The Place of Gays and Lesbians in the Church

Sister Jeannine Gramick, a Roman Catholic nun, cofounded along with Fr. Robert Nugent the New Ways Ministry, a national, Catholic social justice center working for the reconciliation of lesbian/gay people and the church. Two of her many books and articles, Building Bridges: Gay and Lesbian Reality and the Catholic Church and Voices of Hope: A Collection of Positive Catholic Writings on Lesbian/Gay Issues, were the subject of a Vatican investigation. Gramick is the subject of the 2006 documentary film In Good Conscience, which tells the story of her faith journey and conflict with the Vatican over the rights of gay and lesbian Catholics. In 1999 the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith permanently prohibited her from any pastoral work with lesbian or gay persons. In 2000 the School Sisters of Notre Dame ordered her to cease speaking about the Vatican investigation and about homosexuality in general. She transferred to the Sisters of Loretto in 2001 in order to continue engaging in lesbian/gay ministry. "In Good Conscience" will be shown prior to her presentation, at 6:00 pm in the South Ballroom. National Coming Out Day.