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Press Release Archive (2000)

Gay Catholics Saddened by Methodist Vote

Submitted by dignityusa on Mon, 05/15/2000 - 23:00

Washington, DC, May 16, 2000 — Responding to votes by leaders of the United Methodist Church that called homosexual relations "incompatible with Christian teaching," forbade ordination of openly gay or lesbian clergy and prohibited same-sex union ceremonies, members of DignityUSA expressed sorrow, and pledged to stand with their Methodist brothers and sisters who work for change in the church policy.

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Gay Catholics Decry Vatican Silencing of Priest and Nun Who Pioneered Gay Ministry

Submitted by dignityusa on Sun, 05/28/2000 - 23:00

May 29, 2000 — During meetings in Rome last week, Sister Jeannine Gramick, a School Sister of Notre Dame, and Rev. Robert Nugent, a Salvatorian priest, were ordered to stop speaking publicly about homosexuality, or about the investigation into their nearly thirty-year ministry. In July of 1999, the Vatican had ordered the two to refrain from any kind of pastoral ministry with gay and lesbian people or their families.

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Gay Catholics Outraged by Pope's Comments on WorldPride 2000

Submitted by dignityusa on Tue, 07/11/2000 - 23:00

Washington, DC, July 12, 2000 — Leaders of DignityUSA, the nation's leading advocate for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Catholics, have expressed deep sadness and outrage over Pope John Paul II's recent comments that the WorldPride 2000 celebration in Rome was an "insult" to the Jubilee Year and to Christians, and that homosexuals act in ways contrary to natural law.

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Denver Archbishop Forbids Priests to Say Mass for Gays

Submitted by dignityusa on Tue, 08/08/2000 - 23:00

August 9, 2000 — In a letter to the provincials of a number of religious orders active in the Denver area, Archbishop Charles Chaput has asked the leadership to "remove" members of their order "from ministry to homosexual persons immediately." The letter specifically mentions celebration of Mass for Dignity/Denver, which meets at a Presbyterian church.

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Civil Disobedience and Vigils to Occur During National Conference of Catholic Bishops Meeting in November in D.C.

Submitted by dignityusa on Wed, 10/18/2000 - 23:00

Washington, DC, October 19, 2000 - On November 12-14, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) individuals, and their families, friends and allies from all over the United States will join together in Washington, D.C. to protest the exclusionary policies of the Catholic Church toward GLBT Catholics, to ask the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) to STOP SPIRITUAL VIOLENCE against sexual and gender minorities, and support the inclusion of GLBT Catholics into all aspects of church life.

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Vatican Waging Holy War Against Sexual Minorities

Submitted by dignityusa on Tue, 12/05/2000 - 00:00

U.S. Activists Will Take Their "Stop Spiritual Violence" Campaign to Rome

Laguna Beach, CA, December 5, 2000 — Today, Soulforce and DignityUSA leaders announced plans to take their nonviolent campaign against centuries of spiritual violence and anti-gay teachings of the Roman Catholic Church to the Vatican on January 5-6, 2001.

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Vatican Protest by U.S. Activists Banned by Police in Rome

Submitted by dignityusa on Tue, 12/26/2000 - 00:00

Gay Italian Activists and Catholics Offer Assistance and Support

Laguna Beach, CA, December 26, 2000 — Shortly after a bloody confrontation between police and several thousand Italians protesting the Vatican visit of a right-wing Austrian extremist, a Soulforce advance team met with police officials in Rome to obtain permits for a nonviolent protest. According to Italian police, no demonstration of any kind is allowed in or near the Vatican City-state.

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