tˈɛɹəns kˈɑːɹdɪnəl kˈʊk, ˌɑːɹtʃbˈɪʃəp ʌv nˈuː jˈɔːɹk, kənsˈiːvd ðə mˈɪnɪstɹi ɪnðɪ ˈɜːli nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi z æz ɐ spˈɪɹɪtʃˌuːəl səpˈoːɹt sˈɪstəm wˌɪtʃ wʊd ɐsˈɪst ɡˈeɪ kˈæθlɪks ɪn ædhˈɪɹɪŋ tə ðə tˈiːtʃɪŋz ʌvðə tʃˈɜːtʃ ˌɔn sˈɛkʃuːˈælᵻɾi ænd sˈɛkʃuːəl bᵻhˈeɪvjɚ.
Terence Cardinal Cooke, Archbishop of New York, conceived the ministry in the early 1980s as a spiritual support system which would assist gay Catholics in adhering to the teachings of the Church on sexuality and sexual behavior.