQ, stressed the need for unity in what he called “an extraordinary if not risky moment for our Church and country.”

In his homily, Cardinal Gregory said that “the presence and the pastoral needs of our LGBTQ sisters and brothers may often be viewed as a volatile topic, but they must be faced with sincerity and genuine compassion.”

He shared his hopes that the conference would advance the goal of making the Church and the nation “stronger, holier, and more welcoming.”

According to the conference website, Outreach “gathers LGBTQ laypeople, clergy, scholars, artists, educators, students, and family members to build community, share best practices, and worship together.”

The conference is organized by Outreach, a Catholic LGBTQ resource group founded by Jesuit priest and theologian Father James Martin.

This year the conference took place Aug. 2–4 at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The event included several talks, panel discussions, times for prayer, and social events. Topics included “parenting LGBTQ children,” “transgender Catholics and the Church,” “the Bible and homosexuality,” and “gifts of a life of chastity.”

By presiding over the Saturday Mass in Georgetown’s Dahlgren Chapel, Cardinal Gregory became the first cardinal to participate in the conference.

During his homily, he emphasized that the Church and nation are at a critical moment, one that demands open dialogue.

“Our national unity needs constant attention as does the unity of our Church. Unity does not mean uniformity or sameness of opinion in heart and mind,” he clarified. “There is a word that we frequently use to describe the spiritual connectedness that must be the goal of our Catholic Church: communion.”

The cardinal praised conference attendees for being “dedicated to the pursuit of our becoming a more inclusive family of faith, welcoming others in spite of our differences.”

He said that such a pursuit is an “act of synodality” and that “sincerely and openly speaking and listening to one another under the light and guidance of the Holy Spirit is the way that the Church grows in perfection.”

He expressed concern for the state of the Church and nation, decrying what he called an “increase in violence, the forfeiture of civility in public discourse, the disavowal of once well-known hallowed values.”

“You have gathered in the Archdiocese of Washington for your scheduled Outreach assembly at an extraordinary, if not risky, moment for our Church and country,” Cardinal Gregory told conference attendees.

“The challenges that either one of these two illustrious institutions might offer us would provide more than ample reasons for our current angst and perhaps even distress,” he said. “Unity remains an elusive enterprise. Our national unity needs constant attention, as does the unity of our Church.”

While noting that “we may find it difficult as Catholics and as Americans to achieve such a state of being together harmoniously,” Gregory concluded his sermon by saying: “I pray that this conference advance that goal and make us a stronger, holier, and more welcoming Church and nation.”

Pope Francis also expressed spiritual closeness to the conference, saying in a July 11 note to Martin that he was “glad” that Gregory would celebrate the opening Mass.

“I will be spiritually with him and with all of you, united in prayer,” Francis said. “May Jesus bless you and the Holy Virgin care for you.”

The Archdiocese of Washington declined to comment further on the conference and Cardinal Gregory’s participation.