We would like to extend a special invitation to you to join us at our annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Liturgy. We are very excited to tell you that for the first time in our 35-year history, our presider will be a Roman Catholic womanpriest, Rev. Victoria Rue. To our knowledge, this is the first time that a Roman Catholic womanpriest will preside at a public liturgy in New York City. The liturgy will take place at Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square South in Manhattan, at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 23rd.

Dr. Rue was ordained a priest in the St. Lawrence River in 2005 by three Roman Catholic womenbishops – an event that was widely reported in the media. Since 2002, the Roman Catholic womenpriests movement has ordained dozens of women deacons and priests in rites seen as valid because their womenbishops were duly consecrated – in secret – by canonical male bishops who stand in full apostolic succession.

This is a bold move for our community, but one to which we believe the Holy Spirit has called us. Dignity has long held that ordination should be open to women and men equally, without regard to marital status or sexual orientation. Now, the ordination of Dr. Rue and other highly qualified womenpriests gives us the opportunity to put that belief into action.

After long discernment, we have decided to undertake this act of “prophetic obedience” – a term that Bishop Patricia Fresen has used to refer to the womenpriests movement. We would truly be delighted if you could join us on this joyful occasion, as together we work to build a renewed Catholic Church of inclusion and equality.

The historic and newly renovated Judson Memorial Church, in the heart of Greenwich Village adjacent to the New York University campus, is air conditioned, handicapped accessible, and easily accessible by public transportation. We are pasting in below a flyer about the liturgy and hope that you will circulate it to your members. For more information about the liturgy, Rev. Victoria Rue, and the womenpriests movement, please visit www.dignityny.org.

We look forward to seeing you on June 23rd!

The Steering Committee of Dignity New York