As the centennial of Mother Teresa's birth is marked on August 26, 2010, DignityUSA wishes to clarify its position on the Empire State Building controversy.

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“The best year ever” is how David Clohessy, National Director of The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), described the child protection movement at its annual SNAP conference held July 30-August 1, 2010, in Chicago, Illinois. In 2010, the child abuse scandal arrived on the doorstep of the Vatican with Pope Benedict XVI personally implicated in the coverup. “SNAP has been faithful to its mission: protecting the vulnerable and healing the wounded”, said Clohessy.

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The DignityUSA Convention 2011 in Washington DC is shaping up to be a fabulous 4th of July weekend of celebration and substance.

There is a lot to celebrate. We’ll be in the nation’s capital on the eve of one of the truly spectacular 4th of July fireworks displays. What’s more, we’ll be in one of the growing number of jurisdictions in the United States where gay and lesbian couples can be legally married (more about that below).

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DignityUSA’s Board of Directors has issued an invitation to all Chapters and Affiliates to send a leadership representative to a rare summit of national and local leaders to discern future strategy. The Leadership Summit will be held Friday and Saturday, Oct 1-2, 2010, in St. Louis, MO at the Millennium Hotel. The event begins early Friday evening.

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A video Conference and Fundraising event for DignityUSA, its chapters, members, family and friends

Who: DignityUSA members and chapters, friends and family

What: DignityUSA’s first national video conference & fundraiser featuring Board President Mark Matson, Executive Director Marianne Duddy-Burke, and a special guest speaker. The topic of the video conference will be Catholic support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).

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Dear Members and Friends of the Catholic GLBT Community,

I am a sociologist, teaching at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University in Central Minnesota. As a committed Catholic, I have long been interested in Catholic identity and how Catholic organizations serve their target populations and advance their specific missions while maintaining their legitimacy within the larger Catholic community. My current research focuses on organizations engaged in ministry and outreach to the Catholic GLBT community. I am interested in better understanding how organizations can improve the dialog about GLBT issues within the Catholic community at this time of increasing polarization within both our society and our Church.

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Marianne Duddy-Burke, Executive Director, 617-669-7810

Jeff Stone, Director of Media Relations, 212-662-9818

DignityUSA joined 26 other Catholic organizations around the globe in expressing outrage at the Vatican’s including the “attempted ordination of women” among the “delicta graviora," or most serious of crimes against Church law. This puts ordination of women on par with clergy sex-abuse.

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Twenty-seven Catholic organizations from around the globe issue statement denouncing the oppression of women and the inadequate response to child sex crimes

Yesterday, the Vatican issued a clarification of its canonical procedures for how dioceses should handle priests who sexually abuse children. As part of the statement, they have added that the "attempted ordination of a woman" has now been added to the list of "delicta graviora," or most serious crimes in church law, alongside the sexual abuse of minors.

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Marianne Duddy-Burke, Executive Director, 617-669-7810

Jeff Stone, Director of Media Relations, 212-662-9818

A Joint Statement from the leaders of Call To Action, Fortunate Families, DignityUSA, and New Ways Ministry

Denver – June 21, 2010 - Toni Talarico was fired by Catholic officials despite a sterling record of 28 years of teaching religion at a Catholic parish in Denver.  She was fired because she happens to be a lesbian.  And, although Toni was fired in January of this year, the story is now coming to light after months of wrangling over her accrued benefits. 

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By Marianne Duddy-Burke, Executive Director, DignityUSA

Just as LGBTQ Pride activities were ramping up in Boston during June 2010, our archdiocesan newspaper, The Boston Pilot, printed one of the most egregious articles I’ve seen in many a year. Written by one of the paper’s regular columnists, the piece began by stating the author’s belief that same-sex couples could not actually be “real” parents; they may have children in their custody, but the lack of biological connection with at least one parent was seen as an insurmountable obstacle to parenthood. The author then offered three reasons that children of same-sex parents posed a danger to Catholic schools. First, having children observe teachers and other school officials being polite and respectful to a lesbian or gay couple would give “scandal.” Second, the writer questioned the gay/lesbian parents’ motivation for involvement in classroom and extracurricular activities. Finally, it was stated that children living with gay couples would likely bring obscene or pornographic material to class.

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DignityUSA member electronic ballots, as well as chapter and member alternative paper ballots, must be returned by the July 6, 2010, deadline.

Colored paper ballots were mailed to each chapter. If you have not already returned them, please check chapter office or home residence mail boxes or trays.

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What to do with all that great art work you have but no place to display it? Or that crystal bowl Aunt Sarah gave you that doesn’t match any of your modern decor? Or how about that timeshare you bought ten years ago and you just don’t want to schlep there anymore?

We have the solution to these and many other items you no longer use. Donate them to DignityUSA’s summer online auction. You will share those treasures with someone else, get a tax deduction, and help DignityUSA raise some cash. What a great way to do re-gifting!

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DignityUSA’s Board of Directors will meet Friday through Sunday, July 9–11, 2010, at the Embassy Suites Columbus-Airport Hotel, 2886 Airport Drive, Columbus, OH 43219. (614-536- 0500).

The Board meets Friday evening for about 3 hours; Saturday 9:00 a.m. until about 6:00 p.m.; Sunday, beginning with a liturgy, the Board wraps up its work in a 3-hour session ending at 12:00 noon.

DignityUSA members desiring to see a copy of the agenda please contact Lewis Tanner (secretary@dignityusa.org).

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On Sunday, May 23, 2010, Dignity/Honolulu celebrated its 34th Anniversary with a special Mass and potluck supper at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Honolulu, their weekly liturgy site. The theme “Victory” was proclaimed by Tim Earhart, Chapter President, congratulating the chapter for achieving 34 years of ministry to the Catholic LGBT community in Hawaii, and also for the passage of the civil unions bill by the Hawaii State Legislature. The community is awaiting the Governor’s action on the bill. Editor’s note: Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle has until July 6, 2010, to decide how to respond to the bill.

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July 22nd is the Feast of St. Mary of Magdala. It is a day set forth by various religious organizations and faith communities to commemorate Mary Magdalene as the “Apostle to the Apostles,” and to celebrate the charism of women and their contributions to the Church. Mindful of the latter, and in keeping with DignityUSA’s mission statement, the National Board of Directors will launch a Magdala Campaign in July 2010.

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On May 19, 2010, a letter from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops was sent to the public on the topic of the Employment Non-Discriminiation Act.  Fortunate Families has published an open letter to U.S. Senators and Congressmen along with a copy of the original letter annotated with their analysis.  

Dateline readers, their loved one, families, and friends can contact their senators and House representatives. Roman Catholics can identify themselves as such and say that the bishops of the USCCB do not speak for them, and encourage their congresspersons to favorably pass the ENDA bills (H.R. 3017 and Senate S.1584).

Contact information for your elected members in Congress may be obtained by typing in your zip code at http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml.

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The June 4, 2010 issue of "The Pilot", *the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston*, contains an article on the “danger” of allowing children of same-sex couples to attend Catholic schools. The offensive and irresponsible language of this article have no place in a Catholic paper. We urge you to write or call the Pilot’s leadership, (phone: (617) 746-5889 ext. 5) and demand an apology for this article, request that they run a piece supportive of enrolling gay and lesbian couples’ children, and also to let them know that Michael Pakaluk should no longer be provided a platform for his consistently hateful writings. Marianne Duddy-Burke would appreciate getting copies of any letters. You can send them to her at executivedirector@dignityusa.org.

In the Boston Globe, Marianne Duddy-Burke was quoted as saying,   “I think this is an absolutely appalling piece. I think it’s incredibly irresponsible for a Catholic newspaper to allow such hateful and insupportable claims to be made in their paper.’’

Sue O'Connell, co-Publisher of Bay Windows, New England's largest LGBT newspaper, stated "What he wrote is vile. That it was published by The Pilot is hurtful to all children."

Since the article appeared, controversy has been building and the story is breaking in Boston-area TV stations. On June 9th, the Pilot's editor, Antonio M. Enrique, issued this statement in response to building criticism, saying, "The tone of the piece was strong and we apologize if anyone felt offended by it....Mr. Pakaluk’s column, as is the case with other opinion pieces, does not necessarily represent a specific position or endorsement of The Pilot or the Archdiocese."  

WBZ Talk Radio in Boston has these audio clips with Marianne Duddy-Burke and Michael Pakaluk discussing the column's implications, and WCVB (The Boston Channel) featured Marianne Duddy-Burke and her partner Becky discussing the column's reception in this clip from 9 June news.

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Hello DignityUSA members! My name is Lauren Frances Price, and I am interning for you this summer. I am currently a junior at Boston University, where I am studying English and International Relations. The reasons I am pursuing these fields relate to why I want to work with Dignity. I am studying International Relations because I want to work in non-profits, mostly in economic development fields, and I'm studying English because, quite simply, it is what I love. Dignity appeals to me for several reasons.First of all, I am inspired by your efforts to affect change and gain recognition and acknowledgement. Beyond basic justice, I am also emotionally connected to this struggle, as my mother is a member of the gay Catholic community. I am so excited to be working for you and with you for an effort in which I believe and that means so much to me. I hope that my rational and thoughtful approach, balanced with my passionate beliefs, will help me, help you, and support the mission of DignityUSA.

During her internship, Lauren will assist DignityUSA in developing and implementing our social media strategy, expand our media contact list to include relevant blogs, and help with outreach to partner organizations. Lauren will receive a small stipend for successful completion of her summer internship. If you would like to contribute to this stipend, please click here to make a donation. Please put "Intern stipend" in the "Notes" block. Thank you for your support!

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This Fortunate Families gathering brings together Catholic parents of LGBT daughters and sons, offers an occasion to exchange ideas with leaders of national Catholic gay and lesbian ministries, and the opportunity to meet the change-makers driving a new spirit of collaboration advancing LGBT Catholic ministry today.

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