What is "Communion?"
After years of performing on Broadway and numerous national tours, Matthew LaBanca took a break from the musical theater grind and served for 10 years near his home in Queens, NY, as the music teacher at a local Catholic school and as the head of the music ministry at a nearby Catholic parish. His initial concerns that being an openly gay man would be problematic were soon eased when his school and church communities lovingly welcomed him and his longtime partner, Rowan.
Their marriage in the summer of 2021 was the happiest day of Matthew’s life. But soon after, the Diocese of Brooklyn alerted him that someone had reported him and that, after 10 years of dedicated service, he was being fired from both jobs because gay marriage was not compatible with Church teachings. The diocese offered Matthew a small financial settlement in exchange for him signing a non-disclosure agreement.
He did not sign. He chose to write “Communion” instead.
“I was offered a severance package with a gag order that was almost 10 pages long” Matthew says in a video he posted online after his firing. “10 pages…which is a lot of ways to say ‘Shut up. Don’t Talk About This.’” That video went viral and brought him enormous support from school parents, students, and parishioners. It also caused a media blitz that led to coverage from the New York Times, USA Today, NBC News, and numerous other outlets.
Written and performed by LaBanca and directed by Bill McGarvey, “Communion” tells a story of love and betrayal in one man’s relationship with his church and his faith. The film was shot in New York City in the final months of 2024. An Off-Broadway theatrical production in November at The Cell Theatre–directed by Kira Simring–served as the primary venue and was supplemented by footage shot on location in Manhattan and Queens.
The result is an emotionally charged, hybrid film experience that combines live theater, documentary, and conventional narrative filmmaking.
“Profoundly personal and deeply moving,” says James Martin, SJ, author of Building a Bridge. “Matthew LaBanca’s ‘Communion’ takes us behind the headlines to reveal the inspiring story of his struggle to remain part of his church community as both a believer and a gay man.”
“Communion” is a searing and intimate story of faith, love, and identity that challenges viewers to see beyond simplistic categories and well-worn culture-war tropes. It asks us to grapple with more profound questions regarding the nature of God’s love and what “Church” actually means.
Communion opens up a space for frank and honest conversations in which people share their own stories and experiences around faith, sexuality, and identity. We encourage organizations interested in booking an event to contact [email protected].