Equally Blessed, a coalition of four faithful Catholic groups who work on behalf of equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the church and wider society, released the following statement in response to President Barack Obama’s endorsement yesterday of marriage equality:

 “In endorsing marriage equality, President Obama has risked a political confrontation with the bishops of the Roman Catholic Church by embracing the wisdom of the people in the Catholic pew, and we salute him for it.

February 29, 2012. Leaders of DignityUSA, the national organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Catholics (LGBT) are deeply saddened, but not surprised, to hear of yet another gifted, well-loved, gay Catholic employee being fired for being in love. Upon learning that the music teacher, Al Fischer, was to be married in New York to Charlie Robin, his partner of 20 years, the St. Louis Archdiocese pressured leaders at St. Ann's Parish and School to fire him. 

Allen Rose, President of Dignity/Washington, DC, the largest Chapter of DignityUSA,  testified on the Maryland Civil Marriage Protection Act of 2012 on February 10, 2012. Below is a transcript of his testimony.

Thank you, Chairman Vallario, Chairman Hammen and the members of your respective committees, for the opportunity to testify today in support of The Civil Marriage Protection Act of  2012.  This legislation is right and just.

Boston, MA.  January 11, 2012. Leaders of the largest organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Catholics are reaching out to fellow Catholics who are hurt and angered by Pope Benedict XVI’s latest attack on the LGBT community. In a New Year’s speech to diplomats from approximately 180 countries on the importance of children, the Pope said policies allowing same-sex marriage “threaten human dignity and the future of humanity itself.”