Subject: Lesbian & Gay Catholic Helpline
From: <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 11 Jan 1995 19:56:03 -0500

Dignity/NY Linkline

1/11/1995
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Paul Halsall ([email-masked])

NEW YORK GAY & LESBIAN CATHOLICS BEGIN TELEPHONE HOTLINE

CONCERNED TO REACH LESBIAN, GAY AND QUESTIONING CATHOLICS OF ALL AGES,
DIGNITY/NEW YORK SETS UP SUPPORT AND INFORMATION SERVICE

	New York, NY - Dignity/New York, an organization of lesbian and gay
Catholics, announced the creation of a telephone hotline [212-620 0369],
called LINKLINE,  to reach out to gays and lesbians buffeted by the attacks
of Church leaders, right-wing politicians and unsympathetic families.

	The hotline, based in a Greenwich Village office, will be staffed  three
evenings a week by trained volunteers. Volunteers will be willing to talk
about any issue callers raise, but will be especially willing to discuss
spiritual and religious issues. Paul Halsall, Dignity LINKLINE Coordinator
said, "Other telephone helplines do a wonderful job, but are not oriented to
spiritual and religious issues. As lesbian and gay Catholics, we believe that
there is no conflict between spirituality and homo- or bisexuality. Our goal
is to offer an ear to callers who want to discuss these issues."

	Following Vatican attacks on lesbians and gays in the late 1980s,
Dignity/New York has seen a resurgence in numbers and spirit in recent years.
Dignity, whose members are already enagaged in a number of support programs
for people with AIDS, is one of the more active Catholic faith communities in
the New York area.  Dignity has also staged many peaceful demonstrations
outside St. Patrick's Cathedral, after the group was forbidden to worship in
Roman Catholic churches by Cardinal O'Connor in 1987.  
	
	Jeff Stone, Dignity/Northeast Regional Director, said "The LINKLINE
represents an important new service to the many thousands of gay and lesbian
Roman Catholics in the New York City area and beyond. As far as I know, it is
the only Catholic gay helpline in the country and could serve as a model for
some of the other 85 Dignity chapters around the nation. Dignity - the
largest group of gay and lesbian Catholics in the United States - is the
major organization that gay and lesbian Catholics can count on to
consistently and openly challenge official Vatican teaching on the subject of
homosexuality, and to affirm that their sexulity is a gift from God."

	LINKLINE will be open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, 7pm to 11pm.
All calls will be kept completely confidential. Support to callers will be
non-directive in nature, and volunteer staff will have a full array of
information to refer callers elsewhere if needed. Callers from all backrounds
are welcome, and referrals will be available to other faith communities. The
service commences on Monday 16th January 1995.

--END--

Dignity/New York, Box 1554, New York, NY 10150 (212) 866-8047

Dignity is organized to unite gay and lesbian Catholics and their friends, to
develop leadership and to be an instrument through which we may be heard by
the Church and society.