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Jerry Furlong received a BS in Journalism from Marquette
University, and an MBA from Creighton University. Active over
the years in parish councils, school boards, diocesan drives and
committees, endowment and development efforts, etc. Co-founder
of the Pre-Cana Conference in Omaha, coordinator of the first
Omaha Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, past president of Catholic
Charities Omaha. Lector and EMHC. Member of Omaha PFLAG, co-host
of New Ways Ministry’s Omaha Workshop, co-founder of Omaha’s
“Caring Catholic Families”—LGBT support/educational group. Jerry
and his wife, Lucy, tell their “story” at an archdiocesan
program on sexuality (called HEARTS). Retired from Mutual of
Omaha. Jerry & Lucy are blessed parents of four daughters and
one son, who is gay. They have 11 grandchildren.
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Beth Garascia has a BA in elementary education from Thomas More College in Ft. Mitchell, KY, and an MA in human development from the University of Maryland. She currently lives in South Bend, IN, but is originally from Erlanger, KY. Beth has been a teacher for thirty-two years and is currently teaching GED classes for the Adult Education Department of the South Bend Community School Corporation. Beth and her husband, Tony, met as members of the Advent Community, a Marianist lay community, and they have both been lay members of the Marianist Family ever since. Beth was a founding member of the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative’s GLBT Initiative, and has been chair since 2008. She and Tony are the proud parents of three grown children, one straight and two gay, and one granddaughter. |
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Tony Garascia received his Masters in Counseling from Indiana University at South Bend in 1986. In addition he received a Master in Liturgical Studies in 1978 from the Catholic University of America. Tony has over 25 years of experience counseling individuals, couples, families, adolescents and children. His areas of specialty include marriage and relationship issues, family difficulties, depression and anxiety, traumatic stress and bereavement work and sexual identity issues. He works with clients from age seven up. He is the author of the popular marriage preparation programs Before “I Do” and Catholic Remarriage (Ave Maria Press), Rekindle the Passion While Raising Your Kids (Sorin Books), and Getting Married, Living Together(Ave Maria Press). Tony is licensed in the State of Indiana as a Clinical Social Worker.
Beth and Tony met as members of a Marianist Lay Community and have been lay members of the Marianist Family ever since. Tony served as the president of the International Organization of Marianist Lay Communities from 2005 to 2009. They are the proud parents of three grown children, one straight and two gay, and one granddaughter. |
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Michael Harmuth lives in Pleasanton, CA with
his wife Mardelle. Married 46 years, they have two sons, three
daughters, two grandsons and two granddaughters. Michael has a
BSEE from Loyola University in LA and an MS in Telecommunication
Management from the University of So. Mississippi. He spent 20+
years in the Air Force as a Communications/Electronics Officer,
followed by 18 more years with Lockheed Martin as a Senior
Systems Engineer. Heather, the middle daughter, lovingly called
the “different one’ in the family, started Michael on his
journey to enlightenment. His ‘education’ has included running a
PFLAG Chapter in Pleasanton for 5 years; being on the Oakland
Diocese Outreach Ministry for over 15 years (now the Chair); was
a Board member of NACDLGM for 3 years and subsequently acted as
their Office Manager for another 5 years. He also serves on the
Board of a Catholic girls High School in San Francisco and as
the database System Administrator for a local foundation. |
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Casey Lopata Co-founder of Fortunate Families. M.Div. St.
Bernard’s Institute. Active in LGBT ministry since 1992.
Co-Director of Catholic Gay & Lesbian Family Ministry in
Rochester, NY. Recipient of the New Ways Ministry 2005 Bridge
Building Award. Charter member of Catholic Parents Network,
Interfaith Advocates of LGBT persons (Rochester, NY), and the
National Association of Catholic Diocesan Lesbian & Gay
Ministries (Resource Committee). Editor of the resource manuals:
Seeds of Hope and More Seeds. Retired Xerox
program manager and Pastoral Planner for the Diocese of
Rochester, NY. Married to Mary Ellen in 1963; father of
four—including one gay son—and grandfather of 11. |
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Mary Ellen Lopata, Co-founder of Fortunate Families. M.A.
is Liberal Studies (concentration in homosexuality and
families), Empire State College. Active in LGBT ministry since
1992. Recipient of New Ways Ministry’s 2005 Bridge Building
Award; co-director of Catholic Gay & Lesbian Family Ministry
(Rochester, NY); Board of Directors of National Association of
Catholic Diocesan Lesbian and Gay Ministries (8 years, one year
as President). Author of Fortunate Families: Catholic
Families with Lesbian Daughters and Gay Sons. Married Casey
in 1963; mother of four—including one gay son—grandmother of 11. |
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Linda Karle Nelson is the mother of three children, the
youngest of whom, John, is gay. A graduate of Marygrove College
(BA) and Wayne State University (MA) in Detroit, Linda is
currently a student in the Master of Religious Studies program
at University of Detroit Mercy. Linda worked for many years as a
Speech Pathologist. She has been active in her local church as
religious education teacher, choir member, lector, Worship
Commission Chairperson, and liturgy planner. Linda is active in
Call To Action, Pax Christi, New Ways Ministry, Elephants in the
Living Room, and Dignity Detroit. She is the founder of "Putting
a Human Face on Homosexuality," a panel presentation given in
churches to promote understanding of the lives of GLBT persons
and their families. After being a widow for 16 years, Linda
reestablished a friendship with Tom Nelson a widower she met at
PFLAG. Tom and Linda were married in May, 2006. They are
currently co-presidents of PFLAG Detroit. Linda and Tom Nelson received an award from the Manistee Area Peace Group for establishing a PFLAG group in Manistee, Mi in May, 2010. |
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Tom Nelson is the father of six; his third child, Mark,
is gay. A graduate of Notre Dame (BSME) and Michigan State
(MBA), Tom is a retired Ford Motor Co. engineer and a former
naval officer. He has held leadership roles in several civic
organizations and is currently the co-president of PFLAG Detroit
with his wife, Linda Karle Nelson. Tom is a life-long dedicated
Catholic; his parish activities include the soup kitchen and
Home Week for the Indigent. Tom is also a charter member of
Putting a Human Face on Homosexuality, an educational seminar
for Catholic parishes. In addition, he is a member of Call To
Action, Dignity, Elephants in the Living Room, and Pax Christi. Linda Karle-Nelson and Tom received an award from the Manistee Area Peace Group for establishing a PFLAG group in Manistee, Mi in May, 2010. |
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Myrna Ohmann lives in rural central Minnesota, not far
from the Lake Wobegon area where she was born and raised. She is
a life long teacher, still a substitute teacher in the St. Cloud
school district. In elementary school, she started playing the
organ in church; she has sung in, accompanied, and directed
choirs ever since. Myrna and her husband, Ron, sing, in the
choir and are song leaders at St. Mary's Cathedral in St. Cloud.
They have a combined six children. Myrna's oldest son is gay.
Both are members of PFLAG, Catholic Rainbow Parents, and the
Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities in the St.
Paul-Minneapolis area, as well as being active in Call to Action
and the St Cloud Alternatives to War group. Ron and Myrna Ohmann received the Father Henry F. LeMay Pastoral Ministry Award from the Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities in the Twin Cities in June, 2007. |
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Deb Word, a native Memphian, is the proud
mother of two, and grandmother of two. Chris, her oldest son, is
gay. She is the office manager for a distribution company. Deb
and her husband Steve have been active in parish life for over
30 years, living in TN, KS, MO, now back in Memphis. Deb has
served as president of the Altar Guild, and Women of the
Cathedral, Building Chair, Pastoral Council Chair, and Finance
Council Chair. Deb and Steve are altar servers, facilitators of
the RCIA program and Eucharistic Ministers. Deb is a member of
CALGM, the Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center, The
Tennessee Equality Project, and HRC. She and Steve are also part
of the 1st Tuesday Potluck Host Team, and Parent Support Team
for the Diocesan Catholic Ministry with Gay and Lesbian Persons.
One of Deb’s favorite ways to educate people about LGBT concerns
is by writing letters to newspapers, bishops, etc. Deb and Steve Word received the
Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center 2009 Volunteers of the Year award for their work with GLBT youth.
Deb Word this year received the Memphis Women of Achievement Award in the category of "Courage" for her work with GLBT youth and for her "dialogue with the bishops.' This will be conferred the last Sunday in March. |
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