 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
DignityUSA
PO Box 376
Medford, MA
02155
tel: 800.877.8797
202.861.0017
fax: 781.397.0584
email:
info@dignityusa.org
Comments to
Web manager
RETURN TO > DATELINE HOMEPAGE > HOME
DignityUSA DATELINE
February 2000
Volume
9, No. 2
Our Love Counts
Domestic partnership, Holy Union, same-sex marriage: our love and our relationships have been a hot topic in recent years. Whether it is the court case in Hawaii, the Defense of Marriage Act, the Knight Initiative in California, the Vermont Supreme Court decision, or any other decisions, who and how we are in our relationships is controversial and important enough to generate quite strong emotional reactions and political action.
In reality, though, we know we have been struggling and creating relationships as long as our heterosexual brothers and sisters. We are in a time that is challenging us to celebrate and count that love. DignityUSA has challenged couples as well as our church to recognize and value our spiritually committed relationships in establishing guidelines for Holy Unions, developing a Couple's Ministry Resource Guide, and creating a National Holy Union Registry.
As we celebrate Valentine's Day this month, a widely celebrated day of love, especially romantic love, let us be mindful that our larger society is working very hard to define our love by who they believe we are. It is a critical time for us to come forward in whatever way we can to define for that larger society who and how we are in our relationships. DignityUSA provides a venue by encouraging and valuing couples in committed relationships through its Couple's Ministry.
We hope, if you have had a Holy Union that satisfies the guidelines, you will seriously consider registering your Holy Union. If you are in a committed relationship or have had a Holy Union that has not quite met the guidelines, we hope you will consider taking advantage of this special time of year and this critical time in history to plan a Holy Union and be counted in the National Registry.
We must be the ones to define our love to ourselves, our church, and our society. DignityUSA is the only GLBT organization to count our relationships in Holy Union. Will you be counted?
For more information, seek out your chapter's copy of the Couple's Ministry Resource Guide, or contact the national office at 1-800-877-8797 or our website at www.dignityusa.org.
Interfaith Opposition to California Marriage Initiative
On January 31, under the title "A Call To Action: People of Faith Say No to Proposition 22", the National Religious Leadership Roundtable presented a public program of religious leaders speaking with a united voice against the Limitation on Marriage Initiative (Prop. 22) which will be on the March ballot in California. This proposition would define marriage in California to be a union of one man with one woman. Members of the Roundtable feel that it is important that the voice of people of faith be heard in the crusade for social justice for GLBT people. Of particular interest to Dignity members attending the Irvine, CA event were the program remarks by Bob Goss, author of "Jesus Acted Up".
The National Religious Leadership Roundtable (NRLR), of which Dignity is an active member, held its regular semi-annual meeting on January 31/February 1 in nearby Santa Ana, CA. The NRLR is an interfaith network of leaders from pro lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender faith, spiritual and religious organizations. The bulk of the two day meeting was taken up with reflection on the spiritual frameworks for the justice work that the roundtable members do.
Gay Catholics Celebrate Vermont Supreme Court Decision
(Excerpt from the Dec 20, 1999 DignityUSA Press Release)
DignityUSA, the nation's foremost independent voice of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Catholics, applauds the Supreme Court of Vermont for its recognition that gay and lesbian couples should be accorded the same rights and benefits as traditionally married couples. President Mary Louise Cervone said, "The Supreme Court's decision recognizes the discrimination long faced by same sex couples, and is a giant step towards reversing this historical injustice. We celebrate their wisdom and courage. We also thank the couples who were at the center of this decision for coming forward."
Cervone continued, "We now challenge the Vermont State Legislature to keep this same sense of equality and justice in mind as they move forward with their decision on how to implement the Supreme Court's decision. We urge a careful listening and dialogue, conducted in a respectful and tempered manner that honors the rights of all citizens. We urge the people of Vermont to remember that the eyes of the world will be upon them as they enact historic legislation that will go a long way towards ensuring the full dignity of the state's gay and lesbian citizens."
Marianne Duddy, Dignity's Executive Director added, "DignityUSA issues a special call to the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church of Vermont. We respect their right to voice their opinions in the public debate which will ensue. However, we urge them to refrain from repeating myths and lies about gay and lesbian people in an effort to skew the debate."
People of Dignity, Speak Up… & Take Personal Responsibility!
Jubilee Pledge
Prepared by the Subcommittee on the Third Millennium and other committees of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops/United States Catholic Conference
The jubilee of our Lord's birth calls us "to bring glad tidings to the poor. . . . to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free" (Lk 4:18).
As disciples of Jesus in the new millennium, I/we pledge to:
- Pray regularly for greater justice and peace.
- Learn more about Catholic social teaching and its call to protect human life, stand with the poor, and care for creation.
- Reach across boundaries of religion, race, ethnicity, gender, and disabling conditions.
- Live justly in family life, school, work, the marketplace, and the political arena.
- Serve those who are poor and vulnerable, sharing more time and talent.
- Give more generously to those in need at home and abroad.
- Advocate for public policies that protect human life, promote human dignity, preserve God's creation, and build peace.
- Encourage others to work for greater charity, justice, and peace.
DignityUSA Website
Effective January 1, 2000, Chuck Provancher took over the management and design of the DignityUSA Website. In the coming months Chuck will be working on a new look for the website. The officers and board of directors for DignityUSA welcome suggestions for the future content of our organization's internet presence. Dignity thanks M.A. Ladd for her skills and dedication as our first web manager.
Thank you
...to Dignity/Mid-Atlantic for their contribution of $500.00 towards the national membership project. And thanks to those who gave contributions totaling $140.00 toward the production of the CWC Resource Guide. And thank you to those who responded to our recent holiday mailing.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
|
SAN FRANCISCO 27 MILWAUKEE 25 DALLAS 25 RICHMOND 24 AUSTIN 21 VERMONT 6 |
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!
Top
of page