Main | Sunday, April 13, 2014

LGBT Group Faith In America Issues Plea To Pope Francis In Full-Page NY Times Ad:
Stop Condemning Homosexual Acts

The LGBT group Faith In America today published a full-page open letter to Pope Francis in the New York Times. The letter was written by Ali Forney Center head Carl Siciliano and financial assistance was provided by furniture maker Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams.

Your Holiness, I write to you as a Roman Catholic, a former Benedictine monk and as a gay man who has spent over 30 years serving the homeless, first as a member of the Catholic Worker Movement, and now as the founder and Executive Director of the Ali Forney Center, America’s largest center for homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth based in New York City. I write on behalf of the homeless LGBT youths I serve. I ask you to take urgent action to protect them from the devastating consequences of religious rejection, which is the most common reason LGBT youths are driven from their homes. At the heart of the problem is that the church still teaches that homosexual conduct is a sin, and that being gay is disordered. I hope that if you understand how this teaching tears families apart and brings suffering to innocent youths, you will end this teaching and prevent your bishops from fighting against the acceptance of LGBT people as equal members of society.
Hit this link and read Siciliano's message in full. In a Facebook page set up to support the campaign, Mitchell Gold writes:

To be very open, this might be one of THE most consequential efforts I’ve ever been involved in. PLEASE take a minute to look at the full page ad in the NY Times today asking the Pope to “take being or acting gay off the sin list.” It’s a big deal that some think is too big of a goal…. BUT it has to start sometime….and it must. Too many people are suffering needlessly. AND the church has changed before and apologized! Please like and share it on FB, forward to friends and family…..do what you can to help to start to move this mountain. Sincere thanks, Mitchell Gold.
A petition to Pope Francis has also been launched.

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