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DignityUSA
PO Box 376
Medford, MA
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tel: 800.877.8797
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fax: 781.397.0584
email:
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RETURN TO > NEWS > HOME
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 25, 2006
Press Statement on Bishops' Pastoral Care Guidelines
In conjunction with our allies in the National Religious Leadership Roundtable,
DignityUSA issued the following statement about the United States Catholic
bishops' proposed guidelines, "Ministry to Persons with a Homosexual
Inclination: Guidelines for Pastoral Care":
"Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender [LGBT] Catholics have been looking for
sensitive, respectful and compassionate leadership from their bishops for
decades. Some of the more welcoming language in this new document could be
interpreted as an attempt to provide that. However, every positive statement in
these proposed guidelines is contradicted by the bishops' own statements and
even more by their actions."This document attempts to welcome gay and lesbian people into an institution
that is simultaneously leading attacks on our civil rights, relationships and
families all across the world. It is an invitation to collaborate in our own
oppression."As LGBT Catholics, families and friends, we call on the U.S. bishops to listen
to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Catholics, who will willingly tell of
the gifts we have received through our God-given orientation and the blessings
we know through our loving relationships — as well as of our spiritual
struggles in our church. Our voices and that of the Holy Spirit speaking in and
through our lives must be heard in outlining the pastoral care the church
provides."
To read the full text of all the other statements issued please please visit
http://www.thetaskforce.org/media/release.cfm?releaseID=991.
To read the recent Associated Press story which quotes DignityUSA, please visit
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Bishops-Gays.html.
To read DignityUSA's 1987 "Letter on Pastoral Care of Gay and Lesbian Persons",
DignityUSA's response to the Vatican's Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic
Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons of October, 1986 please visit
http://www.dignityusa.org/1986doctrine/pastoral-r.html. This document was
approved by the DignityUSA House of Delegates in Miami, July, 1987.
"By the grace of God I am what I am, and God's grace to me has not been without
effect." (I Corinthians 15:10)
