Press Release

For Immediate Release

Gay Catholics Challenge Catholic Bishops on Voting

The Rainbow Sash Movement is calling on Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender (glbt) Catholics to exercise their right and vote in the November elections. We do not endorse either presidential candidate that is not the purpose of the Rainbow Sash Movement (RSM). However, we are called to remind glbt Catholics of the panoply of Catholic moral issues, and that they must vote their Conscience, according to the "Primacy of Conscience."

We encourage glbt Catholics to remember the ethical principles laid down by Pope John XXIII in his remarkable 1963 encyclical "Pacem in Terris: On Establishing Universal Peace in Truth, Justice, Charity and Liberty." We share the enthusiastic commitment to the direction given by U.S. Catholic bishops in their 1986 pastoral letter, "Economic Justice for All: Catholic Social Teaching and the U.S. Economy". We must never forget the needs of the poor in our society, and our Catholic calling to love our neighbor.

Catholic Social Justice has developed out of documents concerning war and peace, the environment, young children, economic justice, racism, immigration, ecology, poverty, the death penalty, nuclear power, international trade; health care, corporate power and sustainable development.

We understand the Bishops who continue to promote the denial to glbt people fundamental human rights, do not promote Catholic Social Justice, and this is wrong. The Bishops have no Theological right to tell any how to vote their conscience. GLBT Catholics must remember the affect their vote will have on social justice for their Community. As people of Faith we are called to stand shoulder to shoulder with any group who is unjustly marginalized by either Church or State, and that means our own community.

Concerning the war in Iraq, it is confusing that some of our Bishops have inferred that that killing of a fetus is not the same in principle, as the killing of thousands of people in Iraq. Or, that Gay Marriage should not be allowed as a civil right, inferring that a loving glbt couple is somehow inferior, this is wrong. Homophobia like racism and sexism is an evil in our society. It must be opposed by all people of good will

The effort to use abortion as a political litmus test in providing Communion for Catholics is wrong. A woman should always have the right to choose life over procreation. All should be welcomed to the Eucharist Table regardless of sexual orientation, or political affiliation. In the words of Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk of Cincinnati, "We need to be very cautious about the denying people the sacraments on the basis of what they say they believe, especially when those are political beliefs."

The right to vote is a precious gift. Many have died so we can use it don't waist it. To find out more about the Rainbow Sash Movement please visit our web page at www.rainbowsashmovement.com.

Rainbow Sash Movement