For more than 25 years, Sister Luisa Derouen has walked alongside transgender people as a spiritual companion, listening to their stories, praying with them and reminding them they are loved by God.
During a recent presentation at Nazareth, Sister Luisa invited Sisters, Associates and friends to see transgender people not as an issue to debate, but as people whose lives, struggles and hopes deserve to be known. Rather than focusing on labels or politics, she shared stories of individuals she has accompanied through moments of loss, courage, reconciliation and renewal.
Again and again, Sister Luisa returned to one conviction. Every person is created in the image of God and belongs to the Body of Christ.
“The story I love to tell is not about transgender issues,” she said. “We’re talking about transgender people with lives.”
She described meeting her first transgender person in 1999. During that conversation, she heard words that changed the direction of her ministry. The woman told her that for many transgender people, the journey is deeply spiritual, but few spiritual leaders understood their experience or were willing to walk beside them. Sister Luisa said she knew then that this was where God was calling her to serve.
Over the years, she has accompanied hundreds of transgender people through spiritual direction and countless conversations. She shared stories of physicians, engineers, musicians, parents and young adults who wrestled with questions of identity, faith and belonging. Despite different backgrounds and experiences, many carried the same question: How can they remain true to themselves while remaining close to God?
Sister Luisa encouraged those gathered to recognize that the search for honesty, integrity and a relationship with God is not unique to one group of people. Every Christian is called to seek the truth of who they are before God. She said that in accompanying transgender people, she has witnessed remarkable courage, resilience and spiritual growth.
She also encouraged those present to approach others with humility and respect. Listening, asking thoughtful questions and honoring a person’s dignity can open the door to understanding, even when every answer is not clear.
The presentation concluded with conversation and reflection as participants considered what it means to accompany people on the margins with compassion. Throughout the afternoon, Sister Luisa returned to the Gospel’s call to encounter others as Christ does, recognizing that every person bears the image of God and has a place within the Body of Christ.