Pope Francis: Two LGBTI groups left out of World Meeting of Families.
A Catholic LGBTI group claimed it’s efforts to join a religious event in Ireland next month have been ignored.
The Global Network of Rainbow Catholics said it was ‘deeply dismayed and disappointed’ to have been left out of the World Meeting of Families.
Global Catholics: Christians march during Pride Paraguay this year. Photo: GNRC
The GNRC said it applied for an exhibit booth in April, but had received no reply, despite numerous requests.
‘Attempts to get a response about our exhibit booth from World Meeting of Families officials have been very frustrating. We feel completely ignored’, said Ruby Almeida, co-chair of the GNRC, which represents 32 LGBTI Catholic groups around the world.
‘It was our hope that we could provide support to our fellow Catholics who have LGBTI family members. Many families have questions about how to best support gay and transgender family members; what the Church really teaches about us; and how and why we choose to remain Catholics.’
The event is due to take place in Dublin from 21 – 26 August. The meet will bring Catholics groups from around the world together to discuss the importance of marriage and family.
Pope due to attend world Meeting of Families in Dublin
Pope Francis will travel to Ireland for two days next month to be part of the event, TheJournal.ie reported.
Family feud: LGBTI groups not welcome at Dublin gathering.
The GNRC’s statement follows a similar complaint made by another LGBTI support group.
We Are Church Ireland, campaigns for the equal inclusion of women and LGBT people in the Catholic church. It said it also had been ‘ignored and discriminated against’ in its application to be part of the event.
TheJournal reported that the organisers said We Are Church were one of a number of organisations on a holding list.
‘[M]any of these groups are on hold because they do not meet our stated criteria which was provided to them at the time of their application’ it quoted a spokesman as saying.
‘At this point it seems very unlikely that there will be any spaces left to allocate to those who fell outside the criteria.’
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