CONSTITUTION of DIGNITY/PHILADELPHIA

 

Ratified by Ballot of the Members January 30, 1983

 

ARTICLE I NAME OF ORGANIZATION

 

Section 1. The name of the organization shall be DIGNITY/PHILADELPHIA. And as such it shall be organized and shall be operated as a non-profit foundation for purposes exclusively religious, educational, social and charitable as specified under the Articles of Incorporation granted this organization by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in perpetuity, the Twenty-third day of January, 1976.

 

Section 2. DIGNITY/PHILADELPHIA is an autonomous organization which is not responsible to the mandates of any other group, organization, or corporation.

 

ARTICLE II STATEMENT OF POSITION AND PURPOSE

 

We believe that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Catholics in our diversity are members of Christ's mystical body, numbered among the People of God. We have an inherent dignity because God created us, Christ died for us, and the Holy Spirit sanctified us in Baptism, making us temples of the Spirit and channels through which God's love might become visible. Because of this, it is our right, our privilege, and our duty to live the sacramental life of the Church so that we might become more powerful instruments of God's love working among all people.

We believe that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons can express their sexuality in a manner that is consonant with Christ's teachings. We believe we can express our sexuality physically, in a unitive manner that is loving, life-giving and life-affirming. We believe that all sexuality should be expressed in an ethically responsible and unselfish way.

DIGNITY is organized to unite gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Catholics, as well as our families, friend and loved ones in order to develop leadership, and be an instrument through which we may be heard by and promote reform in the Church.

To be such an organization, we accept our responsibility to the Church, to our Catholic heritage, to society, and to individual gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Catholics.

1.        To the Church: We work for the development of its sexual theology leading to the reform of its teachings and practices regarding human sexuality, and for the acceptance of all gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered peoples as full and equal members of the one Christ.

2.        To Society: We work for justice and equality through education and by supporting social and legal reforms.

3.        To Individual Gay. Lesbian. Bisexual and Transgendered Catholics: to reinforce their self  acceptance and their sense of dignity, and to aid them in becoming more active members of the Church and society.

 

As members of DIGNITY, we promote causes of interest to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Catholics. We have five primary areas of concern and commitment:

 

1.     Spiritual Development  We shall strive to achieve Christian maturity through all the means at our disposal, especially the Mass, the sacraments, scripture, personal prayer, and an active love of neighbor.

2.        Education We wish to inform ourselves in all matters of faith as well as in all matters that concern the gay/lesbian/bisexual community so that we may develop the maturity of outlook needed to live fulfilling lives in which sexuality and spirituality are integrated, and lives which serve to prepare us for service in the gay/lesbian/bisexual community.

3.        Social Involvement As Catholics and as members of society, we shall become involved in those actions that bring the love of Christ to others, and which provide the basis for social reform.

a. With individuals: We wish to lead a life of service to others; we hope to render visible the love of Christ, and to contribute our share in building a community of love.

b. With Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgendered Groups: We wish to work with other groups for the cause of justice within, and in regard to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered community, and to promote the growth of a sense of solidarity among gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered people.

c. With Religious and Secular Groups: We wish to work in ways with such groups that their members may come to better know and understand gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered people, and to recognize injustices currently suffered by gays/lesbians/bisexuals and transgendered peoples.

4.        Feminist Issues We shall dedicate ourselves to develop the potential to become more fully human; and to work toward the eradication of all constraints on our personhood based on the ascribed roles of women as well as men.

5.      Social Events Activities of a social and recreational nature shall be provided to promote an    atmosphere wherein friendships can develop and mature, and whereby an individual's sense of dignity and of acceptance may be strengthened.

 

ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP

 

Section 1. Membership is open to all who concur with the Statement of Position and Purpose as set forth in

Article II.

 

Section 2. Application for membership shall be made to the Vice President. Applicants need not use their family name, nor give their address. All membership information shall be confidential, and shall not be used for other than official DIGNITY/PHILADELPHIA and DIGNITY/USA purposes.

ARTICLE IV OFFICERS

 

Section 1. Officers of the organization shall be as follows: the President, Vice President,  Secretary, Treasurer, and additional executive officers as necessary.

 

Section 2. Officers shall be elected by means of ballots cast by the membership, received and/or postmarked no later than the established date of election, counted by appropriate officer(s), and certified by an ad hoc committee which shall oversee this purpose.

 

Section 3. The term of office for the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be one (1) calendar year or until annual chapter elections have been completed.

 

Section  4. Notice shall be given both verbal and written of the call for nominations of candidates who may choose to stand for office, and shall be given reasonably prior to those meetings convened for the purpose of taking nominations. All candidates shall be nominated during one of two business meetings held on successive weekends during the month of April.

 

Section 5. A general election of officers shall be held in the month of May and officers newly elected shall assume their duties on the First day of June.

 

Section 6. Individual shall be eligible to stand for election to office when such individual shall be of full legal age as defined by the Commonwealth and shall have been a member in good standing for a minimum of one (1) year. Officers shall remain members in good standing for the duration of their respective tenures.

 

Section 7. No officer shall serve more than two (2) successive terms in the same office.

 

Section 8. The Steering Committee shall appoint in March an ad hoc Elections Committee which shall have a least two (2) members other than members of the Steering Committee.

 

Section 9 .The Elections Committee with the cooperation of the appropriate officer(s) shall:

1.        Notify the membership of the call for nominations of candidates who shall choose to stand for election to office.

2.        Establish the dates of the general business meetings that shall be convened for the purpose of taking nominations and conduct the business of these meetings.

3.        Forward to the membership ballots to be used in elections which shall list by office the name of the respective candidates nominated to stand for election.

4.        Establish the date twenty-one (21) days after the close of nominations as the close of voting.

5.        Certify the results of the vote. Certification shall include both the count and the plurality for election to each office.

6.        Report the results of the vote to the membership within ten (10) days of the closing  date for voting.

 

ARTICLE V OPERATIONS

 

Section 1. The Steering Committee shall serve as the Board of Directors for DIGNITY/PHILADELPHIA, such Board being required by law under the Articles of Incorporation granted this organization by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The members of the Steering Committee shall be understood to serve in the same capacity and to have the same responsibility as do members of any non-profit corporate Board of Directors.

 

Section 2. The Steering Committee shall be responsible to plan, to organize, to coordinate, to budget, to report, and to conduct the general operations of DIGNITY/PHILADELPHIA.

 

Section 3. The Steering Committee membership shall consist of  officers elected at large, and of coordinators each of whom shall represent one (1) Standing Committee.

 

Section 4. The Executive Committee shall consist of all the Officers of the Chapter as defined in Article IV, Section 1, and that Executive Committee shall possess full powers of the Steering Committee; such powers to be used in emergency situations as defined by a criterion established in the By-Laws.

 

ARTICLE VI RECALL FROM OFFICE AND FROM THE STEERING COMMITTEE

 

Section 1. Members of the Steering Committee may be recalled both from office and from membership on this committee by means of ballots cast by the membership, received and/or postmarked no later than the established closing date of voting any recall, counted by the designated officer(s), and certified by an ad hoc Recall Committee which shall oversee this purpose.

 

Section 2. Recall shall require a two-thirds (2/3) vote by count of the ballots cast by and received of the membership.

 

Section 3. Notice shall be given by means of a petition for the recall of any member(s) of the Steering Committee which shall state "cause" and shall bear the signatures of either one-third (1/3) of the members of the Steering Committee or one-quarter (1/4) of the membership.

 

Section 4. A petition for recall shall be dismissed in the event that the member(s) named therein shall resign from office or that the term(s) of office shall expire.

 

Section 5. The Steering Committee upon receipt of such notice and petition shall immediately certify that the conditions required above are properly met and that necessary cause to initiate recall proceedings therefore exists. The Steering Committee shall appoint an ad hoc Recall Committee which shall have at least two (2) members other than members of the Steering Committee.

 

Section 6. The Recall Committee with the cooperation of the appropriate officer(s) shall:

 

1.        Forward a copy of the petition to the member(s) named by certified mail within fourteen (14) days of appointment.

2.        Notify the member(s) named that a response in writing may be given to the charge(s) cited as cause by the petition for recall within twenty one (21) days of the letter(s) of notification receipt postmark.

3.        Forward copies of the petition and of any response(s) made by the member(s) named in the petition as well as ballots to be used in voting the question of recall to the membership no later than ninety (90) days after the letter(s) of notification receipt postmark.

4.        Notify the membership of the date for a general business meeting at which reading and discussion of petition for recall shall occur.

5.        Establish the date twenty one (21) days after the reading of the petition for recall as the closing date for voting.

6.        Certify the result(s) of the vote. Certification shall include both the count and the requirement for recall.

7.        Report the result(s) of the vote to the membership within thirty (30) days of the closing date for voting.

 

ARTICLE VII MEETINGS

 

Section 1. There shall be at least one (1) meeting of the Steering Committee convened each calendar month.

 

Section 2. There shall be at least one (1) general business meeting of the membership convened quarterly each calendar year.

 

ARTICLE VIII AMENDMENTS

 

Section 1. Amendments to this Constitution may be adopted by means of ballots cast by the membership, received and/or postmarked no later than the established closing date of voting any amendment, counted by the appropriate officers(s), and certified by an ad hoc Constitution Committee which shall oversee this purpose.

 

Section 2. Amendments to the Constitution shall require a two-thirds (2/3) vote by count of the ballots cast by and received of the membership.

 

Section 3. Notice shall be given by means of a petition to amend the Constitution which shall state the proposal(s) and shall bear the signatures of either one-third (1/3) of the members of the Steering Committee or one-quarter (1/4) of the membership.

 

 

Section 4. The Steering Committee upon receipt of such notice and petition shall immediately certify that the conditions required above are properly met and that necessary cause to initiate amendment proceedings therefore exists. The Steering Committee shall appoint an ad hoc Constitution Committee which shall have at least two (2) members other than members of the Steering Committee.

 

Section 5. The Constitution Committee with the cooperation of the appropriate officer(s) shall:

1.        Forward copies of the petition as well as ballots to be used in voting the question of amendment to the membership within ninety (90) days of appointment.

2.        Notify the membership of the date for a general business meeting at which reading and discussion of the proposed amendment(s) shall occur.

3.        Establish the date twenty one (21) days after the reading of the petition to amend as the closing date for voting.

4.        Certify the result(s) of the vote. Certification shall include both the count and the requirement for amendment.

5.        Report the result(s) of the vote to the membership within thirty (30) days of the closing date for voting.