Mission
Dignity/Chicago is a chapter of Dignity/USA, and shares its mission to work for respect and justice for all gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons in the Catholic Church and the world.
Vision: As independent organizations created to support LGBT Catholics and our families and friends, DignityUSA and Dignity/Chicago envision and work for a time when LGBTQI Catholics are affirmed and experience dignity through the integration of their spirituality with their sexuality, and, as beloved persons of God, participate fully in all aspects of life within the Church and Society. We minister through education, advocacy and worship and believe that same-sex relationships are loving, life-giving and life-affirming. We open our doors to all and welcome you to join us.
Beliefs
We are all made in God’s image and that God rejoices in our diversity: man or woman, straight or gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or questioning.
Same-gender relationships, including marriage, are a gift from God, and not something to be suppressed or be kept in the closet
People of all genders, gender identities, and sexual orientations are called to serve and to lead in the Church
That we are Catholics by Baptism and by God’s will, and no one can deny our place as God’s children
Board
Mary Donnelly, president
Douglas Ferguson, vice president/secretary
Al Peruzzo, treasurer
Steve Forst, at large
Michael Hogan, at large
Martin Grochala, at large
History
Dignity/Chicago is one of the city’s foremost and longest serving LGBTQI organizations and the only LGBTQI Catholic organization to publicly affirm our sexuality as loving, life-giving and life-affirming. We continue to work toward and celebrate change in our church, support those who are questioning how to reconcile their faith and their sexuality, provide educational opportunities for members of the community and provide an affirming place of worship for LGBTQI people our families and friends.
Dignity/Chicago was formed in January of 1972, the fourth Dignity chapter in the nation, approximately one year after Ms. Mary Houlihan, a member of the Legion of Mary, began a home Mass for the gay and lesbian community under the Legion’s aegis. Following Dignity’s formation, the chapter was asked to assume sponsorship of this Mass. Dignity then secured St. Sebastian Church for a weekly Sunday evening Mass which continued until 1988.
The 1970’s were an active time for the chapter. It played host to the national convention of DignityUSA in 1977, was a charter member of Call to Action, an umbrella organization for progressive Catholic groups, and co-sponsored the Orange Ball, a Chicago benefit to raise funds to combat Anita Bryant-backed anti-gay referendums around the country.
The 1980’s were challenging for Dignity/Chicago as the chapter grew to over 150 members. In May of 1988, after sixteen years of ministry, the chapter membership voted to remove its ministry from St. Sebastian Church and all church property rather than submit to a demand from Cardinal Joseph Bernardin to withdraw Dignity’s public statement affirming homosexuality which said “we believe that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons can express their sexuality in a manner that is consonant with Christ’s teaching. We believe that we can express our sexuality physically, in a unitive manner that is loving, life-giving and life-affirming.” After leaving St. Sebastian’s Dignity/Chicago began meeting in a series of welcoming Protestant churches before settling at Broadway United Methodist in 1992.
In the 1990s Dignity/Chicago reasserted its role as a Roman Catholic faith community ministering the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Dignity has continued to protest the denial of its place in the life of the Church and has responded to statements issued from the Church that would encourage discrimination against LGBTQI people in both religious and civil life. In 1992 we brought our call for justice to the home of Cardinal Bernardin in a prayerful protest. In 1999, the chapter was reorganized to focus on the three core ministries that underlie its mission: Worship, Spiritual Growth, and Leadership and Advocacy. From this base, Dignity/Chicago continues to provide the Mass and other liturgical services while remaining involved in many social and social justice and educational events in the community. In the summer of 2001, Chicago again hosted the DignityUSA convention.
Today, we are the third longest-serving DignityUSA chapter continuing our work for respect and justice for all gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex persons in the Catholic Church and the world and ministering through education, advocacy and worship. And we continue to gather for worship each Sunday at 5pm, as we have for over 40 years.