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Highlights of DignityUSA's History: 1992

The following history is based on the commemorative booklet entitled DignityUSA at 25: A Chronology, 1969-1994 compiled by former DignityUSA President Pat Roche. Copies are available from the Dignity national office and were also printed in the Dignity Journal 27:2-3 (Autumn 1995). Highlights from 1995-Present compiled by former Dignity Vice President Pat McArron.

  • In February, the Catholic Organizations for Renewal (COR), of which DignityUSA is a founding member, holds it's first meeting in Chicago.

  • The national Board meets in Washington DC from February 14-17. Barry Goodinson, DignityUSA’s first Executive Director, is introduced to the Board. The Restructuring Task Force meets in DC over the same weekend and formulates a Vision Statement as a baseline on which to build the rationale for changes to our national structure.

  • On March 6, the Leadership Team of LCCL (Leadership Council of Catholic Laity) officially invites DignityUSA to become a full organizational member.

  • From March 27-29, New Ways Ministry’s third national symposium: "Lesbian and Gay People and Catholicism: The State of the Question" is held in Chicago. Three Bishops, Thomas Gumbleton of Detroit; Kenneth Untener of Saginaw, Michigan; and William Hughes of Covington, Kentucky; conduct one of the panels for the some 500 in attendance including 50 Dignity members. The symposium also offers workshops by Past President Pat Roche, past CWC member Mari Castellanos and San Francisco chapter members Jim Schexnayder and Janet Rozanno.

  • In June, Dignity releases results of a Gallup Survey, which it co-initiated along with Catholics Speak Out. The survey (released at Notre Dame in conjunction with the semi-annual meeting of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops) shows, among other things, that 78% of Catholics are in favor of gay/lesbian civil rights and 46% agree that "sexual relations between gay or lesbian persons in a committed relationship could be morally acceptable."

  • On June 25, the General Secretary of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) sends to all U.S. Bishops a document from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) entitled Some Considerations Concerning the Catholic Response to Legislative Proposals on the Non-Discrimination of Homosexual Persons. The document urges bishops to oppose gay/lesbian civil rights laws in certain instances such as placement of children for adoption or foster care, employment of teachers or athletic coaches, or military recruitment.

  • On July 15, New Ways Ministry releases a copy of the CDF document to the media.

  • From July 17-20, the Conference of Catholic Lesbians (CCL) holds its tenth anniversary celebration in Waltham, Massachusetts.

  • From July 17-20, the Conference of Catholic Lesbians (CCL) holds its tenth anniversary celebration in Waltham, Massachusetts.

  • On July 25, DignityUSA President, Kevin Calegari travels to Rome for a private meeting with Msgr. Michael Swalina, American assistant to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. During this meeting, he presents Msgr. Swalina with a five-page letter addressed to Cardinal Ratzinger detailing DignityUSA’s objections to the CDF document.

  • On July 29, Kevin Calegari holds a press conference at St. Peter's in Rome during which he places the CDF document in an envelope marked "Return to Sender" and pins it to the door of the Palazzo del Sant' Uffizio, headquarters of the CDF.

  • On August 3, DignityUSA holds a press conference at the NCCB offices in Washington, DC, and pins the CDF document to the NCCB door in an envelope marked "Return to Sender." DignityUSA also calls upon the bishops to repudiate the CDF document when they meet in Washington DC from November 16-19 and to issue a statement unequivocally supporting basic human rights for all Americans including gays and lesbians.

  • On August 18, DignityUSA launches a "Call to Justice" campaign to launch protests around the country to the CDF document. One aspect of the campaign is to support a New Ways Ministry project to gather signatures to be presented to the bishops at their November meeting in DC.

  • On September 21, DignityUSA sends each chapter a Call to Justice Chapter Action Kit to offer assistance and guidance in planning local activities throughout the month of October in dioceses around the country in advance of the NCCB meeting in November.

  • In late September, Dignity Officers Kevin Calegari and Marianne Duddy meet with Msgr. Robert Lynch, General Secretary of the NCCB, to share concerns about the CDF document and to request that the bishops respond to the document at their November meeting in DC.

  • On November 16, in conjunction with New Ways Ministry, the Call to Justice campaign stages a press conference and public prayer service at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC, site of the NCCB meeting.

  • At their November meeting, the bishops also reject the latest draft of the Women’s Pastoral.