There are two main support groups for Roman Catholic gays and lesbians:
Dignity and Courage:
Dignity:
Dignity, is an independent support group for "lesbians,
gay, bisexual and transgendered Catholics, their families and friends." 1
They began as a counseling group in San Diego, CA, in 1969, and evolved to be a support group. Dignity
became a national organization in 1973. They have 52 chapters in the U.S. The church severed its connections with
Dignity in 1986.
Dignity has two main functions: to support sexual minorities, and to "serve as a proactive voice for
reform in the Catholic Church and society." 2 Their statement of position and
purpose states, in part:
"We believe that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered
persons can express their sexuality in a manner that is consonant with
Christ's teaching. We believe that we can express our sexuality physically,
in a unitive manner that is loving, life-giving, and life-affirming. We
believe that all sexuality should be exercised in an ethically responsible
and unselfish way.
DIGNITY is organized to unite gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered
Catholics, as well as our families, friends and loved ones in order to
develop leadership, and be an instrument through which we may be heard by
and promote reform in the Church."
Dignity promotes and end to sexism and homophobia in church and society. They support same-sex marriage, adoption by same-sex couples, and an end to discrimination -- both inside the church and in the general culture -- against sexual minorities.
Dignity Canada's website states:
"Most of us were raised in the Roman Catholic tradition and
have come to feel betrayed by our church leaders, particularly the Canadian
Conference of Canadian Bishops, who unceasingly denigrate us and oppose our
efforts to achieve civil rights and protections."
"Our bishops have made
numerous pronouncements about 'homosexual persons' in the third person, but none
have ever addressed us directly, nor invited us to any dialogue. We believe
that, in terms of our life experience, no one can, nor should, speak for us but
ourselves." 1
They have sponsored Solidarity Sunday since 1995. It is a day "when
Catholics, other Christians and all people are invited to show support for
and solidarity with God's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender children."
It is held on the Sunday before OCT-11, the National Coming Out Day, which is
held around the middle of October each year. They promote a Solidarity Pledge and
Solidarity Interfaith Prayer. 3
Sponsored link
Courage:
Courage International Inc. is a small support group that is officially approved by the Church.
4 It was originally founded in the Archdiocese of New York. They held their first meeting on
1980-SEP. Courage now has "over 90 chapters in the U.S." They accept all of the Church's teaching,
including the belief that homosexual orientation is not sinful, because it is beyond an individual's control.
They also accept the Church's teaching that same-sex sexual behavior is considered a disordered state. Their main
goal is to "establish a spiritual support system for men and women with homosexual inclinations who
desire to live chaste lives," and to help them form close same-sex
friendships which are non-sexual. They are thus opposed to same-sex committed relationships that are sexually active.
Additional goals are:
Prayer and dedication: "To dedicate ones life to Christ through service to others,
spiritual reading, prayer, meditation, individual spiritual direction, frequent attendance at Mass, and the frequent
reception of the sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist."
Fellowship: To share their thoughts and experiences about the problems of homosexuality.
Support: Encourage each other in forming and sustaining sexually inactive friendships.
Good example: Live lives that are a good example to others.
5
Their web site has received the Triple Excellency Gold Award for Excellence in Fidelity, Resources, and
Usability from CatholicCulture.org.
Courage has been endorsed by the Pontifical Council for the Family. Pope John Paul II said of
their ministry, "Courage is doing the work of God!"
They organized EnCourage in 1992 for "friends and relatives of those
struggling with homosexualtiy [sic]." 6 That
organization consists of 9 chapters. Unlike most conservative Protestant
ministries to friends and families of gays and lesbians, they do not "embrace
the necessity of a homosexual loved one's changing sexual orientation."
Rather, they emphasize the conversion of gays and lesbians from sexually active
to celibate.
