LGBT Catholic group invites Cardinal George to engage in dialogue
Mon. January 9, 2012 1:08 PM by GoPride.com News Staff
cardinal francis george
Handful of protestors demonstrated outside Holy Name Cathedral on Sunday
Chicago, IL -
Rainbow Sash Movement (RSM), an LGBT Catholic group, has issued an invitation for Chicago Cardinal Francis George to join in dialogue following the controversy surrounding the cardinal's comparison of the gay rights movement with the KKK and his subsequent apology.
"We would like to respectfully invite the Cardinal to engage with us in a private dialogue process on his fear for the Church's liberty," RSM said in a statement released Monday. "We believe that harsh words have been said on both sides of the issue over the years. Instead of issuing competing press release and seeking to sway public opinion perhaps the time has come for direct dialogue as part of the ongoing process of reconciliation."
RSM and a number of local LGBT advocacy groups have encouraged George, the head of the Catholic Conference of Illinois and the Archbishop of Chicago, to participate in open dialogue since he first made controversial comments about the LGBT community on Dec. 21.
RSM was one of the groups behind a planned demonstration Sunday at Holy Name Cathedral. The protest was cancelled following the cardinal's apology on Friday.
In an exclusive report, Windy City Times reports a handful of protestors demonstrated outside Holy Name Cathedral on Sunday.
"We want to reiterate our belief that the Cardinal's apology spoke directly to our community in a very respectful and heartfelt manner, and we believe his apology was received and accepted by the GLBT Community in Chicago," said RSM.
Gay Liberation Network (GLN), the other group behind Sunday's planned demonstration, has called the cardinal's apology "pathetically inadequate."
GLN reluctantly cancelled the demonstration citing a disagreement "with some LGBT groups which previously backed the protest and now bubble over with undeserved praise for Cardinal George."
No word from the Archdiocese of Chicago on whether George plans to participate in discussions with any of the LGBT advocacy groups.
"We would like to respectfully invite the Cardinal to engage with us in a private dialogue process on his fear for the Church's liberty," RSM said in a statement released Monday. "We believe that harsh words have been said on both sides of the issue over the years. Instead of issuing competing press release and seeking to sway public opinion perhaps the time has come for direct dialogue as part of the ongoing process of reconciliation."
RSM and a number of local LGBT advocacy groups have encouraged George, the head of the Catholic Conference of Illinois and the Archbishop of Chicago, to participate in open dialogue since he first made controversial comments about the LGBT community on Dec. 21.
RSM was one of the groups behind a planned demonstration Sunday at Holy Name Cathedral. The protest was cancelled following the cardinal's apology on Friday.
In an exclusive report, Windy City Times reports a handful of protestors demonstrated outside Holy Name Cathedral on Sunday.
"We want to reiterate our belief that the Cardinal's apology spoke directly to our community in a very respectful and heartfelt manner, and we believe his apology was received and accepted by the GLBT Community in Chicago," said RSM.
Gay Liberation Network (GLN), the other group behind Sunday's planned demonstration, has called the cardinal's apology "pathetically inadequate."
GLN reluctantly cancelled the demonstration citing a disagreement "with some LGBT groups which previously backed the protest and now bubble over with undeserved praise for Cardinal George."
No word from the Archdiocese of Chicago on whether George plans to participate in discussions with any of the LGBT advocacy groups.