<p>Originally published in <a href=http://www.staradvertiser.com/featurespremium/20141011_Dignity_Honolulu_marks_its_annual_Solidarity_Sunday.html?id=278886921 target=_blank>Star Adviser</a></p> <p>Five members of Dignity/Honolulu a group of approximately 20 LGBT Catholics attended Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace Catholic downtown as part of the group&#39;s annual Solidarity Sunday observance. Their intent was to send the message &quot;We&#39;re part of the Church&quot; in spite of Catholic doctrine that opposes homosexual acts and same-sex marriage&rdquo; said Dignity/Honolulu President Gene Corpuz.</p> <!--break--> <p>The purpose of Solidarity Sunday a campaign started by the national DignityUSA in 1995 focuses on ending the violence&mdash; including physical mental emotional and spiritual committed against gay lesbian bisexual and transgender individuals. It is always held the week before National Coming Out Day designated as Oct. 11.</p> <p>&quot;We believe God loves all people and we shouldn&#39;t be kicked out because of who we are. The Church has become too rules-regulated rather than spiritual&quot; Corpuz said noting that the Dignity/Honolulu members at Mass in the Honolulu diocese&#39;s &quot;Mother Church&quot; wore rainbow-colored ribbons and sat in the front row.</p> <p>Citing John&nbsp;13:35 Corpuz continued &quot;We believe Jesus was inclusive and the basis of our faith is not rules; it&#39;s how we love one another.&quot; The biblical passage says people will know Christ&#39;s disciples because of &quot;how we love one another; it&#39;s not because we are heterosexual. It&#39;s the way you live your life in the presence of the spirit of God&quot; he said. Corpuz said &quot;It&#39;s a no-brainer&quot; for most of the younger generation that homosexuals should have equality. Dignity/Honolulu is hoping the Church&#39;s hierarchy eventually &quot;comes around&quot; to a more progressive view but until then &quot;we&#39;re not ejecting ourselves from the church.&quot;</p> <p>(The Catholic Church allows homosexuals full participation except in the priesthood provided they are celibate.)</p> <p>After Communion was offered the Rev. John W. Berger rector of Our Lady of Peace thanked the Dignity/Honolulu members for attending Corpuz said.</p> <p>A liturgy was also held at St. Mary&#39;s Episcopal Church 2062 S. King St.Carolyn Golojuch former president of PFLAG (Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) in Hawaii delivered the homily.</p> <p>National Coming Out Day is held on the anniversary of the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights held in 1987. Dignity/Honolulu usually marks the day by operating a booth at the LGBT Student Services community resource fair at the University of Hawaii&#39;s Manoa Campus. The fair was held Friday.</p> <p>Dignity Honolulu&#39;s group holds weekly services at St. Mary&#39;s Episcopal church in Moiliili.</p>