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RETURN TO > 1999 > DATELINE HOMEPAGE > HOME

DignityUSA DATELINE

AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 1999
VOL. 8, NO. 8 & 9

Call To Action

Call to Action's national conference, Jubilee: Global Justice and Reconciliation is set for the Midewest Express Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from November 5-7, 1999. Sr. Theresa Kane, RSM will be presented with this year's Leadership Award. Speakers of interest to the GLBT religious community include John McNeill and Casey and Mary Ellen Lopata. DignityUSA will sponsor the opening night reception and the Saturday GLBT caucus.

Brochures have been sent to CTA members; Dignity members will receive brochures later this summer. If you'd like to request a registration packet before then, contact CTA directly at 4419 N. Kedzie, Chicago, Illinois 60625, tel. 773.604.0400. Online, send email to cta@cta-usa.org or check out the web site at www.call-to-action.org.

Dignity folk are encouraged to take advantage of a special discounted group registration of $125 per person (regularly $160 for non-CTA members). To participate in this special offer, you must send your check and completed CTA registration form directly to the DignityUSA national office before September 15.

Spring Appeal

Members and friends are urged to consider a personal response to the DignityUSA fund raising appeal letter which was sent out in June. This semi-annual appeal to all those on mailing list is an important source of necessary operating income. So, if you've put off making a donation or forgotten about it, please pull it out now! If you didn't receive a letter, call the national office or simply send a contribution. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Cox Represents DignityUSA

Compliments to Executive Director Charles Cox for representing DignityUSA. In June he was one of those invited to attend the State Department swearing-in ceremony for the new Ambassador to Luxembourg, James Hormel. Secretary of State Madeline Albright presided. Hormel's nomination, held up for well over a year by anti-gay stalwarts in the Senate, was confirmed by President Clinton earlier this summer.

The July, 1999 issue of Genre magazine carried a letter to the editor by Charles. He chided the magazine for not including the work of Dignity in a special issue on spirituality which did, however, mention many diocesan programs which grew out of Dignity's ground breaking efforts over the past quarter century.

Conferences

Opportunities to spread the Dignity message and to work for justice, education and reform with other organizations continue to abound. In June, National President Bob Miailovich attended the three day Frontier Forum, a gathering of leaders of progressive Catholic organizations involved in reform, spirituality, and social justice. Bob pointed out, èThere is a growing realization that these three kinds of groups need to work more closely together and to find a common ground. Those of us in reform work must do so from a base of spiritual understanding and with a concern for justice. The social justice groups also need to be attuned to the spiritual basis for what they do and they should be aware that justice in society is lacking if there is not justice in the church. The spirituality groups are called to consider how their faith impacts the world in which they live.î Attendees agreed on the importance of gathering on a regular basis. On August 22-24, the National Religious Leadership Round Table, an ecumenical group of GLBT faith-based organizations, will meet in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Dignity members and friends are invited to an opening night reception on August 22 as well as a public meeting and program on the evening of August 23. The NRLR intentionally chose to meet in Colorado Springs because of the many conservative religious groups centered there. Prayerful support of this witness is also requested. Dignity President Bob Miailovich serves on the NRLR Steering Committee.

Finally, Dignity members may wish to consider attending the annual conference of the National Association of Catholic Diocesan Lesbian and Gay Ministries in Arlington Heights (Chicago), IL on October 7-10, 1999. Information on these conferences can be obtained from the DignityUSA national office.

Solidarity Sunday™ 1999

October 10, less than two months from now, will mark our fifth Solidarity Sunday. Last year more than 100,000 participated. If we reach our goal of 150,000 this year, we will have touched 500,000 with our message over the past years! If your chapter hasn't started to make plans for this year's effort, please urge your leaders to start TODAY! Each chapter will receive a packet of materials at the House of Delegates' meeting preceding the Convention in Denver, so if you haven't seen your chapter's material soon after your delegates return home, be sure to ask for information. The packet is crammed with information, ideas, suggestions, models, and copy masters. Working together, we can make this Solidarity Sunday the best ever!

Thanks Donors

A hearty thanks goes to several East Coast members who welcomed friends and family into their homes to raise money for DignityUSA.

• Boston members Peggy Burns and M.A. Ladd hosted a house party on behalf of DignityUSA which raised $4,800 in cash and pledges.

• Thanks too to Executive Director Charles Cox whose raised over $1,000 for DignityUSA at his 40th birthday party.

Help Wanted

A search is now on for a new full-time or part-time administrative aide ( a salaried position) for our DignityUSA office. Interested persons should submit a resume to the national office.

Dignity continues to look for two volunteers to take over two important ministries.

• First, we are looking for a new editor/producer of the monthly DATELINE.

• Second, we are looking for a person to act as the DignityUSA liaison for ministry and outreach to youth.

Both of these important jobs can be performed from anywhere in the country. Contact the national office for details.

Happy Anniversary:

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