2011 St. Joseph’s Dinner

As in the past 20 plus years, Dignity/Washington marked the feast of St. Joseph by hosting its popular festive and elaborate liturgy and home-cooked Italian dinner for area LGBTQ Catholics on Saturday, March 19, 2011, at All Souls Memorial Episcopal Church in Washington, DC. The ceremony and the ornate altar built by the community continued an 800-year old tradition that fulfills a vow made in thanksgiving by the Sicilians after a severe drought. After thirteen days of prayer, through the intercession of St. Joseph, rain came and crops began to grow, especially the fast growing fava beans which thereafter became a part of every St. Joseph dinner. Other highlights of the evening included live recorder music of the Italian Renaissance, a retrospective on Italian cinema, a 50/50 raffle, and sumptuous desserts from Baltimore’s famed Piedigrotta Bakery.

 

DC Councilmen David Catania and Philip Mendelson Honored

At its Sunday Mass, February 6, 2011, Dignity/Washington presented its annual community service award, the Colfer Award,  to District of Columbia Council members David Catania (I-At-Large) and Phil Mendelson (D-At-Large) in recognition of their key roles in securing passage of DC’s same-sex marriage law. Dignity/Washington Board Vice-President Jake Hudson and his husband Greig Stewart and Dignity/Washington Board member and Treasurer Ellen Lee and her wife Theresa Bosanek, whose marriages became possible when the law took effect in March 2010, joined Dignity/Washington President Allen Rose in presenting the award.  Mr. Catania wrote and introduced the marriage measure and Mr. Mendelson, as chair of the committee with jurisdiction over the bill, managed its progress through the Council’s legislative process. In remarks following the presentation, both expressed gratitude for Catholic support of their legislative efforts.  The awards read as follows:  “Dignity/Washington 2010 Veronica and Gerald Colfer Award presented to David Catania in gratitude for your authorship and tireless efforts on behalf of the Religious and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009” and “Dignity/Washington 2010 Veronica and Gerald Colfer Award presented to Phil Mendelson in grateful recognition of your significant contribution as Committee Chair to the passage of marriage equality legislation in the District of Columbia.”

Board of Directors Attends Its Annual Retreat at the Bon Secours Spiritual Center

All but one of the eleven members of the Dignity/Washington Board met from Saturday, January 29 to Sunday, January 30, 2011 at the Bon Secours Spiritual Center in Marriottsville, Maryland for an overnight retreat that stressed spiritual renewal, leadership formation, and strategic planning for Dignity/Washington’s upcoming year.  Dr. Tom Little, long-time executive director of the Center, led a two-part session on friendship in the works of St. Francis de Sales, St. Jane de Chantal, Mahatma Gandhi, and other spiritual masters, developing the theme of how friendship to all serves as the underpinning of the Board’s work. In later sessions, the Board assessed Dignity/Washington community needs and resources and possible future efforts to increase volunteer service opportunities and improve public relations and outreach.   Joining the Board were two members of the Dignity/Washington Liturgy Committee.

Dignity Washington Honored with Brother, Help Thyself Founders Award

On January 29, 2011, Dignity/Washington was the recipient of the Founders Award from Brother, Help Thyself— an umbrella charity operating like a United Fund for LGBT causes in the Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD metropolitan areas. In its 33-year history, the organization  has given away more than $2 million in grants to charitable groups that serve the LGBT community, or further the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. The group presented nearly $100,000 of grants for the year 2010 at a reception in Baltimore on January 29, 2011. It also announced its annual service recognition awards including the one to Dignity/Washington.

As the Dignity/Washington officers and board were on retreat the day of the grants reception and could not attend the reception, Brother, Help Thyself president Joann Kokindo, executive director Tom Yates and treasurer Mark Clark presented the award the following day at the end of the Dignity/Washington Sunday Mass.

Yates said that one factor prompting the selection of Dignity/Washington for special recognition was the chapter’s  history of being supportive of the operations of Brother, Help Thyself. For several years, the chapter has made space at its Dignity Center available at no charge for the charitable group to conduct its annual grant hearings. Starting at the end of 2009, the group has been occupying a small office in the Dignity Center and holding its regular meetings there, paying a modest monthly donation in lieu of rent. Clark noted that the amount paid for the space is only about a third of what was previously being paid for commercial office and meeting space.

The award reads: “The Board of Directors of Brother, Help Thyself, Inc., present the Founders Award to Dignity/Washington for dedicated service and support to the gay and lesbian community. Presented this 29th Day of January 2011.”

2010 Secret Santa

Once again in December 2010 Dignity/Washington member Carl Spier organized the chapter to buy Christmas gifts for 15 boys and 15 girls at Houston Elementary School in Northeast DC.  All those participating in this Secret Santa program bought, wrapped and tagged their gifts, and delivered them no later than the 6:00 PM Mass on Sunday, December 12.  By all accounts this year’s efforts were a huge success that delighted and warmed the hearts of the very special youngsters who benefited from the chapter’s holiday spirit of giving.

Dia de los Muertos 2010

Blessing of Animals – St. Francis

Misa en español Sábado, 12 de Febrero

Dignity Grupo Latino te invita a una misa en español para recordar vigilias pascuales y resurrección. A realizarse en el Dignity Center. 721 8th Street SE Washington DC (Cerca de la estación del metro Eastern Market), el Sábado 12 de febrero 2011 a las 19:00 hrs. Mayores informes: bellurganlouth@yahoo.com

Rev. Susan Blue’s Reception & Thank you

March 2010 Calendar

March_2010

Next Page »