BVM Sisters Join Catholic Bishops in Protecting LGBT Youth
BVM Leadership Statement:
We are grateful to the 12 Catholic Bishops whose statement of protection and support for LGBT+ Youth represents a long overdue public expression of the Gospel message of God’s love.
We are happy to join with more than two dozen congregations of women and men religious in support of this action and pledge to invite others to do the same.
We echo the Bishops as we say The Sisters of Charity, BVM value “the God-given dignity of all human life and we take this opportunity to say to our LGBT friends, especially young people, that we stand with you and oppose any form of violence . . . bullying or harassment directed at you. Most of all, know that God created you, God loves you and God is on your side.”
The BVM Leadership Team: Teri Hadro, Lou Anglin, LaDonna Manternach, Colleen McGinnity, and Marguerite Murphy
Excerpt from the bishops’ statement:
As Catholic Bishops in the United States, we join with the Tyler Clementi Foundation in standing up for at-risk LGBT youth in our country.
As we see in the Gospels, Jesus Christ taught love, mercy, and welcome for all people, especially for those who felt persecuted or marginalized in any way; and the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that LGBT people are to be treated with “respect, compassion, and sensitivity.”
All people of good will should help, support, and defend LGBT youth; who attempt suicide at much higher rates than their straight counterparts; who are often homeless because of families who reject them; who are rejected, bullied, and harassed; and who are the target of violent acts at alarming rates.
The Catholic Church values the God-given dignity of all human life and we take this opportunity to say to our LGBT friends, especially young people, that we stand with you and oppose any form of violence, bullying, or harassment directed at you.
Most of all, know that God created you, God loves you and God is on your side.
Read entire statement: https://tylerclementi.org/catholicbishopsstatement/