Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Groups Protest Bishops
by Andrew Davis
2005-06-22

This article shared 2529 times since Wed Jun 22, 2005
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email


Chanting 'Hey, Hey! Ho, Ho! Homophobia's got to go' and 'Pray, pray, pray/ We will still be gay,' about 15 people comprising the Gay Liberation Network ( GLN ) , the Rainbow Sash Movement ( RSM ) , and supporters held a protest across the street from the National Catholic Bishops Conference June 16. The conference was held at the Fairmont Hotel.

Bob Schwartz, a member of the GLN, used a microphone to express his thoughts. 'The time for anti-gay bigotry is at an end,' he said. 'The Catholic bishops [ gave ] themselves the right to determine civil rights for everybody in the United States.' Bishops who entered and exited the hotel were routinely greeted with cries of 'bigot.' Schwartz went on to say that ' [ t ] he Catholic bishops and Protestant fundamentals have campaigned in many states for constitutional amendments barring equal marriage. We say this is wrong ... and is an attempt to impose one religious view on everybody.'

Another who spoke was Glenn Klipp, a consultant not affiliated with GLN or RSM who carried a sign that read 'Gays or lesbians who stay in an unwelcoming church are dumb.' He said, among other things, that Catholic churches are 'anti-women,' 'anti-human love' and 'hypocritical.' Klipp, who was superintendent for the archdiocese of Detroit at one point, revealed to Windy City Times that he has been on a spiritual journey of sorts, adding that two of his four kids came out before he did and that one of the gay children is transgender.

Joe Murray, convener of the RSM, said that the protesters were speaking from across the hotel because they had no other option. 'We're here today to speak from the street because it's the only forum the bishops have given us to speak from. We go into church on Pentecost Sunday and speak from the pews because that's the only forum they give us to speak from. If the bishops would come out and speak with us and talk about issues that affect our lives ... in our community, we have such an intense suicide rate among our gay and lesbian youth ... bishops cannot absolve themselves and say they have nothing to do with that. They influence that on some level and they need to think about that,' he said.

Regarding the church's stance on gay marriage, Murray added that ' [ t ] he Catholic church does not have the right to go beyond [ its ] domain and impose that belief on other citizens of the state. It's that simple.'

Activist Deborah Mell, who briefly attended the event, said that the church 'unfortunately, is a powerful institution. It's a major corporation. We [ owe it to ourselves ] to come here and protest.'

Later, Murray sent an e-mail to Windy City Times, thanking Schwartz and the GLN for responding to RSM's call for support. In particular, Murray thanked Schwartz 'for his leadership and untiring efforts to confront injustice wherever it happens.'

The GLN-RSM contingent was not the only group to protest the bishops this day. As soon as the first group left to call a press conference, the Coalition of Concerned Catholics held its own demonstration, press conference and prayer. Twice during the day, the demonstrators listed the names of several bishops who they believe covered up for pedophile priests.


This article shared 2529 times since Wed Jun 22, 2005
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

United Church of Hyde Park hosts LGBTQ+ storytelling event 2024-03-25
- About 20 people had gathered around four round tables in the community room of the United Church of Hyde Park, 1448 E. 53rd St., on March 23. They were listening quietly to a man tell the story of how, on a ...


Gay News

Bring Chicago Home Campaign releases open endorsement letter from 100+ faith leaders 2024-02-19
--From a press release - CHICAGO — With just over a month before the March 19th primary election, prominent Chicago faith leaders will today release a letter—signed by over 100 religious leaders—endorsing the Bring Chicago Home campaign to restructure the Real ...


Gay News

WORLD Marriage in Greece, UK politics, cruise death, HRC grants 2024-02-02
- The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece unanimously agreed at a recent meeting that it is "strongly opposed" to the Greek government's promised bill on same-sex marriage and adoption, Balkan Insight reported. The conservative New ...


Gay News

Ohio man sentenced for firebombing pro-LGBTQ+ church 2024-01-30
- On Jan. 29, 2024, Ohio resident Aimenn D. Penny was sentenced to 216 months (18 years) in prison followed by three years of supervised release for attempting to burn down a pro-LGBTQ+ church, according to a ...


Gay News

VIEWS Is the Pope Catholic? Francis faces opposition in steps toward LGBTQ+ inclusivity 2024-01-02
- The recent change in Vatican policy allowing priests to bless same-gender couples has provoked an unprecedented backlash against Pope Francis and his openness to LGBTQ+ people—a backlash that some fear might devolve into a schism in ...


Gay News

WORLD Brianna Ghey, archbishops, HIV, George Michael, Albanian women 2023-12-29
- A boy and a girl, each 16, were found guilty of murdering a transgender teenager in northwest England earlier this year in a knife attack, per a Yahoo! News item that cited the AP. Brianna Ghey, ...


Gay News

Catholic Church allows priests to bless same-sex couples but reaffirms disapproval of gay marriage 2023-12-22
- LGBTQ+ couples can now receive blessings from priests, but the Catholic Church maintained its strict ban on gay marriage, according to a Vatican document approved by Pope Francis Dec. 18. This historic change in doctrine marks ...


Gay News

Greek government vows to back marriage equality 2023-12-22
- Despite opposition from the Church of Greece and within the ruling New Democracy, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' government said it will eventually move to legalize same-sex marriage, The National Herald reported. However, no timetable was ...


Gay News

Dignity/Chicago welcomes new rule on church blessings for same-sex marriages 2023-12-18
--From a press release - Dignity/Chicago, the advocacy organization for LGBTQI Catholics and friends, welcomed the news that the Vatican's doctrinal office has officially declared it possible for Catholic priests to bless same-sex unions and ...


Gay News

New Ways Ministry: Pope's blessings approval is Christmas gift to LGBTQ+ Catholics 2023-12-18
--From a press release - MOUNT RAINIER, Maryland—Statement by Francis DeBernardo, Executive Director, New Ways Ministry: Pope Francis gave LGBTQ+ Catholics an early Christmas gift this year by approving blessings for same-gender couples. The Vatican ...


Gay News

Pope Francis changes policy, allowing priests to bless same-sex unions; GLAAD responds 2023-12-18
--From a press release - GLAAD: "By removing barriers to priests blessing LGBTQ couples, the Pope accurately recognizes that LGBTQ people and our relationships are worthy of the same affirmation and support in the Church, and this strengthens couples in their ...


Gay News

Pope Francis's community of transwomen 2023-11-28
- It's a rare opportunity to meet the pope. It's even rarer if you're a transgender Catholic. However, on Nov. 19, in Torvaianica, Italy, a community of transwomen, many of them sex workers, were welcomed and seated ...


Gay News

Ghana cardinal: It's time to understand homosexuality 2023-11-27
- Ghana Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson told the BBC that being gay should not be considered illegal and that people should be helped to understand the issue of homosexuality better. Turkson's comments come as his country's ...


Gay News

Pope: Trans people can be baptized and act as godparents 2023-11-09
- Pope Francis has stated that trans people may be baptized and act as godparents or witnesses to marriage under the same conditions as any other adult—as long as a scandal does not result, according to PinkNews. ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Montana court, gay bishop, EEOC, Equality Forum, banned operas 2023-10-05
- A Montana court blocked enforcement of the state's ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth—leading trans state Rep. Zooey Zephyr to express her gratitude, The Advocate reported. Missoula County District Court Judge Jason Marks issued a ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.