The following theological statement produced by New Ways Ministry supports the church’s teaching that LGBTQ people should not suffer discrimination. We invite you to read and to endorse this statement using the buttons below.

Current endorsers include: Sister Helen Prejean, Richard Rodriguez, Garry Wills, Sister Simone Campbell, Rev. Bryan Massingale, Sister Margaret Farley, M. Shawn Copeland, Richard Gaillardetz, Sister Elizabeth Johnson, Rev. Charles Curran, Mary McAleese, and Miguel Diaz.

A Home for All

A Catholic Call for LGBTQ Non-Discrimination

New Ways Ministry

August 9, 2021

Introduction

The relationship between the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church and the community of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) persons has long been fraught with tensions, negative emotions, and confusion. Harsh statements from high-ranking church leaders against LGBTQ equality initiatives in the civil arena have often succeeded in limiting the rights of LGBTQ people, causing great offense and allowing great social and personal harm to befall this marginalized community.

Equally alarming to us as Catholics is that a vocal section of our church leaders too often does not fully consider Catholicism’s most fundamental teachings and values when taking positions on LGBTQ social policy initiatives. By supporting civic policies that promote discrimination and by opposing policies that would produce equality, these leaders bypass the Catholic Church’s proud social justice tradition, the product of more than a century’s development of social doctrine that increasingly supports the human rights of all people without exception.

Because LGBTQ people suffer from unjust discrimination due to structural inequalities in law and social institutions, our Catholic faith compels us to speak out in support of the principle of non-discrimination. Non-discrimination would alleviate the personal suffering of LGBTQ people, provide them equal access to our society’s opportunities, and, in many cases, save lives. Ending discrimination of this type would also benefit the common good of all people in our society. If LGBTQ people were allowed to flourish as full human beings and as equal citizens, our communal, cultural, and social life would be greatly enhanced by their gifts.

As Catholic theologians, scholars, church leaders, writers, and ministers, we affirm that Catholic teaching presents a positive case for ending discrimination against LGBTQ people. We affirm the Second Vatican Council’s demand that “any kind of social or cultural discrimination. . .must be curbed and eradicated” (Gaudium et Spes, 29). We affirm that Catholic teaching should not be used to further oppress LGBTQ people by denying rights rooted in their inherent human dignity and in the church’s call for social equality.

We recognize that a great debate is currently underway in the Catholic Church about whether the current magisterial characterization of same-gender relationships and transgender identities is accurate or not. That is a vital discussion for the future of Catholicism, and one to which we are whole-heartedly committed. What we are saying in this statement, however, is relatively independent of that debate, and the endorsers of this statement may hold varied, and even opposing, opinions on sexual and gender matters. Whichever position you, the reader, may hold on sexual or gender ethics, we invite you to consider the following theological reflection on the topic of non-discrimination with an open mind and an open heart.

Signs of the Times: Discrimination

Heeding Vatican II’s repeated calls to discern “the signs of the times,” Catholics have been engaging questions of gender and sexuality with renewed energy.

Despite certain legal and social advances in recent years, LGBTQ people in the United States remain victims of significant discrimination. A recent report shows that more than one-third of LGBTQ people have faced some form of discrimination, and this rate is notably higher if one is transgender or a person of color. Discrimination manifests itself in healthcare, housing, employment, public accommodations, adoption and foster care, interactions with police, access to credit, and education. Such discrimination is often compounded by gender, race, religion, class, or other factors.

Moreover, many LGBTQ people are forced to remain closeted, thus compounding the emotional damage. We think, too, of LGBTQ people subject to so-called conversion therapies that, though causing great psychological damage, still remain legal in most states. LGBTQ people are also disproportionately subjected to policies of mass incarceration. And the all-too-common physical violence persists in many places. Especially tragic and scandalous is the fact that LGBTQ youth are three times as likely to contemplate suicide than their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts do — and five times as likely to have attempted suicide compared to those same counterparts.

Discrimination cuts across a wide segment of American life, from LGBTQ youth being prevented from forming support clubs in schools to LGBTQ elders being denied senior living opportunities. While the right to marry civilly has now been secured, a couple can still legally be refused services because of their marriage. In short, the failure of U.S. society to implement comprehensive non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people has severely curtailed their ability to flourish as human beings.

Scripture strongly affirms that God hears and responds to the cry of the poor and suffering. Society’s failure to protect LGBTQ people has left them crying out for justice. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we too must hear and respond to this cry by pursuing policies and laws that remedy such grave injustices. To do any less would abdicate our responsibility as Christians to live the Gospel in public life by advancing the good of all people, especially those on the margins.

The time has come to remedy this grave injustice, and our Catholic tradition holds the tools to fix this problem.

Catholic Social Teaching

Catholic Social Teaching, the body of doctrine and knowledge developed in church documents from the late 19th century to the present day, provides a clear basis for Catholic leaders to support non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people as the Catechism of the Catholic Church demands. While Catholic Social Teaching acknowledges that resolving social issues is complex, certain primary principles guide its application. At its foundation, Catholic Social Teaching recognizes that all people are created in the image of God. This innate dimension is the source of our dignity as human beings —dignity that is respected through the protection of each person’s human rights. These rights should be protected by law. They apply to all people. No exceptions are made. No person is excluded.

Catholic Social Teaching is based on decades of theological reflection and has developed with the following components at its core:

➢      Because all human beings are endowed with human dignity and equal to one another, no individuals or groups should be denied the civil rights enjoyed by others in society.

➢      All human beings have the right to participate as full citizens in their societies, and they should be afforded opportunities to advocate for themselves and for the common good.

➢      Because human beings are social, the structure of society and its laws has a direct impact on all individuals’ abilities to grow and develop in society.

➢      Justice in society requires a preferential concern for any individuals or groups who are poor, vulnerable, or marginalized.

➢      As a human family, we are all responsible for one another’s well-being, and we must stand in solidarity with our neighbors, especially if their human dignity is being violated.

➢      Society must always value the common good, which includes protecting each person’s ability to reach their full human potential.

The Catholic virtue of hospitality also has a social dimension. Hospitality is at the very heart of the Gospel, evident in Jesus’ table ministry and his frequent invitations to all people to participate in his way of life. This disposition to welcome has been realized by Christians in each age, most recently in the encyclical Fratelli Tutti, in which Pope Francis regards hospitality as a “sacred duty.” Non-discrimination protections are essential to living out hospitality in the way Jesus modeled.

Which Comes First: Justice or Sex?

From the 1970s onward, Catholic leaders, including members of the hierarchy, have applied Catholic Social Teaching concepts to promote the idea that LGBTQ people should not be subject to prejudice, discrimination, abuse, and harassment. Time and again they have affirmed the full and equal dignity of LGBTQ people.

However, another line of discussion in Catholic discourse about LGBTQ issues emphasizes the magisterium’s condemnations of sexual activity between people of the same gender and, more recently a disapproval of transgender people. That line of discussion is often proclaimed more frequently, more loudly, and more absolutely than the Catholic Church’s social justice teaching as it applies to LGBTQ people. This emphasis on the sexual teaching and opposition to trans identities is often used as a trump card to oppose any non-discrimination initiatives for LGBTQ people.

Catholics are thus faced with an important question: Should the church’s sexual ethics tradition or its social justice tradition be the primary lens with which to examine LGBTQ equality initiatives?  We believe it is imperative for Catholics and their leaders to rely on the social justice tradition.

As early as 1983, the Washington State Catholic Conference declared that “…prejudice against homosexuals is a greater infringement of the norm of Christian morality than is homosexual…activity.” This excerpt neatly distills the idea that opposition to discrimination is an ethical claim prior and superior to that of any sexual or gender ethic. This concept is strongly supported by Catholic reasoning:

➢      When considering equality measures for LGBTQ people, we must remember that we are first and foremost talking about people. An individual’s personhood is the most important feature of their identity, and it is what qualifies them to be protected by civil law.

➢      Both social ethics and sexual ethics are fundamentally concerned with how to love well and pursue Christian perfection. Social justice, however, is necessarily prior to creating the appropriate conditions whereby people can choose the good when it comes to sexual ethics.

➢      No evidence exists in Scripture for LGBTQ people not to be considered full human beings deserving of social inclusion and protection. No quotes about sexual orientation or gender identity are attributed to Jesus in any of the four gospel accounts. However, those same gospels are filled with directions and demands that Jesus’ followers love one another, welcome the outcast, foreigner, and oppressed, and reach out to all, even those outside of one’s own religious traditions. The message of Scripture shows that Jesus was much more concerned with social arrangements than with sexuality.

➢      In Catholic thinking, public law is not an enforcement mechanism for the totality of personal morality. Not all that is considered immoral is unlawful, nor should it be. The church does not seek to criminalize every action which the magisterium prohibits on ethical grounds. Civil law serves to preserve the public order, creating conditions conducive to the flourishing of all. Discrimination against LGBTQ people violates this mandate for justice, and civil law must strive to end these practices.

➢      The Catholic ethical tradition rejects the idea that a just end can be obtained through unjust means. Discrimination against LGBTQ people cannot be used as a means to oppose ideas or behavior to which a religious body may object. And while church leaders can oppose ideas or behaviors that undermine the common good, non-discrimination for LGBTQ people is not in these categories. Religious beliefs that disapprove of same-gender sexual relationships or of contemporary understandings of gender cannot be used to support discrimination that leads to a diminished role in society for LGBTQ people.

Signs of the Times: The Right Moment

Now is the time to act for non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people. We have already described the urgency of preventing human suffering and violations of civil rights, but we must also observe that both the church’s and society’s understandings of LGBTQ people have changed in the following important ways.

First, scientific evidence continues to prove that sexual orientation and gender identity are fundamental characteristics of an individual. Research shows that diverse sexual and gender identities are normal in the human experience, not deviations from it.

Second, as more LGBTQ people are open about their orientation and/or identity, we witness more and more the healthy, holy, and wholesome ways that God’s revelation is manifest in all people, including LGBTQ people.

Third, among the U.S. laity in our Catholic Church, more welcoming and affirming attitudes toward LGBTQ people continue to expand. Over the past 10 years, surveys and opinion polls keep showing a growing acceptance of LGBTQ people and relationships among U.S. Catholics in the pews. This growth is evident in the large number of Catholic parishes, schools, and college campuses that have already developed projects, policies, and programs to support LGBTQ people. More and more Catholic scholars, writers, and conferences are examining the place of LGBTQ people in church and in society and are advocating for equal treatment.

Moreover, our church has placed a renewed emphasis on its social teaching as a constitutive aspect of its evangelical mission. The Catholic Church today, enlivened by the dangerous memories of those on the underside of history, proclaims the Reign of God especially when it proclaims social justice. This reorientation, begun at Vatican II and developed in theology and the magisterium over the past six decades, calls Catholics and all people of good will to be seekers of peace and doers of justice wherever inequities and suffering exist. If LGBTQ people, who still face myriad forms of discrimination, are not included in our church’s call for justice, its other entreaties for justice will be perceived as untenable.

Conclusion

As Catholic theologians, scholars, church leaders, writers, and ministers, we care deeply about our church and our society. Our strong endorsement of non-discrimination towards LGBTQ people comes from careful reflection on scripture, our church’s tradition and teachings, our academic studies, and our experience of the lives of LGBTQ people. In these sources, we witness the Holy Spirit speaking through them to guide us to live more faithfully the Gospel mandate to pursue justice by hearing and responding to the cry of the poor and marginalized.

We invite all Catholics and people of good will to join us by standing up and speaking out for non-discrimination in your communities. We hope you will join in the mission to make both our church and our world a home for all.

Key Endorsers

Listed alphabetically by last name. Institutional affiliation for identification purposes only.

Katherine Abel
Founder
Affirmed Chicago

Abigail Abysalh-Metzger
NGO Representative to the United Nations
Pax Christi International

Richard Adams
Professor
University of Maryland

Rev. John Adamski
Pastor
Archdiocese of Atlanta

SimonMary Aihiokhai

Associate Professor
University of Portland

Marie Lynette Aldapa
Leader, Ministry with Lesbian and Gay Catholics
Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Rev. James Alison
Independent Scholar

Ruby Almeida
Chair
Bridge and Embrace

Artemae Anderson
Leadership Team Member
Families With Dignity

Kathryn Anderson Kuo
Associate Director of Campus Ministry for Liturgy
Fordham University

Jorge Aquino
Associate Professor
University of San Francisco

Maria-Pilar Aquino
Professor Emerita
University of San Diego

Br. Joseph Bach, OSF
Director, Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation
Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn

Stacie Baltrusitis
Ministry Leader
St. Joseph’s Renewal Center

Constance Battle
Professor, retired
George Washington University

Robert & Elaine Bauer
Liturgy Director
Divine Savior Catholic Church, Orangevale, CA

Rev. Michael Bausch
Pastor Emeritus
Diocese of Rochester

John Becker
Communications Specialist
Catholics for Choice

Rev. Justin Belitz, OFM
Founder and Director
The Franciscan Hermitage

Johan Bergstrom-Allen, TOC
Research Associate
University of York and Carmelite Institute

Rev. James Bernauer, SJ
Krafy Family Professor Emeritus
Boston College

Gerald Beyer
Professor
Villanova University

Adam Beyt
Instructor
Fordham University

Aaron Bianco
Adjunct Instructor
University of San Diego

Willa Bickham and Brendan Walsh
VIVA House Catholic Worker
Baltimore, MD

Sr. Michele Bisbey, CDP
Provincil Director
Sisters of Divine Providence

Thomas Bolin
Professor
St. Norbert College

Rev. Kenneth Boller, SJ
Pastor
Church of Francis Xavier, New York City

Br. Joseph Boney
Community Servant
Mercy of God Community

Rev. Tomasz Borkowski
Pastor
St. Patrick’s Church, Whitinsville, MA

Blase Bova
Executive Director
Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County

Sr. Mary C. Boys, SNJM
Skinner & McAlpin Professor of Practical Theology
Union Theological Seminary

Rev. Jim Bracke
Chaplain
University of Notre Dame

Milton Javier Bravo
Instructor
St. John’s University

Rev. Francis J. Breen
NGO Representative to the United Nations
Maryknoll

Rev. Brian Bricker, OP
Assistant Pastor
St. Pius V Parish, Chicago, IL

Keith Brittin
Chair, Open Hearts Ministry
St Patrick-St Anthony Catholic Church, Hartford, CT

Sherri Brown
Associate Professor
Creighton University

Rev. Joseph Brown, SJ
Professor
Southern Illinois University

B. Kevin Brown
Instructor
Gonzaga University

Sr. Karen Burke, CSJ
Coordinator of Land Initiatives
Sisters of Sr. Joseph, Brentwood, NY

Kevin Burke
Associate Professor
University of Georgia

Don Burt
Deacon
Saint Lawrency Martyr Church, Redondo Beach, CA

Kenneth Butigan
Senior Professional Lecturer
DePaul University

Sr. Donna Butler, SP
Justice Advocate
Sisters of Providence

Lisa Sowle Cahill
Professor of Theology
Boston College

Rev. Joseph Calderone, OSA
Associate Director, Campus Ministry
Villanova University

Susan Calef
Assistant Professor
Creighton University

Sr. Simone Campbell, SSS
Founder and Author
Nuns on the Bus

Sr. Carmella Campione, CSJ
Member, Peace and Justice Team
Congregation of St. Joseph

Michael Campos
Instructor
De La Salle University Manila

Denise Carmody
Professor Emerita
Santa Clara University

Colleen Carpenter
Professor
Saint Catherine University

Matthew Casey-Pariseault
Clinical Assistant Professor
Arizona State University

William Cavanaugh
Professor
DePaul University

Terrence Charlton, SJ
Director
Mwangaza Jesuit Spirituality Centre, Nairobi, Kenya

Robert Christman
Associate Professor
Mohawk Valley Community College

Andrew Cirillo
Campus Minister for Advancement
Catholic Newman Community, University of Rochester

James Claffey
NGO Representative to the United Nations
Congregation of the Mission

William A. Clark
Associate Professor
College of the Holy Cross

Jessica Coblentz
Assistant Professor
Saint Mary’s College

Carly Cohen
Associate Campus Minister
Georgian Court University

Paul Collins
Emeritus Faculty
Australian National University

M Shawn Copeland

Tom Cordaro
Ambassador of Peace
Pax Christi USA

Jeff Corpuz
Professor
De La Salle University

Dan Cosacchi
Assistant Professor
Marywood University

Rev. Joseph Costantino, SJ
Pastor
St. Ignatius Church, Chestnut Hill, MA

Patrick Cousins
Assistant Director of Campus Ministry
Saint Louis University

Kathy Cox
Research Associate
University of San Diego

Rev. David Cray, SSE
Superior General
Society of St. Edmund

Gordon Creamer
Lay Minister for LGBTQ+ Ministry
St. Ignatius Catholic Church, Baltimore, MD

Philip Cronce
Associate Professor (retired)
Chicago State University

Rev. Charles Curran
Scurlock University Professor of Human Values
Southern Methodist University

Timothy Curran
LGBTQ Ministry Leader
St. Patrick/St. Anthony Church, Hartford, CT

Sr. Denise Curry, SNDdeN
Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation East-West Coordinator
Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur

Patrick Curtin
Chaplain
Chaplaincy Institute for Interfaith Studies

Sr. Anne Curtis, RSM
Director
Mercy Ecology

Linda Dakin-Grimm
Senior Fellow, Advanced Leadership Institute
Harvard University

Sr. Patricia Daly, OP
Corporate Responsibility and Impact Investment Minister
Caldwell Dominican Sisters

Rev. Frederick Daley
Pastor
All Saints Church, Syracuse, NY

Mary D’Angelo
Associate Professor Emerita
University of Notre Dame

Brandy Daniels
Assistant Professor
University of Portland

Shawnee Daniels-Sykes
Professor
Mount Mary University

Rev. Rich Danyluk, sscc
Second Councilor
Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, US Province

Sr. Camille D’Arienzo, RSM
Writer and Catholic Media Commentator

David Dault
Executive Producer and Host
Things Not Seen Radio

Lynn Dault
Assistant Professor
Loyola University Chicago

Maria Teresa Davila
Visiting Associate Professor
Merrimack College

Stacy Davis
Professor
Saint Mary’s College

Neomi De Anda
Associate Professor
University of Dayton

Louis de Strycker
Former Board Member, Sedes Sapientiae Foundation
Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

Francis DeBernardo
Executive Director
New Ways Ministry

Rev. James DeBruycker
Pastor
St. Joan of Arc, Minneapolis, MN

Rev. John Deegan, OSA
Director of the Justice and Peace Office
Augustinians, Province of St. Thomas of Villanova

Rev. Dominic DeLay, OP
Associate Pastor
Catholic Community at Stanford University

Teresa Delgado
Professor
Iona College

Sr. Ilia Delio
Connelly Chair
Villanova University

Marie Dennis
Senior Advisor to the Secretary General
Pax Christi International

Claire Dente
Professor
West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Sr. Luisa Derouen, OP
Minister to the Transgender Community
Dominican Sisters of Peace

Sr. Kathleen Desautels, SP
Community Organizer and Justice Advocate
Sisters of Providence of St. Mary-of-the-Woods

Miguel Díaz
The John Courtney Murray University Chair in Public Service
Loyola University Chicago

Ansgar Dierkes
Diocesan Synod Member
Diocese of Limburg

Lynn Discenza
Leader, LGBTQ+ Parish Ministry
Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry, Hartford, CT

Mary Doak
Professor
University of San Diego

William Dohar
Senior Lecturer
Santa Clara University

Linda Plitt Donaldson
Associate Dean
James Madison University

Brian Doyle
Professor
Marymount University

Franziska Driessen-Reding
President, Synode Council
Catholic Canton of Zurich, Switzerland

Marianne Duddy-Burke
Executive Director
DignityUSA

Sr. Ellen Dunn, OP
Delegate for Religious, retired
Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston

Sr. Sara Dwyer, ASC
Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Contact
Adorers of the Blood of Christ, US Region

Rev. Patrick Earl, SJ
Associate Pastor
Holy Trinity Church, Washington, DC

Emily Eckwahl-Sanna
Managing Editor
U.S. Catholic

John Edwards
Director, Center for Pastoral Ministry Education
Villanova University

Matthew Eggemeier
Professor
College of the Holy Cross

Robert Ellsberg
Publisher
Orbis Books

Orlando Espin
Professor Emeritus
University of San Diego

Massimo Faggioli
Professor
Villanova University

Joseph Fahey
Chair
Catholic Scholars for Worker Justice

Sr. Pamela Falkowski
North American Province Leader
Sisters of the Cenacle

Rev. Robert Fambrini, SJ
Pastor
St. Francis Xavier Church, Phoenix, AZ

Sr. Margaret Farley, RSM

Professor Emerita
Yale Divinity School

Rev. Paolo Fedrigoni
Congregational Leader
Consolata Missionaries

Dwayne Fernandes
Director of Spirituality
New Ways Ministry

Adan Fernandez
Director of Music and Liturgy
Holy Family Catholic Community, Glendale, CA

Rev. David T. Fitzgerald, SP
Father Servant
Servants of the Paraclete

Sr. Arlene Flaherty, OP
Preacher/Justice Promoter
Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt, NY

Brian Flanagan
Associate Professor
Marymount University

Rev. Tony Flannery, C.Ss.R
Author
A Question of Conscience

Nichole Flores
Assistant Professor
University of Virginia

Sr. Maureen Foltz
Intercontinental Coordinator
Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation, Carmelites, Vedruna

Craig Ford, Jr
Assistant Professor
St. Norbert College

Ashley Frank
Professor
North-West University, South Africa

Janet Frayer
Associate Coordinator
Congregation of St. Joseph

Sr. Rosemary Fry, CSJ
Vocation Director
Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto

Lisa Fullam
Professor
Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University

Richard Gaillardetz
Joseph Professor of Catholic Systematic Theology
Boston College

Sr. Elise García, OP
General Councilor
Dominican Sisters of Adrian

Rev. Francis Gargani, C.Ss.P
Evangelization Team
Redemptorist Fathers and Brothers

Edwina Gateley
Author and Speaker

Sue Geegan
Director of Human Concerns
Holy Family Catholic Community, Inverness, IL

John Gehring
Catholic Program Director
Faith in Public Life

Carol Gibney
Campus Minister
Fordham University

Kate Giancatarino
Campus Minister
Villanova University

Judy Giesen
Former Human Rights Commissioner
Dubuque, IA

Laurent Gilbert, Sr.
Former Mayor
Lewiston, ME

Anas Gilgamesh
LGBTQ Rights Activist of Iraq

Michelle Gilgannon
Assistant Professor
Cardinal Stritch University

Rev. Luigi Gioia
Research Associate
Von Hügel Institute, Cambridge University

Rev. Anthony Gittins, CSSp
Professor Emeritus
Catholic Theological Union

Roberto Goizueta
Flatley Professor Emeritus of Catholic Theology
Boston College

Kristi Gonsalves-McCabe
Chief of Staff
Regis University

Sr. Fran Gorsuch, CBS
Leadership Team and Vocation Director
Sisters of Bon Secour

Chantal Götz
Director
Voices of Faith

Jeannine Gramick, SL
Co-founder
New Ways Ministry

June-Ann Greeley
Associate Professor
Sacred Heart University

Rev. Gregory Greiten
Pastor
St. Bernadette Parish, Milwaukee, WI

Sr. Donna Marie Gribschaw, CDP
Provincial Councilor
Sisters of Divine Providence

Thomas Groome
Professor
Boston College

Alex Gruber
Adjunct Lecturer
St. Norbert College

Leo Guardado
Assistant Professor
Fordham University

Rev. Michael Guinan, OFM
Professor Emeritus
Franciscan School of Theology

Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton
Auxiliary Bishop, Retired
Archdiocese of Detroit

Rev. Kyle Haden, OFM
Associate Professor
St. Bonaventure University

Rev. Roger D. Haight, SJ
Professor
Union Theological Seminary

Laura Haigwood
Professor
Saint Mary’s College

Hille Haker
Richard McCormick Endowed Chair in Catholic Moral Theology
Loyola University Chicago

Ursula Halligan
We Are Church Ireland

Rev. James Halstead, OSA
Professor (retired)
DePaul University

Julie Hanlon Rubio
Professor
Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University

Ron Hansen
Author and Endowed Chair
Santa Clara University

Andrew Hanson-Quintana
Campus Minister
Santa Clara University

M. Cathy Harmon
Chair, Steering Committee
Catholics for Common Good – Georgia

Corey Harris
Associate Professor
Alvernia University

Brian Hartig
LGBTQ Ministry Leader
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Vista, California

Rev. William Hart McNichols
Artist and Pastoral Minister
Archdiocese of Santa Fe

Sr. Patricia Harvat, OP
General Councilor
Dominican Sisters of Adrian

Jennifer Haselberger
Independent Scholar

Daniel A. Helminiak
Emeritus Professor
University of West Georgia

Sr. Carmen Hernandez
Congregational Leader
Sisters of the Presentation, Dubuque, IA

Kristin Heyer
Professor
Boston College

Sr. Margaret Hickey, ND
Provincial President
Notre Dame Sisters, Omaha, NE

Jacqueline Hidalgo
Professor
Williams College

Jeannine Hill Fletcher
Professor
Fordham University

Mary Hines
Professor Emerita
Emmanuel College

MaryAnn Hinsdale
Associate Professor
Boston College

Bradford Hinze
Endowed Chair
Fordham University

Angela Hollar
Rector
University of Notre Dame

Rev. David Hollenbach, SJ
Pedro Arrupe Distinguished Research Professor
Georgetown University

Mary Kate Holman
Assistant Professor
Benedictine University

Colm Holmes
Chair
We Are Church International

Rev. Robert Holmes
Peace and Integrity of Creation Committee
Basilian Fathers

James Holzhauer-Chuckas, ObSB
Senior Director
United Catholic Youth Ministries

Rev. Daniel Horan, OFM
Director of the Center for Spirituality and Professor
Saint Mary’s College

J. Patrick Hornbeck II
Professor
Fordham University

Anita Houck
Professor
Saint Mary’s College

Angela Howard-McParland
Justice Resource Manager
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas

Joan Huber
Youth Minister
Cathedral of the Assumption, Louisville, KY

Br. Cornelius E. Hubbuch
Former Superior General
Xaverian Brothers

Peter Huff
Professor
Benedictine University

Rev. James Hug, SJ
Author, Pastoral Minister, and Activist

Christian Hulburt
Deacon
Diocese of San Diego

Mary Hunt
Co-Director
Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual

Davis Idnowa
Executive Director
Reginal Network

Natalia Imperatori-Lee
Professor
Manhattan College

John Inglis
Professor
University of Dayton

Mary Jo Iozzio
Professor
Boston College School of Theology and Ministry

Chandra Irvin
Executive Director for Peace and Spiritual Renewal
Spalding University

Devon James
Associate Director of Campus Ministry
St. Paul’s Newman Center, Laramie, WY

Jan Jans
Associate Professor (retired)
Tilburg University

Michael Jaycox
Associate Professor
Seattle University

Claire Jenkins
Fellow
Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology

Sr. Elizabeth Johnson, CSJ
Distinguished Professor Emerita
Fordham University

Rev. Terry Johnson
Chaplain
Sisters of Providence of St. Mary of the Woods

Zach Johnson
Executive Director
Call to Action

Arthur Jones
Co-facilitator, Social Justice Ministry
Cure d’Ars Catholic Church, Denver

Patricia Beattie Jung
Professor (retired)
Saint Paul School of Theology

Sr. Karen Kappell, FSPA
Mission Councilor
Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration

Mary Karr
Peck Professor of Literature
Syracuse University

Sr. Rebecca Keller
Administrator
Sisters of Providence

Rev. Christopher Kellerman, SJ
Interim Director
Jesuit Social Research Institute

Thomas Kelly
Professor
Creighton University

Kathy Kelly
Advisory Board
World Beyond War

Evelyn Kirkley
Associate Professor
University of San Diego

Mel Kitchen
Coordinator
Lehigh University Pride Center

Phil Klay
Author and Creative Writing Faculty
Fairfield University

Ashley Klick
Pastoral Associate for Social Justice
Holy Trinity Catholic Church

Stefanie Knauss
Associate Professor
Villanova University

Jacob Kohlhaas
Associate Professor
Loras College

Rev. Dale Korogi
Pastor
Church of the Ascension, Minneapolis, MN

Mary Krantz
Professor Emerita
Weber State University

Travis LaCouter
Visiting Assistant Professor
College of the Holy Cross

Paul Lakeland
Professor
Fairfield University

Thomas Landy
Director, McFarland Center
College of the Holy Cross

Gerard M. Lawler
Knight
Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem

Michael G. Lawler
Endowed Graff Chair in Catholic Theology Emeritus
Creighton University

James Laxa
Director, Lasallian Pastoral Office
De La Salle University

Michael Leach
Publisher Emeritus
Orbis Books

Martin Leahy
Professor
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Claudia Leal
Assistant Professor
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Sr. Louise Lears, SC
Social Justice Advocate
Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati

Rev. Daniel LeBlanc
NGO Representative at the United Nations
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate

Br. Jon R. Lechner, CCR
Congregational Leader
Community of Christus Rex

Rev. John M. Lee, CP
Pastoral Minister
St. Ann Monastery, Scranton, PA

Bruce Lescher
Senior Lecturer Emeritus
Santa Clara University

Sr. Elizabeth Linehan, RSM
Chair, Working Group on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Sisters of Mercy

Cristina Lledo Gomez
Presentation Sisters Lecturer in Theology
BBI-The Australian Institute of Theological Education

Sr. Mary Ellen Loch
Peace and Justice Coordinator
Congregation of St. Joseph

Gerard Loughlin
Professor, Department of Theology and Religion
Durham University

Cathie Macauley
Coordinator, Pastoral Home Care
Archdiocese of Montreal

Gary Macy
Professor
Santa Clara University

Martin Madar
Associate Professor
Xavier University

Julie Madden
Director, Peace and Justice Ministries
St. Joan of Arc Church, Minneapolis, MN

Daniel C. Maguire
Emeritus Professor
Marquette University

Gregory Maguire
Author

Jamie Manson
President
Catholics for Choice

Rev. Jonathan Marín, SJ
Professor
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana

Sr. Ellen Maroney, IHM
President
Congregation of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Scranton

Eric Martin
Lecturer
University of California, Los Angeles

Jacquie Martin
Coordinator of Social Action
Manhattan College

Maria Marx
Associate Director of Campus Ministry
Neumann University

Rev. Bryan Massingale
James and Nancy Buckman Professor of Theological and Social Ethics
Fordham University

Robert Masson
Professor Emeritus
Marquette University

John R. Mastalski
Manager of Spiritual Care
PeaceHealth Northwest Network

Mary McAleese
Professor
University of Glasgow

Megan McCabe
Assistant Professor
Gonzaga University

John McDargh
Associate Professor
Boston College

Rev. Jim McDermott, SJ
Author

Bill McDonough
Professor
St. Catherine University

Sean McElwee
Campus Minister
Villanova University

William McFadden
Associate Professor
Georgetown University

Dugan McGinley
Teaching Professor
Rutgers University

Sr. Mary McGlone, CSJ
Congregational Leadership Team
Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet

Br. Mickey McGrath
Artist and Author

Margaret McGuiness
Professor
La Salle University

Patrick McKenzie
Director of Campus Ministry
Neumann University

Molly McKinnon
Campus Minister
Gonzaga Preparatory School

Br. Sean McLaughlin, SDS
Provincial Council Member
Society of the Divine Savior

Christopher McMahon
Professor
Saint Vincent College

Sr. Patricia McMahon, OSF
Mission Integration Minister
Sisters of St. Francis, Holy Name Province

Brian McNaught
Author

Linda McNeil
LGBTQ+ Youth Programs Director, retired
Side By Side Virginia

Christina McRorie
Assistant Professor
Creighton University

Marcus Mescher
Associate Professor
Xavier University

Robert Miailovich
Former President
DignityUSA

Rev. Lawrence Mick
Chaplain/Moderator
St. Leonard Faith Community, Centerville, OH

Alex Mikulich
Independent Scholar

Br. Ernest Miller, FSC
Vice President of Mission, Diversity and Inclusion
LaSalle University

Vincent Miller
Professor
University of Dayton

Steven Millies
Professor
Catholic Theological Union

David Mills
Retired Justice
Massachusetts Appeals Court

Kevin C Molloy
Adjunct Faculty
Fairfield University

Rev. Joseph Monahan, TOR
Director of Pastoral Care
Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital

Maurice Monette
Author

Xavier Montecel
Adjunct Faculty
Boston College

Catherine Mooney
Associate Professor
Boston College

Rev. Terrence Moran
Director of the Office of Peace, Justice, and Ecological Integrity
Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth

Bruce Morrill
Edward A. Malloy Chair in Roman Catholic Studies
Vanderbilt University

Diane Batts Morrow
Associate Professor Emerita
University of Georgia

Karen Mortillaro
Director of Mission and Identity
Ursuline Provincialate USA Central Province

Sr. Kathlyn Mulcahy, OP
Executive Director
Bethany House of Hospitality

Sr. Coralie Muzzy, CSJP
Director of Vocations and Formation
Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace

Rev. William Murphy
Pastor
Mother of Mercy House, Philadelphia, PA

Rev. Joe Muth
Catholic Chaplain
Notre Dame of Maryland University

Rev. Zacchaeus Maria Naegele, OSB Carm
Assistant to the Prior
New Camaldoli Hermitage

Rev. Joseph Nangle, OFM
Minister to the Latinx Community
Our Lady, Queen of Peace, Arlington, VA

Rev. Joseph Nassal, CPPS
Retreat Director, Renewal and Reconciliation Ministry
Missionaries of the Precious Blood

Sr. Catherine Nerney, SSJ
Director of Institute for Forgiveness and Reconciliation
Chestnut Hill College

Diann Neu
Co-Director
Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual

Mark Neuhengen
Director of Evangelization and Parish Ministry
St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Parish, Chicago, IL

Bobby Nichols
Rector
University of Notre Dame

Jon Nilson
Professor Emeritus
Loyola University Chicago

Michael Norko
Professor
Yale University School of Medicine

Dawn M. Nothwehr, OSF
John Family Chair of Catholic Ethics
Catholic Theological Union

Mary J. Novak
Executive Director
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice

David O’Brien
Professor Emeritus
College of the Holy Cross

Rev. David O’Leary
Pastor
Good Shepherd Parish, Wayland, MA

Br. Jerry O’Leary, CFX
Justice Advocate
Xaverian Brothers

Rev. Seamus O’Looskan
Deacon and School Leader
Sacred Heart and St. Margaret Mary, Leicester

Thomas O’Loughlin
Professor Emeritus
University of Nottingham

Rev. Dennis O’Neill
Administrator
St. Martha of Bethany Church/Shrine of All Saints, Morton Grove, IL

William O’Neill
Professor Emeritus
Santa Clara University

Kaya Oakes
Author

Stanislaw Obirek
Professor
University of Warsaw

Amy Omi
Minister for Liturgy and the Arts
Dominican University

Rev. Lionel Pacheco
Associate Pastor
Immaculate Conception Monastery Parish Church, Jamaica, NY

Melissa Pagán
Associate Professor
Mount Saint Mary’s University

Rev. Joseph Palacios
Contributing Fellow, Center for Religion and Civic Culture
University of Southern California

Alfred Pang
Independent Scholar

Sr. Pat Parachini, SNJM
Professor of Pastoral Theology, Retired
Sisters of the Holy Names

Susie Paulik Babka
Associate Professor
University of San Diego

Rev. John T. Pawlikowski, OSM
Professor Emeritus
Catholic Theological Union

Stephanie Peddicord
President
Center for FaithJustice

Martin Pendergast
LGBT+ Catholics Westminster, UK

Joseanne Peregin
Leader
Drachma Parents Group, Malta

Michael Perry
Robert W. Woodruff Professor of Law
Emory University

Rev. Sy Peterka, CM
Pastor
St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Church, Philadelphia, PA

Sr. Joy Peterson
Counselor, Congregational Leadership Team
Sisters of the Presentation, Dubuque, IA

Jim Petosa
Professor Emeritus
Boston University

Rev. Christopher Pett
President
DignityUSA

Linda Pinto
Co-President
CORPUS

Rev. Gian Paolo Pezzi, Mccj
Coordinator, Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Commission
Comboni Missionaries

Rev. James Piszker
Interim Director of Campus Ministry
Mercyhurst University

Dolly Pomerleau
Co-Founder
Quixote Center

Stephen Pope
Professor
Boston College

James Porter
Professor
Miami University

Rev. Paul J. Portland, SDS
Pastor
Society of the Divine Savior

Christopher Pramuk
University Chair of Ignatian Thought and Imagination
Regis University

Sr. Helen Prejean, CSJ
Executive Director
Ministry Against the Death Penalty

Michael Prendergast
Adjunct Instructor
University of Portland

Rev. Richard Prendergast
Pastor
St. Gertrude Parish, Chicago, IL

Rev. John Prior, SVD
Professor
Ledalero Institute of Philosophy

Rev. Stephen Privett, SJ
President Emeritus
University of San Francisco

Rev. Christopher Promis, C.S.Sp
Formator, retired
Congregation of the Holy Spirit

Bernard P. Prusak
Professor, Historical and Systematic Theology
Villanova University

Andrew Radde-Gallwitz
Associate Professor
University of Notre Dame

James Rauner
Deacon
Diocese of Kalamazoo

James Reding
Catholic Dialogue Consultant
Human Rights Campaign

Lis Regula
Lecturer
University of Dayton

Conor Reidy
Campus Minister
Manhattan College

Emily Reimer-Barry
Associate Professor
University of San Diego

Elaine Rendler
Professor
George Mason University

Rev. Maurice Restivo, CSB
Pastor
Windsor Heritage Catholic Family of Parishes, Canada

Sr. Nancy Reynolds, SP
Canonical Consultant
Sisters of Providence of St. Mary of the Woods

James K. Riley
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Long Island University

Callie Rimpfel
Dean of Students
Misericordia University

Tom Roberts
Former Editor
National Catholic Reporter

Jim Robinson
Clinical Lecturer
Iona College

Br. Joseph Roccasalva
Deacon
St Jude Parish, New Lenox, IL

Mary M. Doyle Roche
Associate Professor
College of the Holy Cross

Nita Rodrigues
Spiritual Chairperson
Catholic Women’s League, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Council

Carlos Rodriguez
Deacon
Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Gerardo Rodriguez
Assistant Professor
St. Norbert College

Richard Rodriguez
Author

Sr. Cecile Roeger, OP
Promoter of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation
Dominican Sisters of Houston

Marian Ronan
Research Professor
New York Theological Seminary

Deborah Rose-Milavec
Co-Director
FutureChurch

Susan A. Ross
Professor Emerita
Loyola University Chicago

Fran Rossi Szpylczyn
Writer and Retreat Director

Nancy Rourke
Associate Professor
Canisius College

Janet Ruffing
Professor Emerita of the Practice of Spirituality
Yale Divinity School

Stephen Rumler
Director of Music
St Peter Catholic Church, Douglas, MI

Sr. Gayle Rusbasan, OSF
Assistant Director of Ministry
University of St. Francis

Joanne Rutkowski
Professor Emeritus
The Pennsylvania State University

Gregory Ryan
Assistant Professor
Durham University

Virginia Ryan
Lecturer
College of the Holy Cross

Therese Sabine
Director
St. Patrick Refugee Outreach, Dallas, TX

Todd Salzman
Amelia and Emil Graff Chair of Catholic Theology
Creighton University

Rev. Alexander Santora
Pastor and Dean
The Church of Our Lady of Grace & St. Joseph, Hoboken, N.J.

Valerie Sayers
Professor Emerita
University of Notre Dame

Rev. Dennis Schafer, OFM
Pastor
St Patrick Parish, Indianapolis, IN

Anna Floerke Scheid
Associate Professor
Duquesne University

Br. Joseph Scheiter, FSC
Professor Emeritus
De La Salle University

Judith Schiavo
Spiritual Director and Retreat Facilitator
Loyola Jesuit Center and Mariandale Retreat Center

Anna Schmidt
Adjunct Instructor
Saint Louis University

Rev. Les Schmidt
Bishops’ Liaison
Catholic Committee of the South

Mary L. Schneider
Professor
Cardinal Stritch University

Nathan Schneider
Assistant Professor
University of Colorado Boulder

 Sandra M. Schneiders, IHM
Professor Emerita
Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University

Rev. Peter Schuessler, SDS
Vicar Provincial and Director of Formation
Society of the Divine Savior

Rev. Jack Schuler
Pastor
St. Cronan Parish, St. Louis, MO

Valerie Schultz
Writer

Paul Schutz
Professor
Santa Clara University

Joseph Selling
Professor Emeritus
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

Carolyn Shalhoub
Vice President and Liturgy Coordinator
Dignity/Detroit

Sr. Teresa Shaw, SSJ
Congregational Leader
Sisters of Saint Joseph of Philadelphia

John Sheveland
Professor
Gonzaga University

Robert Shine
Associate Director
New Ways Ministry

Rev. Timothy Shreenan, OFM
Pastor
St. Patrick-St. Anthony Church, Hartford, CT

Carl Siciliano
Founder
Ali Forney Center, NY

Sr. Patricia Siemen, OP
Leadership Team
Adrian Dominican Sisters

John Sivalon
Author

Paulette Skiba, BVM
Professor
Clarke University

Rev. Thomas Smith, CSW
Deacon
Archdiocese of Newark

John Sniegocki
Professor
Xavier University

Keith Soko
Professor
St. Ambrose University

Jean Soto
Adjunt Faculty
Santa Clara University

Sr. Marsha Speth, SP
Formation Director
Sisters of Providence

Mary Steckart
Minister for OUTLOUD and Community Outreach
St. Norbert College Parish

Jason Steidl
Assistant Teaching Professor
St. Joseph’s College

Ted Steiner
Chief Mission Officer and Director of Campus Ministry
Notre Dame College

David Stosur
Professor
Cardinal Stritch University

Eric Styles
Rector
University of Notre Dame

Rev. Paul Sullivan, SJ
Pastor
Our Lady of Hope Parish, Portland, ME

Anthony Suárez-Abraham
Adjunct Instructor
Dominican University

Rev. Chris Sullivan
Deacon
St Mark’s Catholic Church, Auckland, New Zealand

Sr. Betty Sundry, CDP
Director of Social Concerns
Sisters of Divine Providence

Edward Sunshine
Professor Emeritus
Barry University

Sr. Grace Surdovel, IHM
Editory and Faculty
Wilkes University

Jon M. Sweeney
Editor at Large
Orbis Books

Axel Takacs
Assistant Professor
Seton Hall University

Kathleen Talvacchia
Independent Scholar

Elizabeth Taylor
Facilitator of LGBTQ+ Outreach
Holy Family Catholic Church, South Pasadena, CA

Laura Taylor
Associate Professor
The College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University

Karen Teel
Professor
University of San Diego

J. Milburn Thompson
Professor Emeritus
Bellarmine University

Tracy Tiemeier
Associate Professor
Loyola Marymount University

Terrence Tilley
Professor Emeritus
Fordham University

Jacob Torbeck
Instructor
Loyola University Chicago

Cristina Traina
Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J. Chair of Catholic Theology
Fordham University

Yunuen Trujillo
Religious Formation Coordinator (Spanish)
Catholic Ministry with Lesbian and Gay Persons

Mary Turgi, CSC
Chair, Justice Committee
Sisters of the Holy Cross

Edward Vacek
Duffy Professor of Christian Ethics
Loyola University New Orleans

O. Ernesto Valiente
Associate Professor
Boston College

Elisabeth Vasko
Associate Professor
Duquesne University

Michael Vazquez
Religion and Faith Director
Human Rights Campaign

Christopher Vella
Coordinator
Drachma LGBTI

Sr. Joetta Venneman
Director, Office of Social and Environmental Justice
Sisters of Charity of Nazareth

Andrea Vicini, SJ
Michael P. Walsh Professor of Bioethics
Boston College

Enric Vilà Lanao
Administrator
Centre LGBTI of Barcelona

Christopher Vogt
Associate Professor
St. John’s University

Jim Vogt
Executive Director
Marianist Social Justice Collaborative

Rachel Wheeler
Assistant Professor
University of Portland

C. Vanessa White
Associate Professor
Catholic Theological Union

Mary Whiteside
Director of Adult Faith and Pastoral Care
Holy Family Parish, Chicago, IL

Emil Wick
Director, LGBTQ+ Spirituality Ministry
St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Oceanside, CA

Gary Wills
Professor Emeritus
Northwestern University

Rev. Stuart Wilson-Smith, CSP
Associate Pastor
Old St. Mary’s Church, Chicago, IL

Rev. Jeffrey Wocken, SDS
Provincial Superior
Society of the Divine Savior

Rev. Richard Woods, OP
Professor of Theology
Dominican University

Martin Yelle
Director of Mission
Sanctuaire Notre-Dame-du-Cap

Mark Yenson
Associate Professor
King’s University College

Sandra Yocum
Endowed Chair
University of Dayton

Johnny Zokovitch
Executive Director
Pax Christi USA

Supporting Endorsers

Religious are listed by community and then alphabetically by last name. Institutional affiliation for identification purposes only.

Laity and diocesan clergy are lasted by state and then alphabetically by last name.

Members of Vowed Religious Communities

Adorers of the Blood of Christ

Sr. Anne Irose, ASC
Sr. Hang Pham, ASC
Sr. Miriam Rau, ASC
Sr. Kathleen Reid, ASC
Sr. Kris Schrader, ASC
Sr. Bernadine Wessel, ASC
Sr. M Alan Wurth, ASC

Brothers of the Christian Schools

Br. Joseph Scheiter, FSC

Carmelite Sisters of Charity

Sr. Maureen Foltz, CCV

Carmelites

Br. Matthew Gummess, O. Carm.
Br. Thomas Murphy, O. Carm.

Congregation of the Holy Cross

Br. George Klawitter, CSC
Br. Joe McTaggart, CSC
Br. Doug Roach, CSC
Rev. David Schlaver, CSC
Rev. Norbert Sinski, CSC

Divine Word Missionaries

Rev. Kenneth Hamilton, SVD

Dominican Sisters of Peace

Sr. Margie Davis, OP
Sr. Ellen Dunn, OP

Dominican Sisters of Springfield

Sr. Mila Diaz, OP
Sr. Elizabeth, OP
Sr. Judith Hilbing, OP
Sr. Bernice Juip, OP
Sr. Linda Sue Noe, OP

Edmundites

Br. Thomas Berube, SSE

Erie Benedictines

Sr. Anne Wambach, OSB

Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration

Sr. Julia Walsh, FSPA

Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart

Sr. Nancy Kaczmarek, GNSH

Marist Fathers and Brothers

Br. A. Brian Zampier, SM

Missionaries of the Precious Blood

Rev. Frederick Licciardi, C.PP.S
Rev. Mark Miller, C.PP.S.

Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception

Sr. Anne Marie Raftery, MFIC

Order of Friars Minor

Rev. Richard Baranski, OFM
Br. Jim McIntosh, OFM
Br. Steven Young, OFM
Br. Thomas Zerafa, OFM

Order of Friars Minor, Capuchin

Br. Benjamin Regotti, OFM Cap.

Order of Preachers

Rev. Dominic DeLay, OP

Priests of the Sacred Heart

Rev. Robert Bossie, SCJ

Racine Dominicans

Sr. Kathy Slesar, OP

Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Sr. Irma Dillard, RSCJ

School Sisters of Notre Dame

Sr. Bernadette Marie Ravenstahl, SSND

Sisters of Charity of Nazareth

Sr. Eugenie Coakley, SCN
Sr. Sarah Ferriell, SCN
Sr. Barbara Lammers, SCN
Sr. Marilyn Shea, SCN

Sisters of Charity of New York

Sr. Mary Kay Finneran, SC

Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill

Sr. Joyce Serratore, SC

Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine

Sr. Marian Durkin, CSA

Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Sr. Marie Corr, BVM
Sr. Mary Martens, BVM
Sr. Joellen McCarthy, BVM
Sr. Mary Ellen Meckley, BVM
Sr. MaryEllen Meckley, BVM
Sr. Diane Rapozo, BVM
Sr. Barbara Reder, BVM
Sr. Sandra Rodemyer, BVM
Sr. Marilyn Wilson, BVM

Sisters of Divine Providence

Sr. Barbara McMullen, CDP
Sr. Carol Stenger, CDP

Sisters of Mercy

Sr. Cecilia Baranowski, RSM
Sr. Julie Brown, RSM
Sr. Jeanne Christensen, RSM
Sr. Mary Kay Dobrovolny, RSM
Sr. Carmela Garofalo, RSM
Sr. Celeste Nuttman, RSM
Sr. Natalie Rossi, RSM
Sr. Janet Rozzano, RSM
Sr. Karen Scheer, RSM
Sr. Christine Seghetti, RSM
Sr. Kathy Thornton, RSM

Sisters of Notre Dame

Sr. Olivia Maria Latiano, SND
Sr. Geralyn Stenger, SND

Sisters of Providence of St. Mary of the Woods, Indiana

Sr. Maureen Abbott, SP
Sr. Nancy Bartasavich, SP
Sr. Corbin Hannah, SP
Sr. Tracey Horan, SP
Sr. Paula Modaff, SP
Sr. Carol Nolan, SP
Sr. Dorothy Rasche, SP
Sr. Nancy Reynolds, SP
Sr. Beth Wright, SP

Sisters of St. Francis

Sr. Elizabeth Brosmer, OSF

Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities

Sr. Donna McGartland, OSF

Sisters of St. Joseph

Sr. Molly Bauer, CSJ
Sr. Nancy Corcoran, CSJ
Sr. Janet Fleischhacker, CSJ
Sr. Goretti Germain, CSJ
Sr. Carlotta Gilarde, CSJ
Sr. JeanneMarie Greenen, CSJ
Sr. Maria Hill, CSJ
Sr. Rosemary LaFlaur, CSJ
Sr. Mary Catherine Liston, CSJ
Sr. Mary Ellen Loch, CSJ
Sr. Joan Manuel, CSJ
Sr. Nancy Marsh, CSJ
Sr. Marty McEntee, CSJ
Sr. Marie McKenna, CSJ
Sr. Catherine Nerney, CSJ
Sr. Nina Rodriguez, CSJ
Sr. Joellen Sbrissa, CSJ
Sr. Mary Southard, CSJ
Sr. Mary Ann Wyllie, CSJ

Sisters of the Good Shepherd

Sr. Jane McVeigh, SJBP

Sisters of the Humility of Mary

Sr. Susan Schorsten, HM

Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Sr. Beth Kress, PBVM

Society of Jesus

Rev. Richard Bollman, SJ
Rev. Stephen Privett, SJ
Rev. Mike Sala, SJ

Society of the Sacred Heart

Sr. Jane O’Shaughnessy, RSCJ

Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland

Sr. Mary Eileen Boyle, OSU
Sr. Anne Marie Diedrich, OSU
Sr. Pamela Fowle, OSU
Sr. Susan Durkin, OSU
Sr. Sheila Marie Tobbe, OSU
Sr. Ruth Urbanski, OSU

Xaverian Brothers

Br. Kenney Gorman, CFX
Br. Ron Santoro, CFX

Laity and Diocesan Clergy

Alabama

Maegan Reynolds

Arkansas

William Lindsey

Arizona

Thomas Donlan
John Kimble, Jr.
Allan McWilliams
Margaret Ryan
Kevin John Smith
Steven Stencil

California

Marie Barone
Sharon Bock
Madison Boynton
Marc Brenneman
Paula Bristol
Brian Bromberger
Marcia Burt
Rev. Peter Canavan
Mark Cappetta
Nichole Carrubba
Janet Castaneda
Wendy Clemente
Diane Collison
Arlene Colon
Antonio Contreras
Anastasia Ellis
Kris Eterea
Wesley Fanelli
Cathy Foxhoven
Elizabeth Freisen
Rosalyn Gallo
Refugio Godinez
Frank and Nancy Greaney
Anita Green
Terese Green
Lenore Greene
Doris Hand
Patricia Hogan
Mary Huebner
Marc Lim
Rev. Rosa Manriquez, IHM
Christopher Mathews
Mary McConnell
Greg Mellor
John Minck, Sr.
Damaris Molina
Thomas Mullin
Jenny Naughton
Jennifer O’Malley
Rhonda Oaxaca
Patricia Quirarte
Joseph Ramelo
Hunter Ramp
Kevin Michael Rodríquez
Rev. Paul Rossi
Ish Ruiz
Kathrine Schneider
Rev. Donna Shaw
Don E. Siegal
Zachariah Sperry
Gwen Watson
Lisa Williams
Andrea Wise

Colorado

Robert Anders
Paula Arroyo
Veronica Camargo
Christine Chao
Kathleen Conneen
Andrew Conneen
Rev. Michael DeSciose
Frances Feeney
Ken Fitch
Frank and Jerry Gold
Terrance Kelly
Christopher Leavens
Thomas McCormick
Debbie Miller
Grego Peña-Camprubí
Mel Preusser
David Roling
Paula Sapienza
Beth Stewart
Martha Uebelher
Tricia Williams

Connecticut

David Bike
Richard Broggini
Antonia Cordero
Martha DiGiovanni
Mary Espinosa
Suzanne LaVoie
Jack Martins
Terry McLaren
Mary Ellen Mohring
Mary Dottie Moon
Pamela Morrison-Wolf
Erica Nieves
Annemarie O’Connor
Michael Reynolds
Christine Robinson
Rapaglia Scholar
Rev. Saji Thengumkudiyil
Nelson C. Walker, II
Barbara Weber-Chess

Delaware

Agnese Brien
Mary Louise Chesley-Cora
Timothy O’Donoghue

District of Columbia

Carly Anderson
Thomas Bower
Ellis Butler
Patrick Canavan
Rev. Peter Daly
Jake Hudson
Robert McKeon
Eileen Moore
Carrie Roling
Paul Shaya
Natalka Slabyj
Mary Ellen Taylor

Florida

Julie Butler
Carol Cummins
Dave Fletcher
Stan Kutz
Lauren Lawler
Alex Maokes
Paula Mattras
George Meyer
Rev. Michael Moran
Rev. Vincent Morton
Rita O’Hara
Claudine Pannell-Goodlett
Joseph Perry
Rev. Albert Pike
Linda Roberts
Sam Sinnett
Rev. John Tivenan
Carmen M. Villafañe
Terrance Wagner

Georgia

Erik Lee-Ryan
William Ramsey, Jr.
Rev. Bruce Wilkinson

Idaho

Tamra Bieber
Judith Butler
Deacon Arthur Dodson, Jr.

Iowa

Mary Lu Callahan
Josephine DeVries
Shannon K. Evans
Kathy Glatz
Charles Glatz
Rev. John Ludwig
April Pearson-Decklever
John Tenhundfeld

Illinois

Anne Bosslet
Alan Bosslet
Chris Evon
Lauren Fair
Rick Garcia
Mary Jo Hazard
Susan Hickman
John P. Hilgeman
Melissa Howlett
Dietgard Hunsley
Marty Kenahan
Kelly Klauser
Rev. Patrick Lyons
Kathleen Maas Weigert
Stephen Modde
Barbara Parot
Maureen Powers
Sarah Probst Miller
Mary Ann Reed
Mary Savitsky-Ulowetz
Amanda Thompson
Wayne Vanek
Richard Wrede
K. Lyn Wurth
Henrietta Yardley

Indiana

Meli Barber
Darryl Barthe, Sr.
Jaclyn Falkenstein
Andy Falkenstein
Kevin Flood
Emily Garvey
Cathy Hoffmann
Jeanne Kalvar
Annette Magjuka
Henry Mascotte
Rev. Marty Peter
Katie Riney
Carolyn Stobba-Wiley
Susan Weber

Kansas

Abby Carney
Jennifer Nielsen
Scotty Zollars

Kentucky

Rev. Thomas R. Clark
Jo Anne Feldman
Mary Ann Steutermann
Brandon Swaggart

Louisiana

Rev. Douglas Brougher
Michael Caffery
Rev. William Edwards
Bradley Leger
James Lenox
Katherine Rafferty
L. Ranner
Alex Torres
Maureen Walsh

Massachusetts

Helena Alfonzo
Marylin Arrigan
Jeanne Connors
Joseph Dalelio
Elizabeth A. Donnelly
Jerry Dowsky
Nicholas Fagnant
Brian Geenbaur
Denise Gilardone
Sheila Hanifin
Amy Kotsopoulos
Kathleen Largey
Tiffany Lee
Enid Levangie
Yvonne MacCormack
Jane MacDonald
Matthew Olds
Katie McNally
Kathleen McNamara
Matthew Olds
Debra Packard
Richard Robert Rivard
Rev. Joe Roy
Gonzalo Rubalcaba
Brigid Sheehan
Gerald Sheehan
William Shine
Molly Shine
Annette Shine
Monica Sidor
Rita St. Pierre
Barbara Trudel
Margaret Van Gelder
Patricia Vhay
Elizabeth Walsh

Maryland

Marie Barry
Lea Billings
Ann Brennan-Zelenka
Lisa Carlin
Joseph F. Cecil
Anna Marie Ciarrocchi
Mercy Coogan
Rev. Erma Durkin, RCWP
Gerald Fath
Kathleen Fettweis
Mari Anne Hamilton
William Harrison
Richard Hillis
Susan Hillis
Susan Kerin
Kathleen Leslie
Harriet Maier
Mark McDermott
Erica McFarland
John McLoughlin
Jean Mulrooney
Mary Murphy
Robert Murphy
Pamela Murray
Carmen Petruzzi
Lisa Polyak
Anne Russell
Paula Sayers
Vernon Smith
Mary Nicholas Sommerfeldt
Peggy Mohler Strahan

Maine

Rod Berger

Michigan

Lori Csintyan
Ashley Dietrich
Amy Fielder
Eileen Hickey
Billie Hickey
William Hickey
Michael Hovey
Elizabeth Johnson
Jordan Kennedy
Mary Kenney
Theresa Kurth
Megan Landry
David Lincoln
Laurie Mayers
Barbara McAdams
Joyce McCabe
Ann McGowan
Chloe Peek
Patrick Sanders
Charles Sears
Rebecca Smith-Darner
Martha Thieneman
Jim Toczynski
Denise Waytes
Mary Winowiecki

Minnesota

Richard Burbach
Katherine DuGarm
Beth Feckter
Michael Flanagan
Sam Ludlow-Broback
Michelle Miller LeBlanc
Jamie Moloney
Rev. Stephen O’Gara
Ron and Myrna Ohmann
Emma Pattock
James Smith
Rev. Dennis Thompson
Nicholas Traxler
Hideki Yamada

Missouri

Letty Baker
Lauren Baker
Pamela Brown
Jeff Finnegan
Joe Geist
Jeff Hollender
Steve Kovac
Jim LaVictoire
Jean Weber
Laurie Welsch

Montana

Kate Jones

Nebraska

Roger Cimino

Nevada

Judith Krum

New Hampshire

Susan Levesque

New Jersey

Bernice Anglin
Janet Antico
Rocky Balsamo
Stephanie Coyne
Cristina Ergunay
Kathleen Fettweis
Rev. Edward Lambro
Christina Light
Brynne Pav
Michael Prescia
Mary Ruppenthal
Nancy Verga
John Verga
Christella Villasenor
Jack Wall
Christine Zuba

New Mexico

Emily Heimerman
Megan McKenna
Melissa Mendonca
Michael Milone

New York

Michaelangelo Allocca
Robert Anthony
Dale Avers
Elizabeth Begley
Robert Bezy
Benjamin Brenkert
John Bullough
William Butvick
Mary Cahill
John Calhoun
Dorothy Calvani
Elizabeth Cavaluzzo
John Connors
Anthony Donovan
Margaret A. Flanagan
Maria Formoso
Denise Fraser
Gillian Frasier
Catherine Furlani
Mary Galeone
Mary Geraghty
Lucille Gervase
Terry Hawley Reeder
Elizabeth Jerabeck
Joan Johnston
Beverley Johnstone
Jack Kakolewski
Rev. Paul Kelly
Meg Ksander
Rev. Jim Marsh
Thomas McGlinchey
Thomas McLoughlin
Katharine McLoughlin
Sheila McMahon
Michael Moran
Lisa Nelson
Carol Nesbit
Colleen Nunes
Roisin Reid
Claire Reid
Jacqueline Richard
Cheryl Rogers
Eileen Ryan
Michael Scarpa-Burnett
Arnold Schultz
Joanne Scully
Kathleen Shea
Kasey Sinha
Mary Smith
Grace Sullivan
Ann Marie Szpakowska
Daniel Valla
John Vernon
Mark Walko
Mary Yelenick

North Carolina

Catherine Bergstrom

Ohio

Debbie Badonsky
Delfin Bautista
Rev. Kathy Bean
Lou Brodnik
Marianne Buccini
Benjamin Byrom
Steven Davis, Jr.
Pamela Dolence
Judith Engel
Louise Ewing
Paul Flament
Barbara Glasener
Jon Gromek
Maureen Gwynn
Heidi Harmer
Ellis Harsham
Edward Hausfeld
Rev. Clarence Heis
Katherine Holcomb
Meagen Howe
Tiffany Hunsinger
Jill Johnson
Jennifer Koroly
Nancy Mancine
Mary OMalley
Emily Piatt
Mary Ragland
Patricia Reichard
Renee Rosenbeck
Linda Schettler
Taylor Shook
Sue Stockard
Glen Strobel
Sue Sutton
Anne Wendeln
Rev.Bob Wenz
Vicki Williamson
Rev. Richard Young

Oregon

Florence Balog
Rev. Ruth Broeski
Steven Childs
Emily Cline
Vona Da Silva
David Gregory
Robert McDonald
Ingrid Parmeter
Richard Reid
Rev. Suzanne Avison Thiel
Thomas Welch

Pennsylvania

Roberta Brunner
Susanne M. Cassidy
Mary Dodson Brown
Donna Fischer
Lacie Fischley Michaelson
Fran Leap
SantaMaria Lewis
Robert Lord-Schell, Jr.
Karen Lydon
Gerald Mccarry
Paul McIntyre
Richard McIvor
Alecia Moss
Steve Smith
Rev. Gregory Swiderski
Mary Whelan

Puerto Rico

Carlos E. Carrasquillo Zayas

Rhode Island

Bernard McMahon, Jr.

South Carolina

Sara Damewood

Tennessee

Alfred Dabrowski
Fred Dabrowski
Vincent McGrath
Diann Nance
Greg Walton
Richard Whittington, Jr.
Elizabeth Wilson
Rev. Steve Wolf

Texas

Evan Evans
Eddie Fischer
Loretta Fitzgerald
Sharon Guild-Stitt
James Hickey
Gabriella Marshall
Hannah Moran
Francine Puglia
Carolyn Sherry
Jo Soske
Vanessa Stearnes
Sharon Willey
Claire Zolkoski

Utah

Rev. Robert Bussen
Joey Marquart

Virginia

Rev. Kathleen Blank Riether
Vanessa Clay-McEntire
Laura Guerrero
Sara Keese
Matt Manion
Rev. Alexei Michalenko
Maria Race
Patrick Riley
Robert Stump
Lisa Tuzel
Jeff Vomund
Christine Williford

Washington State

Larry Brixius
Larry Camarillo
Ann Connolly
Joseph Donovan
Heidi Erdmann
Patrick Henry
Luke Janicki
Janet McDermott
Celeste Misko
Keri Pollock
Valerie Ritchie

West Virginia

Concetta Jarzynski
Judith Smith Wilkinson

Wisconsin

Kim Bartlett
Ellie Red Buffalo Woman Derzay
Ann Diliberti
Nicolette Gross
Kerry Guyette
Robert Johnson
Miram Terez Faustiana Klika
Anita Hallman Kowalski
Patricia McKay
Dan Mydy
Joan Plumley
Kar Schmidt Holloway
Marge Sebern
Gary Umhoefer
Kim Welch
James Wielgosz

Organizational Endorsers

(Listed alphabetically)

Acceptance Canberra
Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests
Carmelites, Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary
Catholic Ministry with Gay and Lesbian Persons
Catholics for Choice
CITI Ministries
CITI Ministries
Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes Leadership Team
CORPUS, National Association for an Inclusive Priesthood
Dignity Washington
DignityUSA
Drachma
Families With Dignity
Family & Friends of LGBTQ+ Ministry, St. Patrick St. Anthony Church, Hartford, CT
Global Network of Rainbow Catholics
Holy Family Catholic Community, Inverness, IL
JesusGlue Ministries, Inc
Kairos Peace Community
Letters to a Young Gay Christian
LGBT Ministry Historic Saint Paul Church
Magis Consulting, LLC
Mary Magdalene Apostle Catholic Community
Out in the Diocese of Allentown
Rainbow Catholics InterAgency for Ministry
Sacred Heart University
Savie Asbl NGO LGBT PGEL DRCongo
Sisters of Bon Secours, USA
Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati
Sisters of Divine Providence
Sisters of St. Francis, Clinton, Iowa Leadership Team
Sisters of the Cross of Chavanod
Soulforce
St. Rose of Lima Ministry with LGBTQ Persons
Sts. Francis and Clare, Wilton Manor, FL
Tenda di Gionata
The Gay Catholic Blog
The Human Rights Alliance Santa Fe, NM