'We thought we’d offer a way for people to come together in celebration of the inclusive church and world we are all working to build, and you all responded with enthusiasm.' We heard from many Catholics, in our town halls, on social media, and through other channels, that they disagreed with the Vatican,' she said, highlighting the global backlash over the decree. Bishops have questioned the wisdom of the responsum. 'In Germany, over 100 Catholic churches held blessings for same-sex couples.
'In many ways, we have the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to thank for sparking this event,' said DignityUSA vice-president Meli Barber at the start of the event, in reference to the Vatican ban on blessing gay unions in March. The event was organized by DignityUSA co-sponsors included NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, the Institute Leadership Team of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, the National LGBTQ Task Force, Human Rights Campaign, the Tyler Clementi Foundation and the Women's Ordination Conference. Catholic prelates in support of the LGBTQ community, was joined by a number of leaders from Catholic advocacy groups and national LGBTQ rights organizations.
