JAMESTOWN, N.Y. — Karl Costello got married to his husband Tom in 2017, after being together for 17 years.

They were the first gay couple married at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Jamestown.

"I remember it being extremely emotional,” said Costello. “It was a dramatic moment, where it was like unreal in so many ways. It was a real significant moment, because I felt like at one point that I would never be able to get married in this country.”

Tom was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer just before they were married and passed away two years ago.

"Always will miss Tom,” said Costello. “As time goes on, it gets easier.”

Easier thanks in part to the support he has received from St. Luke's.

"It's a welcoming community. It's accepting,” said Costello. “It's a place where it's safe. It's a place where you are not told how to believe, but allowed to believe the way you want.”

What You Need To Know

  • St. Luke's Episcopal Church openly supportive of LGBTQ+ community
  • The church has also planned a number of events for Pride Month
  • Author and activist B. Proud recently gave a presentation of her book there

"We believe in the power of love,” said Luke Fodor, rector, St. Luke's Episcopal Church. “Love transforms all things. And when people have the ability to publicly make a statement of love and care, it makes the whole world different for everyone.”

Which is why Fodor has uniquely taken the proper steps both outside and in to openly welcome the LGBTQ+ community,

"We believe God loves diversity,” said Fodor. “There are so many people who don't feel welcomed. As the priest of the church, I spend a lot of time apologizing on behalf of the church.”

He has also spent a lot of time organizing and hosting a number of Pride events and services at the church.

"So for us this is an opportunity to step out with love, for the cause of justice, which often means saying sorry,” said Fodor. “It means being humble. It means making up for centuries of arrogance and mistreatment.”

One of those events was a recent presentation from author, artist and activist, B. Proud, who walked the group through images from her book, First Comes Love, a collection of photographs of couples and their stories she has collected throughout her travels.

Costello was there, and says people need to see it and found it moving, informative and touching.

"Everyone's just trying to live their lives. They're just trying to be who they are. It's reality,” said Costello. “And once you have that education, it's amazing because the world can change. It's just one of those things people need to be exposed to.”

Costello also told us what Pride month means to him.

He says it has taken on different meanings at various points during his lifetime, including to show initially that he is part of the community, before it became more of a political movement.