<p class=rtecenter>LGBT Catholics Welcome Pastoral Tone and Substance</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>September 19 2013 Boston MA. DignityUSA welcomes the Pope&rsquo;s comments in his recent interview&nbsp;printed in&nbsp;<em>America </em>magazine. &ldquo;We find much to be hopeful about particularly in the Pope&rsquo;s firm desire that the Church be a &rsquo;home for all people&rsquo; and his belief that God looks on lesbian gay bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people with love rather than condemnation&rdquo; said DignityUSA Executive Director Marianne Duddy-Burke.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&ldquo;LGBT Catholics and allies will rejoice in the Pope&rsquo;s call for Church leaders to focus on being pastors rather than rule enforcers. We hope that the bishops will heed this call and immediately end their anti-LGBT campaigns the firings of church workers for who they are the attacks on people who challenge or question official teachings and the exclusive and judgmental rhetoric that comes too often from our pulpits&rdquo; she continued. &ldquo;The Pope is unambiguous. Leave the bully pulpit and accompany your people.&rdquo;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&ldquo;We appreciate the Pope&rsquo;s commitment to consultation and his clear statement that the Church is all the people of God. We look forward to engaging members and leaders of the Church at all levels in ongoing dialogue about the issues of concern to LGBT Catholics and our families.&rdquo;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&ldquo;This could be a moment of deep renewal for our Church and for its LGBT members. We hope pray and work to ensure this is so.&rdquo;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p class=rtecenter>####</p>