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Catholics for Marriage Equality
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 Catholics for Marriage Equality
in California (CME-CA) was established by members and
friends of Dignity/San Francisco
in June 2009 to advance civil marriage equality through
prayer, presence, and education.
On the Feast of the Assumption, August 15, 2009 we conducted
our first public action—a rosary at St. Mary’s Cathedral in
San Francisco. In September 2009 we co-organized a
demonstration at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley to call attention to
the anti-gay, anti-marriage activism of Oakland Bishop
Salvatore Cordileone (The Father of Proposition 8).
In
October 2009 we began a series of monthly Five First
Saturday vigils that ran through February 2010, alternating
between the cathedrals in
Oakland and San Francisco. In
January 2010 we started Communion, a monthly newsletter you
can download here, featuring contributions by religious
leaders, scholars and activists. It is co-edited by Eugene
McMullan and Kara Speltz.
CME has been supported since
October 2010 by a stipend (or "internship") paid by
Dignity/San Francisco to CME lead organizer Eugene McMullan. |
Additional reference of what we are up
against:
Video of Bishop Cordileone on Marriage
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Key
Accomplishments (presented June 12th):
- Organized in June 2009; developed logo, mission
statement, and plan of action
- Introduced the CME group at a marriage equality
panel organized by Dr. John Brown at the Dignity USA
convention in July 2009
- Conducted a successful inaugural action at St.
Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco 15 August 2009
- Worked closely with Ann Craig of the Gay and
Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to hone media
skills and draft press releases
- Produced t-shirts, flyers, signs and set up a
starter website
- Co-organized a successful demonstration at the
Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley in September
2009 to call attention to the anti-gay activism of
Oakland Bp. Salvatore J. Cordileone
- Organized a successful series of Five First
Saturday vigils alternating between the cathedrals
in San Francisco and Oakland from October 2009
through February 2010
- Worked in close collaboration with New Spirit
Community Church and the Center for Lesbian and Gay
Studies in Religion and Ministry, which co-sponsored
the first of the Five First Saturday vigils
("Churching the Bishops") in Oakland. Revs. Jim
Mitulski and Roland Stringfellow spoke at that
event.
- Received media coverage for many of our actions
through the LGBT press, the typically conservative
Catholic press, the progressive Christian press, and
other outlets
- Participated on the program of an interfaith
service for marriage equality in Oakland in November
2009
- Started what has become a widely respected,
often cited monthly newsletter. To date we have
produced 18 issues, with a current average length of
12 pages
- Participated in an interfaith marriage equality
training sponsored by California Faith for Equality
in February 2010
- Wrote or co-wrote essays for the Bay Area
Reporter, including "The Judge as Sommelier" (a
memo to Judge Walker), "Don't Serve, Don't Promote"
(opposing DADT and empire), and "This Way of Life"
(regarding why we remain Catholic)
- Wrote two essays for the online journal Religion
Dispatches: "Not His House" (a rebuttal of Abp.
Broglio's anti-repeal essay in the Washington
Post) and "Nuns vs. Bishops: Who Spoke for God
in 2010?"
- Issued statements in response to the Manhattan
Declaration, and LGBT youth suicide
- Helped launch the national group Catholics for
Equality; participated in board meetings, helped
plan strategy and draft press releases
- Worked closely with Anne Underwood and Charles
Martel of the East Coast-based Catholics for
Marriage Equality
- Worked closely with Joanna Blotner, Religion and
Faith Coordinator of the Human Rights Campaign, who
promoted the CME newsletter to her list in July 2010
- Participated in the California Catholics
Convening conference sponsored by California Faith
for Equality in coordination with Dignity/USA and
Call to Action in Los Angeles in October 2010
- Gave a talk with Kara Speltz on marriage
equality at Laney College in October 2010
- Signed the California Faith for Equality
interfaith amicus brief, and a letter in support of
the mosque at ground zero by the Santa Clara Council
of Churches
- Spoke at two courthouse rallies organized by
Marriage Equality USA with support from the
Coalition of Welcoming Congregations
- Developed a network of progressive support that
continues to grow
- Promoted and participated in a Catholic Activism
workshop in Berkeley sponsored by Catholics for
Equality, Equality California and the Center for
Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry
- Promoted and participated in LGBT-themed
retreats
- Helped produce and promote Catholic-oriented It
Gets Better videos
- Promoted the demonstration led by Tim Stier at
the Oakland Cathedral
- Conducted more than 1260 email conversations
regarding CME to date
- Used Facebook to share articles, create events,
build community and raise awareness
Goals
for the Future:
Continue to produce the monthly newsletter,
write articles for the press, draft statements, and
build the CME network through online communications
Continue to promote relevant causes, events and
activities
Support and promote Catholic transgender issues
and ministry (in coordination with Paul Riofsky)
Host another cathedral vigil or public witness
as needed
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