Other Resources for Parents of GLBT Persons
Links
for Parents
Come
Out and Celebrate Program
with
Sample Packet
of
Materials
for Downloading
Fortunate
Families
Rochester,NY-Based Ministry Group
for and by Parents of GLBT Persons
Retreat
for Parents Catholic
Parents Network presents:
Time for God in
a Busy World:
A Retreat for Gay Catholics, Parents, and Pastoral
Ministers
Lambda
Rising: An
Excellent Resource
for Ordering
GLBT Books
Links
for GLBT People of Faith
Affirming
Faith
Comunities in USA
Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry (CLGS)
Conference for Catholic Lesbians
National Association of Catholic Diocesan Lesbian and Gay Ministries (NACDGLM)
People
of Faith Alliance
(OutFront MN)
Women's
Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER)
Words of Inspiration
A
Child is Listening:
A Reflection from a Christian Mother's Journey
(An excerpt from
"Prayers for Bobby"
by Mary A. Griffin)
Out
of the Darkness,
Into the Light**
The
Present and
Future Impact of
GLBT Ministry
on the Church
1/10/2001 By Fr. Greg Tolaas
Educational
Materials
Diagram
of Sex and Gender:
Sexuality Scales
(Including Definitions
of Important Terms)
Frequently
Asked Questions About Being Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender and
Catholic
By Daniel Helminak
(from Dignity USA)
Gay
Adolescents in Catholic Schools
By Robt. Mattingly, SJ
Momentum**
Part I (Sept - Oct ' 04)
Part II (Nov - Dec ' 04)
Homosexuality:
An Example of the Conflict Between Religion and Science
Joseph
Nicolosi:
Why He is
Wrong About Reparative Therapy
PBS
Frontline:
Assault on Gay America
An Interview with Michael Kimmel
(An
excellent overview of the
dynamics of homophobia and gay-bashing
Website maintained
by:
David J. McCaffrey
|
Catholic
Rainbow Parents
|
The Catholic Rainbow Parents Issue Their Second Official Statement
Catholic
Rainbow Parents
for Constitutional Integrity
 |
|
Photo: David J. McCaffrey
|
| The cofounders and coordinating committee of the Catholic Rainbow Parents are shown. Seated (l to r): Chuck and Alice Rice, Mary Lynn and Mike Murphy, Darlene and Tom White; middle row (l to r): Gretchen Murr, Phyllis Nickels, Beverly Barrett, Bill and Deb LeMay, Mary Beckfeld, Ward Brennan; and back row (l to r): Tom Murr, Charlie Girsch, Ron Ohmann, Maria Girsch, Myrna Ohmann, Sue Kramp and Rich Kramp, Gladys and Milt Hill, and Bob and Sue McDonald. (Not pictured are: Mary and Marsh McDonough and Roger and Donna Urbanski.) |
As Minnesota citizens, people of faith, and Catholic parents
of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) persons, we urge our
elected representatives and the people of our state to protect the rights
of our children and the integrity of our Constitution by rejecting the
discriminatory, anti-gay “marriage amendment.”
The 14th Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees equal protection
for all. We must ensure that this guarantee of equality remains the
guiding principle of our state Constitution. Otherwise it would deprive
GLBT couples and their families equal access to the 1138 protections
currently and automatically available to heterosexual couples –
such as hospital visitation, inheritance rights, health care benefits,
and child adoption rights.
The proposed “marriage amendment” would not only ban same-gender
civil marriage but all “legal equivalents.” Accordingly, if
passed, the amendment would make void all currently existing domestic
partnership laws, rights, and protections (be they provided by the state
or private businesses). This would have severe consequences to the health
care, economic security, and probate concerns of many Minnesotan GLBT
citizens and their families.
Such families are already here: the 600,000 same-gender couples counted
by the 2000 US Census provides a conservative estimate of their actual
number, while a conservative estimate of children under 19 being raised
by gay or lesbian parents ranges from 1 to 9 million. The passage of
the discriminatory “marriage amendment” will not make these
families go away; it can only harm them.
As people of faith and parents of GLBT persons, we believe it is a moral
imperative to resist any law that denies or limits the rights of our
children or any minority group in our country. The proposed “marriage
amendment” strikes a blow at the very heart of our democracy. It
is unAmerican to the core.
If this amendment is passed we have much to lose as American citizens,
as people of faith, and as parents of GLBT persons. Accordingly, we
call upon our fellow Minnesotans to respect the integrity of GLBT people
and the integrity of our Constitution by rejecting the proposed “marriage
amendment.”
December 1, 2005
Note: Click here
for .pdf version of the above statement.
Read
more about Equal Civil Marriage Rights for GLBT Persons.
A Small But Determined
Group of Catholic Rainbow Parents Declare Start of Their Ministry
on the Front Steps of St. Paul Cathedral
 Photo: David J. McCaffrey, CPCSM |
| From the front steps of the St. Paul Cathedral during the Catholic Rainbow Parents' "Ritual of Affirmation and Sending Forth," Bill LeMay, who has a lesbian daughter, reads from the two-page Declaration for Pope Benedict and the Bishops of the United States, which will be mailed to them after the conclusion of the ritual. Standing next to him and holding the portable microphone amplifier is Mike Murphy, father of a gay son. About half of the group of 75 parents and supporters is visible in the photo, and the archdiocesan chancery building can be seen across the street (upper right corner). (Bill's wife, Deb LeMay, is not visible in this photo, nor is Mike's wife, Mary Lynn Murphy, the coordinator of the Catholic Rainbow Parents.) |
Undeterred by the rainy, chilly night, and almost 43 years to the day after the opening of the Second Vatican Council (10/11/1962), 75 members and supporters of the Catholic Rainbow Parents stood on the front steps of the St. Paul Cathedral for a "Ritual of Affirmation and Sending Forth." Reading from a two-page declaration, they announced the beginning of their own reformation work within the Church -- as well as within society -- to speak their own truth, as the most qualified experts, about their GLBT children and their children's lives.
One by one, the cofounders of the parent group came to the microphone and expressed their feelings of love and gratitude for their GLBT children and described how their lives have been blessed as they have come to know more fully their children, their children's partners, and -- in some cases -- the grandchildren, and have come to share in their loved ones' lives. (See parents' individual statements.)
One, by one, in their own words, each parent also challenged the Catholic hierarchy to stop their offensive, abusive, and spiritually violent language about these cherished GLBT members of their families and of millions of other families in the Church and in society.
The parents further challenged Church leaders, to re-educate themselves and adjust their values and attitudes to the teachings and findings about homosexuality within the current scientific community. Just as the hierarchy had done in the past in regard to so many other issues of science, such as Galileo's teachings about the solar system, the biology of reproduction, and the evils of slavery, the parents urged Church leaders to listen to the vast majority of social and medical scientists.
For example, scientists have been saying for a long time that pedophilia is completely unrelated to homosexuality, and they have been issuing for almost as long findings and other official statements that G:LBT persons are not "disordered" at all, but rather persons representing a minority variant of the God-given gift of human sexuality.
Besides the personal sharing of the individual parents, the ritual consisted of a inspiring reading from Isaiah (Isaiah 49:1-5, 15-18) about God's unconditional love for all of His/Her children whom their Creator has known, called, and named even while still in their mother's womb.
The ritual's opening prayer asked for God's help as the group embarks on their new ministry work, and the final prayer was one of mutual commissioning to go forth to be co-creators with God's work as "living vessels of your transforming light and love" as the parents seek "to illuminate the dark corners of ignorance and warm the cold hearts of indifference."
Following the sending forth prayer, the group passionately sang "Amazing Grace" accompanied by a bagpiper. When the song ended, the Catholic Rainbow Parents' coordinator quickly ascended the Cathedral stairs and placed a copy of the group's declaration, rolled up and bound with ribbons, through the large handles of the Cathedral doors. Nearby the solitary head usher from the parish looked on from his silent sentry-like position that he had kept during the whole event.
The group then began processing across Summit Avenue to the US mailbox that stands in front of the chancery office as the bagpiper broke into "Ode to Joy." While the group gathered around the mailbox, the Catholic Rainbow Parents' coordinator, Mary Murphy, then announced that, on behalf of the group, she and her husband Mike were depositing a copy of the Catholic Rainbow Parents' declaration, accompanied by the list of 170 declaration endorsers from across the US and the world, to both Pope Benedict XVI and to the President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Following the rally, many of the participants gathered for dinner at a nearby restaurant, where they continued discussing the evening's event, their role in it, and their plans for the great work that lies ahead of them.
A
transcript from the individual statements read by parents
during the ritual can be
viewed here.
Coverage of this event by the Pioneer Press can be viewed here.*
*Adobe
Acrobat needed to read or print this .pdf document. To download free
software, click here
and follow simple directions.
Photo Gallery from the 10-12-05 Ritual
Program from the 10-12-05 Ritual
Catholic Rainbow Parents is a grassroots, independent
coalition of Minnesota Catholic parents of GLBT persons.
Information about the group can be found at www.catholicrainbowparents.com
ON HOMOSEXUALITY AND GAY MARRIAGE
Gathering for Photo Marks Beginning of New Advocacy Group
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|
|
Photo: David J. McCaffrey
|
| Catholic parents of GLBT persons gathered in the garden of Spirit of the Lake UCC, Minneapolis, for a publicity photo that will accompany future statements that the group plans to issue. Seated (l to r): Chuck and Alice Rice, Mary Lynn and Mike Murphy, Darlene and Tom White; middle row (l to r): Gretchen Murr, Phyllis Nickels, Beverly Barrett, Bill and Deb LeMay, Mary Beckfeld, Ward Brennan; and back row (l to r): Tom Murr, Charlie Girsch, Ron Ohmann, Maria Girsch, Myrna Ohmann, Sue Kramp and Rich Kramp, Gladys and Milt Hill, and Bob and Sue McDonald. (Not pictured are: Mary and Marsh McDonough and Roger and Donna Urbanski.) |
MINNEAPOLIS -- On June 21st, at Spirit of the Lakes United Church of Christ, Minneapolis, a grass roots group of 30 Catholic parents of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) persons gathered to speak out in opposition to the Vatican’s stance on homosexuality and same-sex marriage.
The parents, from a number of Twin Cities parishes, posed for a publicity photo and issued an invitation to other Catholic parents of GLBT persons to join them in formulating a collective statement to the Vatican.
At issue are Vatican references to homosexual persons as "objectively disordered" and "intrinsically inclined toward evil". In addition, Pope John Paul II, shortly before his death in April, described same-sex marriage as "part of an ideology of evil." More recently, his successor Pope Benedict XVI called such unions " banal", "anarchic" and "fake."
Darlene White, whose lesbian daughter has children of her own, says, "I believe that this kind of language is spiritually abusive of our loved ones and their families. We have had enough of this kind of talk".
White agrees with Bishop Thomas Gumbleton of Detroit who characterizes such language as "cruel" and "unjustified". He adds that he would never expect a parent to use such language in speaking to their child.
Other parents share similar views. "We believe all of our children, gay or straight, are called to a fullness of life which includes matrimony if they choose it," says Mary Lynn Murphy.
Chuck and Alice Rice believe that "As parents we are in a position to know the moral and spiritual goodness of our gay children and their partners".
Tom Murr, father of a gay son, observes that "historically the papacy has made numerous and serious mistakes of judgment.” In his view the hierarchy of the Catholic church is “in error” in its position on sexual minorities.
“When the hierarchy of the church aggressively attack and endanger our children, we consider it our responsibility to speak openly against the hierarchy’s stance in order to reassure our families and others that we are all children of God and worthy of equal human dignity,” says Murr. “It is for their safety, dignity and truth that we speak out and assume leadership on this subject."
Maria and Charlie Girsch, yet another Catholic couple willing to voice opposition to the Vatican’s stance on their child’s homosexuality, stress that “We’re card-carrying cradle Catholics who happen to be the parents of a child who is tall, dark-haired, wears size 14 shoes and gay – neither he nor we chose this combination. These are all God given traits and need to be honored in the spirit of the gospel command to ‘love one another.’ Until then we parents shall speak up and, inspired by the Jesus who challenged the religious leaders of his time, do all that we can to nudge all within the Catholic Church toward the loving acceptance of the gift of our child and every GLBT person.”
The following statement was drafted at the Catholic Rainbow Parents' inaugural meeting on July 12th.
July 2005
We the undersigned, declare the following to be true of our experiences as informed, loving parents of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgend (GLBT) persons:
1. Homosexuality is a variant of the God-given gift of human sexuality. It is a gift that our blessed GLBT children, like their straight siblings, are called to express lovingly and responsibly.
Accordingly, we do not accept as truth the notion expressed by the 1986 letter of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, that homosexual orientation is "objectively disordered" or that because of this orientation GLBT people are "intrinsically inclined toward evil."
Such characterizations are in defiance of modern science and the lived experience of families such as ours - families that are in a better position than the Vatican to observe and comment on the moral and spiritual integrity of their children, be they gay or straight.
We believe that the Vatican's very choice of such language indicates a fundamental disregard for the innate value of an entire group of people. The effects of such language are profoundly dehumanizing and spiritually abusive of these persons and those who love them. Additionally, language of this kind fuels the fires of bigotry and places GLBT persons in great physical and emotional danger.
We feel responsible as parents, as Catholics, and as citizens to confront such language that demeans and disenfranchises not only GLBT Catholics, but all GLBT persons.
We also feel a responsibility to confront and challenge misconceptions and inaccuracies concerning GLBT people - including the idea that homosexuality is a choice, that it is a "curable condition" or a "changeable lifestyle," or that it is equivalent to pedophilia. Pedophilia is a mental illness whereas homosexuality is a minority variant of the God-given gift of human sexuality.
We share the perspective of the National Catholic Risk Retention Group's VIRTUS programs, with which the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis collaborates in response to the mandate of the "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People" adopted by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in June 2002.
The VIRTUS programs report that, "It is a myth that most sex abusers are homosexuals. Most sex offenders are not homosexual; they are heterosexual . . . Studies repeatedly show that most male molesters of boys are not homosexual with adults. It is a faulty assumption that an adult male who selects a young boy as a victim is gay."
Recognizing that homosexuality is an expression of the sacred gift of human sexuality, we bear public witness to the joy and blessings that our GLBT children bring to our families and our communities. We celebrate our children as gifts from God in all of their aspects, and regard them as full-fledged members of both Church and society.
2. We acknowledge and celebrate the life-giving relationships of our GLBT children and support them in their choice to have their loving, committed, and sacramentally experienced relationships ecclesiastically and/or civilly validated through either sacramental marriage or civil unions.
Accordingly, we do not accept as truth the notion that same-sex marriage is, in the words of the late Pope John Paul II, part of "an ideology of evil," or that such unions, in the words of Pope Benedict XVI, are "fake" or constitute a form of anarchy that "banalizes" the human body. Nor do we support Benedict XVI's contention that gay unions threaten children with abuse.
Such assertions are not based in fact, and amount to an undisguised attack on the loving relationships and families of GLBT persons. In contrast to the Vatican, we see the issue of same-sex marriage as a clear-cut social justice issue. The human rights and dignity of an entire class of people are assaulted when their love and fidelity to each other and their children are broadly dismissed as "evil." No other group of human beings have been subjected to this kind of sweeping denunciation by virtue of their God-given instincts for human love and relational intimacy.
We denounce the Vatican's worldwide activism in support of laws that would deny GLBT persons both marriage and full rights of citizenship in the form of legalized civil unions. We view the enshrinement of discrimination in the laws of local, national, and international governments as the antithesis of the love and justice for which our churches and governments should stand.
We call upon the Vatican and members of the Catholic hierarchy to recognize and confront the specter of internalized homophobia that is a key component of their aggressive posture toward GLBT Catholics, their partners, and supporters
We view the Church as a living, evolving entity that is most catholic when it is shaped by the life experiences of all its members. Throughout its history, the Church has been known to change its position on various issues in the light of increased understanding of specific realities. The time is long overdue for members of the church hierarchy to be open to the realities of GLBT people's lives and relationships.
In light of our parental leadership regarding this issue, we invite those in positions of ecclesiastical leadership to open themselves to the wisdom and love that we have gained as parents of GLBT persons.
It is our hope that openness to such wisdom and love, to the presence of God in the experiences of GLBT people and those closest to them, will compel those in positions of ecclesiastical leadership to a conversion of heart and a change in their language and position on homosexuality and same-sex marriage
Signers of this Declaration
(Total
Signers as of 2/26/06: 205)
|
|
Other
Endorsers Who Signed Other Endorsers: Individuals Other
Endorsers: Organizations |
How you can sign this Declaration
Our website displays a regularly updated list of parents and other supporters of the Declaration. If you would like to add your name or your organization's name to the Catholic Rainbow Parents' Declaration, please send an email to CPCSM at: cpcsm@ourtownusa.net and indicate the following:
I. Whether you
are signing the declaration:
(1) As Catholic parent(s) of a GLBT person;
(2) Anyone who is not a parent of a GLBT person but still wants
to
endorse the declaration (you do not
have to be Catholic); or
(3) On behalf of a religious, spiritual, or social-justice-oriented
organization
(it does not have to be a Catholic group).
II. Your place of residence**
(preferred but optional) or of your organization:
(1) Both city and state are preferred
(also country if outside US);
(2) State/country(if outside US) alone is preferred over no residence
listed.
Please note: If you would like to add to or correct the information already on this page regarding your endorsement, please notify us of the change by sending an email to cpcsm@ourtownusa.net.
(**We are asking for your city and state/country of residence to reflect to the public both the authenticity of your name as well as the broad base (i.e., national or international) of support for this declaration.
For more information, contact the Catholic Rainbow Parents' coordinator, Mary Lynn Murphy, by sending her an email to: ML1Murphy@earthlink.net, or call 612-201-4534.
To print the the Catholic Rainbow Parents' Declaration as a poster, click here to download the declaration as a .pdf file.*
*Adobe Acrobat software needed to read or print this .pdf document. To download free software, click here.
On-Line Donations to
Catholic Rainbow Parents!
The CPCSM Board is pleased to announce that effective immediately this web site will now allow users to make on-line donations, using a credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover). Through a contract with the reputable Minneapolis-based web site, CharityBox.com (the same site used by Community Soutions Fund and many other non-profit groups), CPCSM is now able to accept donations on-line. Donors will be immediately issued online a letter signed by our coordinator, Michael Bayly, that will document their transaction as well as an email from CharityBox.com providing the same information.
Please begin making your donation by simply clicking on the graphic that follows and supplying the very basic information requested. Since CPCSM is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, duly registered with the State of Minnesota, all donations are tax deductible. To make sure that your donation is earmarked specifically for the support of Catholic Rainbow Parents, please enter the phrase "For Catholic Rainbow Parents" in the box marked "Special Instructions" on the online data entry form that is displayed when you click on the large gray button labelled "Donate now. Click Here."
Whether you are able to afford $5 or $5000, your financial assistance is crucial for our ministry to continue and is greatly appreciated. You and your loved ones will be remembered in our prayers.
This donation site is VeriSign Secured. (Click for more information.)
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What's
New
|
Media Coverage
Catholic couple clashes
with church over gay rights
By Kay Harvey
Pioneer Press, 2-26-06
Story About Catholic Rainbow Parents' members Charlie and Maria
Girsch
Catholic Rainbow Parents Part of Cathedral Rally
on World Marriage Day
Ritual of Affirmation
and Sending Forth Reported in Pioneer Press (10/13/05)*
*Adobe
Acrobat
needed to read or print
this .pdf document. To download free software,
click here.
Photo
Gallery from
the 10-12-05 Ritual
Program
from
the 10-12-05 Ritual
Catholic Rainbow Parents Formation
Reported in the NCR (8/26/05)
CPCSM's
Upcoming Events
Putting
a Human Face
on the "Marriage Amendment" Issue
A Panel Presentation
about the Proposed MN "Marriage Amendment"
March 20,
2006
7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
School Basement
St. Thomas the Apostle
Minneapolis
CPCSM News
CPCSM
Cofounder and
Source of Inspiration,
Bill Kummer, Passes Away
on January 29th
New
CPCSM
Web Page
Gay
Priests & Pedophilia
CPCSM Newsletter
Rainbow
Spirit
Spring 2006**
**Adobe
Acrobat
needed to read or print this .pdf document. To download free software,
click here.
Online Donations
Click here for
instructions about
how to make a secure donation by credit card
to Catholic Rainbow Parents.
Commentary
A
Gay Catholic Theological Response to Vatican's Statement on Gay Marriage
by Daniel Helminiak
Bondings, Spring 2005
GLBT
Catholic News
Gay
theology pioneer
trusts 'God's
shrewdness'
(About John McNeill)
By
ROBERT J. McCLORY
NCR, 11-11-05
Proud
to be celibate,
gay priest
By RENEE K. GADOUA
Religion News Service
NCR,
11-11-05
Memphis
Bishop
Welcomes Home
Gay Catholics
NCR, 6-17-05
Wanted
Gay
men with gay brothers, to help with research project studying the
genetics of
sexual orientation
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL
For more info, click here.
Links
Introducing
4 New Links:
Another
Daily Link
Today's Readings
(New American Bible)
An Excellent
Local Support Group
for GLBT Youth
The
Naming Project
CPCSM
Commentary
A
Catholic's Prayer for His Fellow Pilgrim
By Michael
J. Bayly
Star Tribune, 5/14/2005
Excellent
References
PBS
Frontline:
Assault on Gay America
An Interview with Michael
Kimmel
(An
excellent overview of the
dynamics of homophobia and gay-bashing)
Gay Adolescents in Catholic Schools
By Robt. Mattingly, SJ
Momentum**
Part I (Sept - Oct ' 04)
Part II (Nov - Dec ' 04)
Diagram of Sex and Gender:
Sexuality Scales
(Including Definitions
of Important Terms)
Free HRC Guide to Coming Out: **
In English
In Spanish
For African-Americans
**Adobe Acrobat
needed to read or print this .pdf document. To download free software, click here.
Please Do Not Forget About the Tsunami Refugees!
Click Here To Read About How You Can Help
Other
Resources
Out
of the Darkness,
Into the Light**
The
Present and
Future Impact of
GLBT Ministry
on the Church
1/10/2001
By Fr. Greg Tolaas
Homosexuality:
An Example of the Conflict Between Religion and Science
**Adobe
Acrobat
needed to read or print this .pdf document. To download free software,
click here.
About Us
History
of Gumbleton
and LeMay Awards
Other
Links
GayCatholicForum.org
Joseph Nicolosi:
Why He is
Wrong About Reparative Therapy
Other Facts About
Reparative Therapy
School Survival Guide
A project of the LGBT Center of NY:
Run by and for youth
Lambda Rising: An
Excellent Resource
for Ordering
GLBT Books
Christian Lesbians.Com
Nationwide Welcoming Congregations Index
This web site
was last updated on:
February 26, 2006
