NEWS

This is the NEWS page of this website. In reality, however, it serves not so much as a news page as an announcements page, for it is (at least for now) beyond the scope of this page to act as a newspaper. Announcements found on this page will likely be of general interest to chapter members, and likely to others as well. Indeed, in some cases, they will be of interest even after the date of the event or announcement; and when deemed to do so, they will be moved to a page that will serve as an archive of such articles retired from this NEWS page: to go there, click here.

Petition to Pope

Event: April 25-20, 2008

Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) sponsored a petition to the Pope for his April 15-20 visit to U.S.
Back to Top

Lay Convocation of southern California

Event: March 29, 2008

A Lay Convocation was held for southern California on March 29, 2008, at the St. Joseph Center in Orange, California. It was a Calling Together of the Laity. Its purpose was to focus our attention on the participation and responsibilities of the laity in the Catholic Church, reflecting on the gifts received, the hurts endured, and the desire to respond to the needs of the Church. The objectives were to inspire hope for the future of the Church and a commitment to action. The oligations and rights of the laity, as articulated in the documents of the Second Vatican Council (1963-65) and in Canon Law, were addressed. All were welcome.
To read more about this Lay Convocation (as planned), click here to visit its website.
A report on the Convocation is to be issued in due time.
Back to Top

Results of Officers Election (2008)

Event: February 2008

Each year in February, the chapter conducts its annual Election of officers. In the February 2008 election, the results are: Jason Craig, President; Saul Farias, Vice-President; Steve Leffler, secretary; and Michael Rademacher, treasurer. The President will now nominate (for membership approval at the General Meeting held in March) the chairpersons who will be the remaining members of the Board in the new Administration.
Back to Top

Pastoral Care

Event: July 2007

At its biennial national convention in July 2007 in Austin, Texas, Dignity issued its Guidelines on the Pastoral Care of GLBT People; click here to read them.
Back to Top

Evolution

There is a good article on Pope John Paul II and evoluation in the Jesuit America magazine. Click here to read it.
Back to Top

New IRS Regulation on Charitable Deductions

New: 2006 Event: Indefinite The IRS has made a change in tax regulations governing deductions for contributions to charitable organizations, such as Dignity. Currently, a contribution of more than $250 is deductible only if the taxpayer has in hand a receipt when he or she files a tax return on which a charitable deduction is claimed for the contribution; but starting with tax year 2007 (with income tax returns due in April 2008), a receipt will be required regardless of the amount of the contribution. Although Dignity/Los Angeles each year gives a receipt for the total of verified contributions made by a member, amounts given in a manner that is unverifiable (such as cash placed in the collection basket at liturgies) cannot be included. Those who wish to preserve their ability to deduct their total contributions may wish to consider using the annual pledge drive as their principal means of contributing to the chapter and then satisfying their pledges by check, so that a verifiable total can be computed and a receipt given to the member at the end of the year in time for the tax-return season.
Back to Top

Meeting of U.S. Bishops On GLBT Issues

Events: November 2006 & July 2007 The Catholic Bishops of the United States met in mid-November 2006, in Washington, D.C. An item on the agenda was approval of a major statement on the pastoral care of GLBT persons. Since it was largely unfavorable, Dignity/USA issued a critical press release (that got good press coverage in the general media) and organized a protest for the time of the meeting. Unfortunately, the statement was approved anyway; and subsequently, in July 2007, Dignity/USA issued its own Guidelines on the pastoral care of GLBTs.
Back to Top

"We are not on Earth to guard
a museum, but to cultivate
a flourishing garden of life."
Pope John XXIII

In 1958, Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli (see picture above) was, at age 78, elected Pope John XXIII (after what was widely rumored to be a near miss by Giovanni Batista Montini, who at the time was not yet a Cardinal but would later be elected Pope Paul VI). Pope John was expected to be a caretaker; but he was not. He spoke out for an "updating" of the Church, admitted it needed "some fresh air," and summoned the Second Vatican Council to help supply it. The Council enacted many reforms, of which many still remain not fully implemented, partly because Pope John died in 1963 (and was succeeded by a cautious, almost fearful, Pope Paul), while the Council was just starting its deliberations.

Pope John is a candidate for sainthood.