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Ministries


Current ministries include but are not limited to:

Holy Unions

Dignity/Washington offers member couples the ability to celebrate their love with a commitment ceremony. Working with a member of the liturgy committee and one of the presiders from the community, the couple discusses several topics leading to the development of the actual rite of Holy Union. The process generally takes a couple of months.

For couples in our community contemplating a commitment ceremony, please know that D/W is here to help. Contact the Dignity Center for more information.

Our requirements for couples wishing to have a Dignity/Washington Holy Union ceremony are that one or both parties must be active members of our Chapter for at least 6 months; and, be regular attendees at our Sunday liturgies.


Music Ministry

Music Ministers provide music at Mass and at other special events, such as Holy Unions. Rehearsals are at 4:30 PM on Sundays (before Mass). To join, stop by after Mass, come for rehearsal or contact Jeannette.


Outreach Ministry

The Outreach Ministry sponsors a variety of activities:

  • Solidarity Sunday – Solidarity Sunday is a faith-based antiviolence initiative.Solidarity Sunday is held every year on the Sunday before October 11 (National Coming Out day). Our conviction and our witness is that God, who is the Creator and Lover of all, wishes us to live in solidarity with each other andto rejoice in our diversity. We pray that God’s lesbian, gay, transgender, and straight children experience justice,enjoy peace, and spread God’s love throughout the world.We pray this in the name of God, who welcomes all into aholy circle of friendship. Amen.
  • Secret Santa – In the Fall, one of our major activities is the Secret Santa program. More details later!
  • Damien Ministries Collection: the Defenders collect non-perishable food items on the 1st Sunday of each month.
  • Charlie’s Place, the ministry of St. Margaret’s, we support with “spare change,” clothing, toiletries, and volunteers to help with the hot meals Tuesdays - Thursdays 6:30 am to 8:30 a.m.

Pastoral Care

Gathered in hope, the Pastoral Care Council is a group of Christian men and women dedicated to service within the Dignity/Washington community. Our call is to ensure that our community of faith responds to the pastoral concerns of our membership, in the light of our Gospel values, in a sensitive and professional way.

  • As witnesses, we affirm the work of the Spirit in the community.
  • As prophets, we call forth and challenging the community.
  • And as companions, we nurture the Spirit present in our members.

Aware of the alienation and hurt that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons experience on many levels, yet claiming our share in the Paschal Mystery, we continue to believe and find strength in God’s goodness.

Please contact us at 202-546-2235 and select Option #2 to leave a confidential message. Someone from our Pastoral Care Team will be in touch with you.


Reconciliation

The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, or “confession,” is well-rooted in the history of the Catholic Church as a way of expressing sorrow for wrongdoing and a desire to set things right again with God — and with the community. While it is easy to consider that doing wrong, or sinning, is something personal and only between the sinner and God, it is important to consider that each sin affects the greater community at large. Sins have a social effect.

It is for this reason that Dignity/Washington holds two Penance services per year (one during Lent and one during Advent); we show outwardly as a community that we are sorry for the sins we have committed against God and against one another and that we wish to truly repent for them and make things right. Then, as a community and by the action of a priest, we are absolved of the sins we have committed if we are truly penitent. This strengthens the community as a whole and strengthens our individual relationships with God.

The act of individual confession is also an important part of Catholic life, and for many of us is a powerful healing Sacrament. The Church recognizes the power behind this act and so calls Catholics to make an individual confession at least once per year. After each of our Penance services, we offer individual confessions with priests, but one need not wait until these special services to make a confession. If you wish to make a confession, the priest who presides at each Mass is normally available before and after the service for this Sacrament. You may simply approach the priest or a member of the Liturgy team and make known that you wish to receive the Sacrament either ahead of time or on that same Sunday (if it’s possible for you to give notice, please do so).

There are many resources available online to help you learn about this Sacrament and what it can mean for you; a couple examples are listed below. Your spiritual development is important to us. Please let us know how we may help you personally, and if we can do it, we will.

- “How to Celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation Today” by Thomas Richstatter, OFM, STD: http://www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/CU/ac0800.asp
- “The Sacrament of Reconciliation” by Sandra DeGidio, OSM: http://www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/CU/ac0386.asp