News Archives

Six Persons Dedicated to Ministry and
Peace & Justice Receive Awards
at CPCSM's Annual Meeting

On June 22nd, at its 24th Annual Meeting, the Board of Directors of CPCSM recognized six persons who have shown extraordinary dedication in working with and on behalf of GLBT persons and their families.

Three of the six awardees were recipients of the 2004 Bishop Gumbleton Peace and Justice Award: State Representative Karen Clark; Kathy Itzin, former CPCSM board member and current education coordinator at St. Joan of Arc; and Mary Lynn Murphy, mother of a gay son, current CPCSM president, and past president of the local P-FLAG chapter.

For their committed and hospitable pastoral work among GLBT persons and their families, three others received the 2004 Father Henry F. LeMay Pastoral Ministry Award: Michael Griffin, social justice/faith formation director at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Minneapolis, and Gretchen and Tom Murr, parents of a gay son, who have dedicated much of their time and energy to speaking to parents of GLBT persons and on parents' behalf to numerous community organizations and church groups.

Bishop Gumbleton Award Recipients
(Click on recipient's linked name to view exact replica of his/her award.)

Karen Clark was honored with the Gumbleton Award for her nearly 25 years of public service as the only openly lesbian Minnesota legislator who played a major role in tirelessly and compassionately working to secure human rights protections for GLBT citizens of Minnesota and in representing the needs of all marginalized and voiceless Minnesotans. The inspiring keynote address that she presented that evening for the annual meeting was a glowing testament to her life of loving service on behalf of peace and justice. (See related story about her keynote address.)

 

Kathy Itzin is a past board member of CPCSM and has worked at St. Joan of Arc for 15 years in education ministry. Among her greatest accomplishments were programs she developed for special-needs children and for parents seeking to adopt. She also has been active at St. Stephen's Shelter for the Homeless, Congregations Concerned for Children, and the Minnesota AIDS Project.

This honor came a little more than a year after Kathy had endured much pain and stress regarding another award relating to her exceptional pastoral work. The local archdiocese, after announcing her a recipient of the Excellence in Catechesis Award—an annual local honor bestowed upon outstanding Catholic educators—chose to withdraw her name from the list of award recipients after being informed of her committed lesbian relationship by members of a fundamentalist Catholic organization. (See related story.)

Kathy's courageous, exemplary response to that stressful ordeal only provided more evidence of her outstanding personal commitment to peace and social justice.

 

What began as a loving mother giving support to her son has become for Mary Lynn Murphy a vocation of peace and justice work on behalf of GLBT persons and their families. While serving on the board of Cretin-Derham Hall Catholic High School in the mid-1990s, Mary played an active role in both CPCSM's Safe Staff Training Initiative and the Archdiocesan Study Group on Sexual Minorities.

More recently, Mary has served as the president of the St. Paul/Mpls. Chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) and as a member of the Cretin-Derham Hall steering committee on GLBT issues in schools. She has also spoken as a resource person in the SEED program in both Catholic and public schools and in the Out For Equity program of the St. Paul city schools.

Father Henry F. LeMay Award Recipients
(Click on linked name to view exact replica of recipient's award.) 

Michael Griffin is the social justice/faith formation director at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Minneapolis. The parish's mission statement emphasizes that all of God's people are welcome, including those marginalized by society.

Under Michael's inspiring leadership, the parish has been active in two highly regarded social justice programs: Sowers of Justice, a membership organization for Catholics in the Twin Cities area who are committed to changing hearts and changing social structures on behalf of justice, and JustFaith, a nationwide program designed to empower and expand parish and church commitment to social ministry .

Hosting a support group for GLBT persons for a number of years in the past, is just one of many ways in which St. Thomas has welcomed and embraced all of God's people and has extended hospitality to marginalized groups and individuals.

Beyond Michael's professional success, it is clear that his commitment to Gospel values is a major focus in his personal life as well. He is truly a wonderful role model for following the Gospel's call to show hospitality to the stranger and to welcome the marginalized.

During a time when the actions of conservative elements within the local church have been causing many parishes to hesitate or refuse to provide space for GLBT events, Michael has responded to CPCSM's request to host a number of its educational events. Over the past 18 months, he has extended hospitality and provided parish space for five of CPCSM's speaker series gatherings. Michael himself was present at each event, and graciously welcomed those attending, providing refreshments and tasty cookies (which have become legendary).

 

In June 2003, Eagan residents Tom and Gretchen Murr were featured in a Star Tribune story that focused on their son's "coming out" as gay. David Murr was 15 when he came out to his parents and, as the article notes, "whether he knew it or not, he had just become part of a trend. Across the country there are signs that gay teens--more precisely: gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender, or GLBT teens--are coming out younger."

Well rooted in the Catholic tradition, the Murrs have been presenters on Catholic Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends as a team couple for five years and also on the Retrovaille Post Weekend Experience for a year.

Being confronted with a 15-year-old gay son has required them to do much soul-searching about reconciling their Catholic background with their love and support for their son. They found much understanding and support at meetings of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), from other parents who had faced similar challenges.

The Murrs' positive experience at P-FLAG prompted them to reach out to other parents and to help heal the misinformation and misunderstanding in society about GLBT persons and their families. They have eloquently and powerfully shared their journey with a wide range of community audiences about how they have dealt with their son's sexuality and its impact on their lives and their Catholic faith.

Their speaking venues have included various Twin Cities businesses and churches, teacher in-service workshops in a number of public school districts, undergraduate education classes at the University of St. Thomas and the College of St. Catherine, and medical school classes at the University of Minnesota.

Tom has recently dedicated a lot of time and energy lobbying Republican legislators around GLBT human rights issues, and both he and Gretchen were invited by OutFront Minnesota to speak before the Senate Subcommittee Hearing on Gay Marriage (although time eventually ran out before they could give their testimony).

About Bishop Gumbleton and the Award

Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton

The Bishop Gumbleton Peace and Justice Award was created in 1997 in honor of Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit, and his tireless work as a advocate for peace and justice on behalf of GLBT persons and their families. The award also acknowledges his lifelong advocacy work against war and for social justice, especially in support of the human rights of other marginalized and voiceless groups throughout the world, many of whom are experiencing inhumane physical and psychological treatment.

The award is given periodically by the Board of CPCSM to a special person or group whose work on behalf of GLBT persons and their families reflects the same commitment to the Gospel call for peace and justice as exemplified by Bishop Gumbleton.

Previous recipients of the Bishop Gumbleton Peace and Justice Award have been: Frank Reilly, PhD, and Craig Barrett in 1999; Tom and Darlene White in 1998; and the Cretin-Derham Hall High School Safe Staff, the Hill-Murray High School Safe Staff, and in 1997, Sister Mary Ellen Gevelinger, OP, Director of Personnel and Planning in the Schools Program of the Catholic Education and Formation Ministries Division of the local archdiocese.

(Click here for more information about
Bishop Gumbleton and the award.)

About Father Henry F. LeMay and the Award

Father Henry F. LeMay 1919 - 1981

The Father Henry F. LeMay Award was created in 1984 to honor the memory of the late Reverend Henry F. LeMay, a priest of the Diocese of New Ulm and previously of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, who co-founded Dignity/Twin Cities and was a local and national leader in the creation of a ministry to gay men and lesbians and in championing their human rights.

Previous recipients of this award have been: Joan Bednarczyk and Marty Dohmen in 1999, Chuck and Alice Rice in 1998; Bill Hunt in 1992, Paul Fleege in 1991, Beverly Barrett in 1990, Sue Marks in 1989, Rev. Leo Tibesar in 1988, Jim Maurer in 1987, Bill Kummer in 1986, Roger and Donna Urbanski in 1985, and David McCaffrey in 1984.

(Click here for more information about
Father Henry LeMay and the award.)