On Sunday September 23, in worship, we shared information regarding the Catholic Parish in Avondale where the Priest a small number of parishioners burned a rainbow banner as a sign of demonizing LGBTQIA+ folks. On Friday September 21 the Priest was removed, however, the statement from the Archdiocese was troubling as it explicitly stated that the removal was unrelated to the incident and still has not publicly condemned the incident.

In worship we wrote our own love notes to the lgbtqia+ community offering our welcome, our love and our solidarity. Some of us are part of the lgbtqia+ community and we shared our stories and our own words of welcome or blessing.

In addition, Rev. Shawna Bowman and Friendship Seminarian Beth Farías have been working in collaboration with other area lgbtqia+ and ally clergy including Rev. Dr. Beth Brown, Rev. Emily Heitzman and Rev. Linsdey Mack to craft and share a letter to Cardinal Cupich at the Chicago Archdiocese.

The ongoing concern of lgbtqia+ religious leaders and allies in the area, is that without both a clear statement from Cardinal Cupich regarding this incident as well as a statement refuting the Priest’s public and published comments blaming the lgbtqia+ community for the sex abuse uncovered in the catholic church lgbtqia+ people are at greater danger of experiencing hatred and violence.

If you would like to add you voices, please read and sign our Open Letter Here.

Below is the open letter, as well as all the signatures collected thus far.