<div class=OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW74069852><p class=Paragraph SCXW74069852 BCX0><span style=background-color: transparent;>November 6 2021. In a November 4 2021 speech to the Congress of Catholics and Public Life Archbishop Josa&nbsp;Gamez leader of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and current president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops decried some current social justice movements as aggressive secularization pseudo-religions replacements and rivals to traditional Christian beliefs and atheistic. Although the speech does not explicitly name Black Lives Matter it refers to the nationwide even global protests that erupted after George Floyd was killed by a white police officer. Gamez &nbsp;also references changes in social understandings of marriage family and gender as part of &nbsp; trend toward rejection of church and religion.&nbsp;</span></p><p class=Paragraph SCXW74069852 BCX0><span style=background-color: transparent;>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div class=OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW74069852><p class=Paragraph SCXW74069852 BCX0>The outrageous claims made by Archbishop Gamez&nbsp;are shameful and must be strongly rejected by Catholics and other people of faith said Marianne Duddy-Burke Executive Director of&nbsp;DignityUSA. The struggles for equality in the US and around the world by Black and Brown people those of Asian descent women and LGBTQ+ people are based at least for many in the fundamental Christian belief that every human is created and beloved by God and therefore has equal dignity. Because of our faith we fight for justice for anyone oppressed or marginalized. My faith is why I along with so many other members of our church and religious leaders across the country marched with Black Lives Matter groups to condemn ongoing racist violence. To disparage these struggles as anti-religious is patently wrong and cruel.&nbsp;</p><p class=Paragraph SCXW74069852 BCX0></p></div><div class=OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW74069852><p class=Paragraph SCXW74069852 BCX0>Duddy-Burke said&nbsp;The silence from most Catholic bishops after the&nbsp;killings&nbsp;of George Floyd Breonna Taylor&nbsp;Ahmaud&nbsp;Arbery and so many others was deafening to those of us desperate for church leadership on how to dismantle structural racism in our country. The persistent failure of most bishops to acknowledge and repent for the ways our church benefited from slavery and ongoing racial inequity is deeply hurtful to many. These are things we must address with humility and honesty.&nbsp;</p><p class=Paragraph SCXW74069852 BCX0></p></div><div class=OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW74069852><p class=Paragraph SCXW74069852 BCX0>Duddy-Burke continued For decades now weve seen church leaders attempt to scapegoat others for their &nbsp;failures to meet the needs of believers. It is these failures that have led millions of people to disassociate from many churches including Roman Catholicism. To try to deflect blame onto movements that stand for the very things our churches claim to represent is irresponsible and cruel.&nbsp;</p><p class=Paragraph SCXW74069852 BCX0></p></div><div class=OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW74069852><p class=Paragraph SCXW74069852 BCX0>DignityUSA which represents the majority of US Catholics who believe in justice equality and full inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in our church and society is also deeply committed to these values for our kin of color. We stand with&nbsp;all who suffer the impacts of social inequity and pledge to continue to hold working for social justice as a sacred duty Duddy-Burke concluded.&nbsp;</p></div>