Catholics Speak Out

November 10, 2006

Most Reverend Arthur J. Serratelli
Chairman
Committee on Doctrine
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 Fourth Street, NE
Washington, DC 20017

Dear Bishop Serratelli,

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) proposed document, “Ministry to Persons with a Homosexual Inclination: Guidelines for Pastoral Care” begins with the premise that homosexuality is an inclination towards same-gender, genital activity and denies the well-known existence of homosexual orientation as a normal variation of human sexuality.

Any guidelines that follow from this premise are deeply flawed. These proposed guidelines are not pastoral, particularly when they repeat the spiritually violent language of the past 20 years that homosexuality is objectively disordered and same-gender relationships are inherently evil. We bear witness to the physical and spiritual harm done to the Catholic community—ourselves, our brothers and sisters, our sons and daughters – specifically because of this language.

Further, these proposed guidelines did not emerge from dialogue with the Church at large and particularly not with homosexual Catholics -- the constituency most affected by this document. As you are aware, Vatican II and the Code of Canon Law encourage Catholic faithful to make known to their pastors items of urgent concern in which they have special competence. It is in this spirit that the following Catholic Organizations for Renewal address this letter to you. Since the point of all Catholic teaching is healing and hope, we urge the USCCB not to approve the present draft without further consultation to determine the sense of the faithful.

Respectfully in Christ,

Call to Action USA, Chicago, IL
Call to Action, Northern Virginia, Arlington, VA
Catholics For a Free Choice, Washington, DC
Catholics Speak Out/Quixote Center, Brentwood, MD
CORPUS USA
DignityUSA, Washington, DC
Eighth Day Center for Justice, Chicago, IL
Ecumenical Catholic Communion, California
FOSIL, Southern Illinois
Save our Sacraments, Scituate, MA
Southeastern Pennsylvania Women's Ordination Conference, Philadelphia, PA
Spiritus Christi Church, Rochester, NY
Voice Of The Faithful, New Jersey
Women’s Ordination Conference, Fairfax, VA
Women–Church Convergence

Additional Signers (after 11/10/06)

Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church, Philadelphia, PA
New Ways Ministry, Mt. Rainier, MD

The group letter was submitted to the below committee members responsible for drafting the "Ministry to Persons with a Homosexual Inclination: Guidelines for Pastoral Care” for the bishops:

The Committee on Doctrine

Chairman:
Most Reverend Arthur J. Serratelli
Bishop of Paterson

Members:
Most Reverend Leonard P. Blair
Bishop of Toledo

Most Reverend Edward W. Clark
Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles

Most Reverend José H. Gomez
Archbishop of San Antonio

Most Reverend William E. Lori
Bishop of Bridgeport

Most Reverend Robert J. McManus
Bishop of Worcester

Most Reverend Donald W. Wuerl
Archbishop of Washington

Committee Consultants:
His Eminence Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J.
Laurence J. McGinley Professor of Religion and Society
Fordham University

His Eminence Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I.
Archbishop of Chicago

Sr. Sara Butler, M.S.B.T.
Professor of Dogmatic Theology
St. Joseph's Seminary (Archdiocese of NY)
Yonkers, New York

Dr. John C. Cavadini
Chairman – Department of Theology
University of Notre Dame

Reverend Joseph A. Komonchak
Professor of Theology and Religious Studies
The Catholic University of America

The Committee on Pastoral Practices

Chairman
Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Bishop of La Crosse

The Committee on Doctrine

Chairman
The Most Reverend John J. Myers
Archbishop of Newark

The Committee on Catechism

Chairman
Most Reverend Alfred C. Hughes
Archbishop of New Orleans

Marriage and Family Life

Chairman
Most Rev. Joseph Kurtz
Bishop of Knoxville