August 31st 2003 Our Action at St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne

CHALLENGING VATICAN OPPRESSION    
      press release

a public action of witness and protest sponsored by
the Rainbow Sash Movement and
he Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby.
 

Queer activists, gay Catholics and students, parents and family confronted the Catholic Church and Archbishop Denis Hart over the recent Vatican document that denounced gay unions as "evil" and condemned legislation to recognise them.
 
The symbolic action took place outside St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne, after 11 am Mass on Sunday August 31.

 The protest will involved a symbolic return of the Vatican document marked "REJECTED", and a call for the Church to follow Jesus teaching and offer gay people
"Bread, Not Stones".
 

Matthew 7: Jesus words:
⁹ "Which of you, if his son asks for bread,
will give him a stone?
 

"We have been given a stone!"

Dr Maria Pallotta-Chiarolli's excellent speech
given on the day!

THE VATICAN releases:
CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING PROPOSALS
TO GIVE LEGAL RECOGNITION
TO UNIONS
BETWEEN HOMOSEXUAL PERSONS
(FULL TEXT and COMMUNITY RESPONSES)

 "This document calls on all Catholics, and especially Catholic politicians, to oppose any and all attempts to give any form of legal recognition to gay unions or marriages, and will condemn adoption by gay couples as an act of "violence" against a child. The document says that if any politician votes to support legal recognition for gay unions, he (sic) commits a "gravely immoral" act.
 Gay Catholics around the world are appalled at this Vatican action and are preparing their responses."
-Michael Kelly
  - RAINBOW SASH MOVEMENT MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE

RAINBOW SASH PRESS RELEASE
9pm, July 31, 2003,  for immediate release:
  (FULL TEXT)

(A FABULOUS RESPONSE by
 Clifford Longley)
 

DEMOCRATS Response:

 FULL TEXT OF THE VATICAN ANNOUNCEMENT
VATICAN WEBSITE
 see 'Latest news'