Dignity/Chicago

Mourning the Death of Pope Francis

DignityUSA and Dignity/Chicago join Catholics and others worldwide to mourn Pope Francis's death. His impact on the lives and faith of LGBTQ+ Catholics, our family members, and friends is unparalleled among church leaders.

We are grateful for Pope Francis’ service to and leadership of the global church. His pastoral approach, concern for the planet, and strong commitment to the Gospel will have lasting impacts on our church and the world. Pope Francis has raised the profile of LGBTQ+ people in our church in unprecedented ways. From his willingness to speak about us using our own terminology, to his personal meetings with LGBTQ+ people and pastoral leaders, including DignityUSA’s Executive Director, to calling for an end to the criminalization of our identities and relationships, he helped drive remarkable strides for many in our community.

Mary Donnelly, President of Dignity/Chicago, said, "He planted the seeds of inclusion, increasing global awareness of the marginalized within the church and world." Pope Francis reached out to the LGBTQIA community in ways that were not experienced in the past. His early statement of “Who am I to judge” modeled the need for a more pastoral approach toward marginalized communities. DignityUSA executive director Marianne Duddy-Burke was granted a historical first papal audience in which she was told “our work was important” and to keep moving forward.”

"Hearing these words from the Pope was immensely healing on many levels and very welcome when, in the past, LGBTQ+ people have had only condemnation from Rome. This is the type of pastoral care that made Pope Francis beloved by so many Catholics."

Chris Pett, Past President of DignityUSA and Dignity/Chicago, said, “Francis fundamentally was a pastor and had a deep capacity for compassion for the wounded and excluded, which had a real impact, especially for many LGBTQ+ Catholics. We can hope that the next pope will share that vision of a truly welcoming, inclusive, and just Church and also act as an effective agent of change.”

As a member chapter of DignityUSA, Dignity/Chicago shares in these comments from our national leadership. “We honor Pope Francis’ faithful and compassionate leadership and service to our church and the world,” said Meli Barber, President of DignityUSA. “His pastoral approach, concern for the planet, and strong commitment to the Gospel will have lasting impacts on our church and the world."

“We also recognize that Pope Francis has raised awareness of LGBTQ+ issues in our church in truly unprecedented ways. He spoke about us using our own terms and made a point of being seen meeting with LGBTQ+ people frequently. This sent a message of recognition and inclusion we never experienced from the Vatican before,” said Barber.

Marianne Duddy-Burke, DignityUSA Executive Director, met Pope Francis in October 2023. “I never expected I’d have a chance to represent DignityUSA and the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics in a meeting with a pontiff,” said Duddy-Burke. “I had the chance to thank him for his statement that the criminalization of our identities and relationships had to stop and to urge him to press for its implementation globally. I shared stories of LGBTQ+ people who had been harmed by church teachings or when pastoral care was refused. I told him how being part of a worldwide community of LGBTQ+ Catholics gave me a better sense of how faith is lived out in many cultures. He said our work was important and that we must keep moving forward. It was a moment that meant so much to people around the United States and in many other countries.”

Barber added, “Many of us had high hopes that some positive changes around LGBTQ+ teachings would come from the worldwide Synod. That has not happened as of yet. We await the report from the working group charged with addressing controversial issues. But the discussion of LGBTQ+ issues is now part of the mainstream of our church. LGBTQ+ Catholics, our family members, friends, fellow Catholics, and frontline ministers all spoke openly about our lives, our gifts, the discrimination we have faced, and the depth of our faith. This cannot be erased.”

May Pope Francis rest in peace. May perpetual light shine upon him.

DignityUSA, its Chapters, and many other Catholic groups around the world are deeply committed to justice, equality, and full inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in our church and society. We firmly believe that every human being is beloved by God and has equal dignity. We will continue this work until our goals are achieved.

Dignity/Chicago has ministered to Chicago-area LGBTQI Catholics and our allies since 1972. We serve the community through worship, spiritual education and social justice action.

Join us for Mass on the 1st and 4th Sundays of the month at 5:00 p.m., in-person at Broadway United Methodist Church, 3338 N. Broadway in Chicago. To join us via Teams, send a request to: dignitychicago@gmail.com.