The lesbian and gays who gathered for the home liturgies, were Catholic and Episcopalian. They cherished their ecumenism and lay leadership. Politis said they were inspired by the small Christian communities in Latin America.

Meanwhile in 1973, Sr. Jeannine Gramick, who was serving as a chaplain for Dignity Baltimore, published her article, “Myths around Homosexuals,” in the publication Intellect. One myth that she debunked was that homosexuals were pedophiles. Also, Sr. Jeannine would minister to the newly formed Philadelphia Chapter of Dignity.

In 1974 Dignity USA, the National Dignity organization, appointed John Politis and Bob Kahn as co-chairs of Dignity Philadelphia. They oversaw a year of progress with the Chapter. They joined the crusade (started by Barbara Gittings and the Gay and Lesbian Task Force of the American Library Association) to demand more books for lesbians and gays at the Free Library of Philadelphia. Also, they formed a committee to draw up a constitution for the Chapter.

 

In 1974, when Fr. Robert Nugent addressed Philadelphia City Council in support of the gay civil rights bill, the Archdiocese spoke against gay civil rights, and the bill did not pass.
 

In 1975, the president and vice-president met with the chancellor of the Philadelphia Archdiocese, but the results were negative: the Archdiocese gave no recognition of the Dignity/Philadelphia nor allowed the Chapter to use church property. 

The Archdiocese would ban Fr. Nugent from celebrating the Eucharist in Philadelphia. He and Sr. Jeannine left Philadelphia to found New Ways Ministry in Maryland.
 

Dignity members held protests to draw attention to discrimination. When the opportunities for lesbians and gays to socialize were few, Dignity hosted Halloween and New Year’s celebrations–sometimes with other LGBTQ groups. A member coached a baseball team. Some gathered to watch movies in their homes. The Chapter offered workshops to educate people on HIV/AIDS, made an AIDS quilt, and displayed memorial panels for Sunday Liturgy.

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The vision of these Dignity Philadelphia pioneers bears these significant marks:

• Roots of the community pre-dates the founding of Dignity chapters in Philadelphia and elsewhere

• Chapter includes gay men, lesbians, and married couples with children

• Ecumenical, includes Episcopalians, Catholics, even a Protestant of Jewish heritage

• Lay leaders hold responsibility for running the Chapter

• Membership tends to be middle-class

• Members actively fight for gay civil rights

• Ordained priests celebrate liturgies, despite Archdiocesan disapproval.

The vision of these founding women and men is a gift not just to us, but to the Church of Philadelphia.
 

“Tradition is not the worship of ashes but the passing on of the flame.” Pope Francis shares with us this insight from Gustav Mahler (Querida Amazonia, 2020). As we consider the following questions and dream of the future of Dignity Philadelphia, what is the flame that we will we pass on?

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How does the founders’ vision open our future as a Chapter? 
What are the challenges of the present and the next years? 
How might we respond to those challenges? 
Do we take responsibility to hand the flame to a new generation and the next 50 years of Dignity Philadelphia?

 

Please send your comments on the founding vision, the Chapter’s challenges, and your hopes for the future to hello@dignityphila,org.

P.S. Join us in May 2023 to celebrate the past, present and future of Dignity Philadelphia!