About Us
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Dignity is a prophetic voice for reform, in Church and Society. Wonderous how much easier it is to say
so with conviction so many years after our small, first steps back in 1969 (the year of the
Stonewall riots, that gave birth to the modern GLBT movement).
Who can seriously doubt that once the Church admitted that being homosexual was not a
choice for most of us, straights and gays alike would then refuse to deny us our
sexuality? So the only "reason" that was left was how we express our love for
each other; and that is an inadequate reason, one that cannot be credibly
attributed to the Christ we know from the Gospels.
So right now, if you have not already done so, click on
Sexuality
(here or under the banner found up top, on each page) to read our critique of the
teachings of the Church. Read also what those teachings are, in the Church's own
words in the
Catechism
and other documents (from the Vatican and from the American Bishops), as linked in the critique
or found (or linked) on the Resources page of this website; and read Dignity's own
Statement of Position & Purpose (click on
SP&P,
here or under the banner found up top, on each page) and a statement of its position on
Sexual Ethics
and its Guidelines on the
pastoral care
of GLBTs.
Form your own conscience on the issues, in both a careful and prayerful manner. It is your
duty to do so, as well as your inherent DIGNITY as a human being, created and
loved unconditionally by God, who created you. See the Vatican Council II quote found
in the box on our
Home
page.
A final thought: one specific insight of Catholicism is that salvation takes place in community, including
at the Eucharistic table, at Mass. We hope that you will join us in such celebrations, as often as you
are able. Click
Contact Us
here or under the banner that is found up top, on each page of this website, for more information on how to get to Dignity Center
(including a link to a
Map
with a zoom in and out feature, plus a link offering you specific Directions to Dignity Center).
See you at Dignity Center.
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The
President's
Little
Corner
Hi, my name is Jason Craig. I am the president of Dignity/LA; and I use this column
to send messages intended for all.
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It is almost nine months since we celebrated the 37th Anniversary of Dignity/Los Angeles.
Those 37 years have been filled with struggle and pain; but at the same time, we have made progress in
our efforts to bring to life the sacramental church for the Catholic GLBT community in metropolitan
Los Angeles. By no means is our struggle over; and in some ways, it has become more difficult, for
we have,in a sense, been left to fend for ourselves.
As we work our way through another liturgical year, we have hope and faith that the Holy Spirit
will guide us in our search for God. She will be here for us, if we ask; and we can be sure that she
will continue to bless our ministry.
In the eras of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, we are
confronted with a hierarchy that has made us feel we are unwelcome and unwanted. Though left alone,
we are not the only ones. The Popes have been eager to oust and demoralize
all post-Vatican II Catholics, appointing bishops who are more Roman than American, with but little
faith in the faithful. Indeed, their main concerns seem to be institutional in their purpose and pietism and
undue attention to ritualistic minutiae in their method.
So what do we do now? As a small faith community, we have to search for our own answers on our
pilgrimage to God. We have to continue to be a prayerful community and to care for each other. This
caring must not be just for our own but also for the poor and needy in our own area. Over the last year,
we have done much to help the poor, especially those of the Garvanza School. We are healed by the
foregiveness of God and our care for others, hand in hand. Above all, we must not be discouraged;
we must not be deterred by negativity or neglect but rather we must move forward with hope and faith.
Let us make this a time of renewal, of
recommitment to finding new and better ways to express our own faith and to proceed on the pilgrimage
which Christ invites us to join.
Let's also reflect on how we can more fully respond to our calling to be prophetic voices for
reform of the church.
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