Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities

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How does this happen?

From another post about homily’s led by the laity; forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=542003

I visited the St. Edwards Catholic Church website.

stedwardschurch.org/index1.asp?catid=5&scatid=GLBTFF

Under the parish’s Social Justice banner they have a GLBTFF column. It reads:

Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual, Trans-gender Families and Friends

We at St. Edwards invite the often discriminated-against community of GLBT people to be welcomed at our church. We strive to help raise awareness of GLBT persons as being beloved Children of God, as are all Christians, created good by our God. We strive to help people begin to understand better & deal with issues of sexual identity, for themselves and for those loved ones - family members & friends - who are struggling with their sexual identity in some way.

A few years back, the **Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities **provided parents of GLBT teens to come and speak to our high school youth, in the spirit of greater understanding and tolerance. It was a wonderful event, allowing the space for young people to hear and ask questions, and thereby deal with possibly painful feelings around this issue of sexual identity.

On Thursday, November 18th, 7:00pm, the Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities provided speakers who are parents of GLBT children to speak to parents, family members, relatives or friends of GLBT persons, who may be new to this role or having a difficult time knowing how to BE in this role. They will share their stories and insights to help people in this situation feel more comfortable. All adults are invited to join us for this step toward greater Christian tolerance and love!

Watch for upcoming article from the Star Tribune (posted here) telling one couple’s heartwarming story.

From the Church’s website, I assumed the Catholic Church - through the local Bishop, the USCCB or the Pope - organized the Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities, (CPCSM). So I did a computer search and the only mention of the Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities was to this website: cpcsm.org/

Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities (CPCSM) Celebrating and Serving the LGBT Community since 1980; 4001 38th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55406-3413

Link to Catholics for Marriage Equality MN (C4MEMN) Website

**CPCSM Founds New Group Working for Marriage Equality for LGBT Minnesotans:
Catholics for Marriage Equality MN (C4MEMN) **

The **Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities **website states:

Called by the Gospel message and our Church’s teachings on behalf of justice and human rights, as Roman Catholics, we advocate for civil marriage for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation.

When it became clear last Fall, following the mailing of 400,000 copies of the Minnesota bishops’ DVD, “Preserving Marriage in Minnesota,” that the Minnesota Catholic Conference (MCC), with strong prompting from Archbishop Nienstedt, would be lobbying in 2011 for the enactment of a state constitutional amendment excluding LGBT persons from the civil right of marriage, Catholics for Marriage Equality MN (C4MEMN) was born.

Sponsored by CPCSM and affiliated with the national organization, Catholics for Marriage Equality, and Outfront MN, C4MEMN has emerged to respond to the theologically outdated and scientifically discredited positions on same-sex civil marriage of the Church’s clerical leadership.

C4MEMN hopes to reflect the Gospel’s message and the Church’s call throughout its history for justice and human rights for all – which must include the right of all citizens to enjoy the benefits of civil marriage, regardless of their sexual orientation.

The group hopes to engage in the lobbying with Minnesota’s legislators and educational efforts with Minnesota voters, especially those of a Roman Catholic background.

C4MEMN wants to make it clear that the Minnesota bishops do not represent the feeling and opinions of all Catholics about the psychological and theological issues of homosexuality and gay marriage, especially those who are LGBT or have loved ones who are.

Michael Bayly, CPCSM’s Executive Coordinator and the Co-convener of C4MEMN, sums up the group’s philosophy in these words: “We recognize marriage equality as a social justice issue, as a matter of fairness, and as a contributor to individual flourishing, the stabilization of relationships, and the common good of society.” \

As its first project, C4MEMN has produced a DVD from the lecture give by Marquette University moral theologian Daniel Magure in October 2010. Entitled, “Why You Can Be Catholic And Support Gay Marriage,” the 54-min DVD is available free of charge, through the C4MEMN website or by mail order to the group’s address – although the group would appreciate a free-will donation to support its work when the DVD is ordered.

C4MEMN’s other major effort is to secure as many signatures as possible of Catholic Minnesotans who support their statement of support. Those wishing to sign the statement can do so online after viewing the group’s statement of support on their website’s home page. Signers’ names will be displayed at the bottom of the statement on the website.

 

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Search results for CPCSM here on CA are all from 2008.

forums.catholic-questions.org/search.php?searchid=8094906

 

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fratres.wordpress.com/2008/10/24/rome-has-spoken-archdiocese-of-st-paul-and-minneapolis-statement-on-status-of-dissident-group-catholic-pastoral-committee-on-sexual-minorities-cpcsm-full-text/

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has released the following statement clarifying the status of a group known as the Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities:

Recent communications by the group called the Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities (CPCSM) have erroneously portrayed its past and current status as it relates to the Roman Catholic Church in general and to this archdiocese in particular.

These communications are a matter of concern to us and require that the archdiocese clearly state that it does not support, or recognize in any way, CPCSM as a Catholic organization. Nor does the archdiocese endorse CPCSM’s recent efforts to promote an advocacy agenda contrary to that of this archdiocese and to the Catholic Church.

Archbishop Harry Flynn took great care not to imply support of CPCSM. The archdiocese, in keeping with Catholic moral teaching, has consistently supported efforts within the church to show special concern and to direct pastoral attention toward persons with same-sex attractions and to advance their spiritual welfare. Thus, where CPCSM has made similar efforts, the archdiocese obviously concurs.

However, CPCSM has also aggressively advocated changes in the moral and sacramental-theological traditions of the church that are wholly at odds with church teaching. Because of this disregard for church tradition and magisterium, Archbishop Flynn did not support nor did he recognize this group.

Archbishop John Nienstedt, in harmony with his predecessor and other U.S. bishops, does not support, endorse or recognize CPCSM. Because the group’s stated agenda is to deny the church’s traditional moral teachings and creates confusion among the faithful, the archdiocese believes strongly that it must reassert its opposition to CPCSM.

When any group chooses the word “Catholic” in its chosen name or acronym it should not be assumed that their group has gained authorization of that affiliation or acceptance by the church or archdiocese. The name “Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities” is a prime example of that caution. In simple terms, it is not an agency of the Roman Catholic Church.