- DignityUSA
-
DignityUSA is a U.S. organization with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts that "works for respect and justice" for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the Roman Catholic Church and the world through education, advocacy and support. Dignity Canada exists as the Canadian sister organization.
DignityUSA has local chapters across the United States and Canada, where members socialize and worship with LGBT and supportive Catholics. Members also gather to share personal and spiritual concerns and work together on educational and homosexual rights issues.
Contents
History
Dignity's stated goals are to create "a time when Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Catholics are affirmed and experience dignity through the integration of their spirituality with their sexuality, and as beloved persons of God participate fully in all aspects of life within the Church and Society."[citation needed]
In 2009, the executive director, Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry spoke about his disagreement with remarks by Pope Benedict XVI that condom distribution increased AIDS prevalence.[1]
Criticism
Because of their opposition to official Catholic teaching that homosexual acts are "acts of grave depravity",[1], neither DignityUSA nor Dignity Canada are recognized entities within the Catholic Church. Author Peter Kreeft, in his book "Catholic Christianity: A Complete Catechism of Catholic Beliefs Based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church", examines the difference between Dignity and its Church-sanctioned counterpart, Courage International, stating that Dignity is like a child telling its parents what to do while Courage is a parent guiding its child to the proper decisions.
International Sister Groups
A similar organisation exists in the UK known as Quest[citation needed]
See also
References
External links
Categories:- Homosexuality and Catholicism
- LGBT religious organizations
- Roman Catholic Church in the United States
- Intersectionality
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
