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/1986-pastoral. 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)