Our first 40 years: a timeline

Panel on our history at our 40th anniversary.

1969 Fr. Patrick X. Nidorf, an Augustinian priest and psychologist, formed a group of, “Catholic gay people”.  He chooses the name “Dignity” for the group.

1971 Mary Houlihan of the Legion of Mary receives permission from Cardinal Cody to sponsor a Mass for the GLBT community.  The first mass is at St. Sebastian in May. Previously Masses were held in homes.

1972 Dignity/Chicago chapter is chartered in November. Friction arose between the Mass Community and the D/C Chapter.  The decision to celebrate the chapter anniversary in May was made in 1983.

1975 Dignity/Chicago participates in Chicago’s Gay Pride parade for the first time.

1977 The third biennial Dignity convention is held in the Bismarck Hotel.  Fr. John McNeill, invited as a speaker, but sends a letter stating he will remain silent in obedience to a directive from Rome.  A copy of the letter is spotlighted on an empty chair at the beginning of the convention and is then read to delegates.  Jim Bussen serves as Regional Director for three years.

1978 Dignity/Chicago is a co-founder of Call to Action.

1980 In February, the Association of priests of the Archdiocese of Chicago honors Dignity/Chicago as “Organization of the Year”.

1982 Dignity/Chicago receives its non-profit 501 © 3 status with the IRS.  Bill Seng is elected as Regional Director.

1984 Jack Delaney elected as Regional Director and to the National Board as a member.

1985 Jim Bussen and Jim Pilarski are elected as National Board officers at the New York convention.

1987 In the September 14 issue of People Magazine, an article appears entitled:  “Nine Americans the Pope Won’t Want to Meet and Why”.  Among the pictured nine was National Board President and Dignity/Chicago leader, Jim Bussen.

1988 In May, Cardinal Bernardin advises Dignity/Chicago that a new ministry to gay and lesbian Catholics would be formed at St. Sebastian’s.  The ministry would be guided by several principles, one of which is that “homosexual acts” are “immoral”.  Under the leadership of then-President Mike Savage, seventy percent of Dignity/Chicago’s membership voted to reject the idea of a Dignity chapter without control of its own Mass.  Since then, Dignity-sponsored liturgies have been conducted at non-Catholic churches.  During the 1980’s, most of the founding members of Chicago’s first AIDS hospice were members of Dignity.

1992 Dignity/Chicago members participate in a candlelight prayer service to challenge the Archdiocese’s silence on anti-gay violence. Chicago’s Advisory Council on Gay and Lesbian issues honored several Dignity/Chicago members by being inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame.

1997 Dignity/Chicago observed its 25th anniversary with a year-long celebration of educational and social events.

1999 Dignity/Chicago re-organized into three core ministries:  leadership and advocacy, liturgy and spiritual growth.  During various times in the 1990’s, chapter leaders meet with Cardinal Bernardin.

2001 The biennial Dignity National convention is held in Chicago in July. Chapter members and delegates conduct a prayer vigil at Holy Name Cathedral.

2003 Marty Grochala joins the DignityUSA Board of Directors.  A full-page ad appears in the November 12 edition of the Chicago Tribune calling upon the USCCB to respect the lives and faith of LGBT Catholics. The ad is later presented to Bishop Wilton Gregory at the USCCB meeting in Washington DC.

2005 The September issue of Chicago Magazine features chapter president Ramon Rodriguez as part of a special report, “The Catholics of Chicago”.  Dignity/Chicago receives a Donor level contribution to fund the Equality Forum film project, “Saint of 9/11”.

2006 In December, Dignity/Chicago responds to the Community Challenge Phase of the Center on Halsted Street Capital campaign with a gift.  It allows the chapter to create a legacy for the organization, our youth and community.

2007 Linda Pieczynski and Ramon Rodriguez join the DignityUSA Board of Directors.  Members of the chapter’s leadership meet with Cardinal George at various times during the 2000’s.

2011 Dignity/Chicago welcomes two ordained women presiders. In December, the chapter’s leadership publicly responds to Cardinal George’s comparison of LGBT parade marchers to the Ku Klux Klan. The Cardinal subsequently apologizes.

2012 Dignity/Chicago celebrates its 40th anniversary. The chapter’s float is the leader of the LGBT faith community in the Pride Parade and is featured by name in a local televised broadcast.