More than 750 of the nation’s leading Catholic theologians, church leaders, scholars, educators and writers have joined New Ways Ministry in voicing support for nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people, according to a New Ways press release.
A theological statement entitled “A Home for All: A Catholic Call for LGBTQ Non-Discrimination” was published as a four-page advertisement in the Sept. 17 edition of The National Catholic Reporter.
An additional 1,940 Catholic signers joined the 759 signatories in affirming that church doctrine “presents a positive case for ending discrimination against LGBTQ people,” despite opposition voiced by high-ranking church leaders. More than 110 Catholic organizations—the majority of which are religious communities of nuns, priests and brothers—also endorsed the statement.
Just a few of the endorsers include New Ways Ministry Executive Director Francis DeBernardo; Affirmed Chicago founder Katherine Abel; Ministry Against the Death Penalty Executive Director Sister Helen Prejean; Martin Pendergast, of LGBT+ Catholics Westminster, UK; DignityUSA Executive Director Marianne Duddy-Burke and President Rev. Christopher Pett; Loyola University Chicago Professor Emeritus Jon Nilson; and St. Thomas More Catholic Church LGBTQ+ Spirituality Ministry Director Emil Wick.
The full 2,000-word statement is at http://www.newwaysministry.org/homeforall/.