<p><span class=Apple-style-span style=font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; ><h3>Presentation for Vatican Embassy Protest April 24 2004</h3><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; >&quot;I am very happy to be here today with you. One of DignityUSA&rsquo;s goals is to amplify the Voice&nbsp; to speak for those gay lesbian bisexual and transgender Catholics who cannot speak for themselves. We&rsquo;re pleased to work in coalition with those who seek to hold the Vatican accountable for the suffering it causes and call the church back to its roots in the social justice teaching of Jesus.</p><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; >&ldquo;The Vatican leaders today speak without consideration of modern science. They insist on focusing their efforts only on certain matters of sexual morality. Has the Vatican pursued homelessness health care and war with the same energy and dollars that they have waged campaigns against those of us gathered here? As a Catholic I must ask the Vatican -- where are your priorities?</p><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; >&ldquo;Instead of using their untold wealth to protect our children they use their wealth to deny people in this country their rights to be equal citizens and spread division around the globe.</p><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; >&ldquo;Instead of celebrating our sacrament of Eucharist some church leaders use it as a weapon against politicians and others who follow their well-formed conscience.</p><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; >&ldquo;The Vatican must stop their campaign of division. They must remove their hearts of stone and accept hearts filled with love and compassion for all people.</p><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; >&ldquo;Thank you.&quot;</p><p style=font-family: Verdana Arial Helvetica sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-right: 30px; >Matthew J. Gallagher<br />Executive Director DignityUSA</p></span></p>