Q~gnl!yt!Q~~§!QJ~! Newsle-t-ter January 2003 ( We are many parts; we are all one body. Dignity/Houston. Inc. THIS MONTH AT DIGNITY ... is a not for profit organization dedicated to the spiritual welfare of gay and lesbian Bill Moon Catholics and friends. All are invited to our DHN Editor religious services and social gatherings. Dignity/Houston just completed one of the busiest seasons Dignity Center: 1307 Yale, on its calendar, and we thank all those whose participation Houston Heights Mail: PO Box 66821, made the holidays special: Houston TX 77266 Phone: (713) 880 ••2872 ...Thanks to Carolyn, Margaret, Jim, for organizing the Winter Web: www.dignityhouston,org Retreat, and to Fr. Bill Tarter for presiding ... Email: [email protected] ...to Scott and the board for organizing, decorating, and Memberships: Individuals I $45 year Couples / $84 Year serving Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners ... The Board of Trustees meets monthly. ...to Robert, Charles, Juan, Jim, Kevin, Bill, and Kolbe's All are welcome to attend. Thomas Nitschke for joining us at our annual Christmas President: Kevin Kelly Caroling at Kroger benefiting Stone Soup... Vice President: Jim LeBlanc Treasurer: Bill Moon ...to our President Kevin for organizing and hosting the New secretary: Richard Cole Year's Day brunch ... Trustee: Joe Quinn Trustee: Scott Garrett ...to our priests and musicians for their service each week... Trustee: Mike Noll ...and most of all, to you, our loyal membership, for your Dignity/Houston News publishes a monthly newsletter, email continued support of Dignity/Houston. updates, and a web site for our community. We welcome reader's input. This month, we're back to the regular schedule of mass Editor: Bill Moon every Saturday night, and on the first and third Sunday [email protected] afternoons. Write: PO Box 667235, Houston TX 77266 Thanks for spending the Holidays with Dignity! +) Or Call: (713) 526-3619 Dignity/USA Taking Responsibility Web-site: www.dignityusa.org E-mail: [email protected] Winter Retreat Mail: 1500 Massachusetts Ave NW Suite 11 George Wetzel Washington DC 20005 DHN Columnist Phone: (800) 877-8797 On the Dignity/Houston Winter Retreat, Fr. Bill Tarter Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor, Dignity/Houston, Dignity/USA, encouraged us to look back to our own personal or the Roman Catholic Church. Publication genealogies to get some perspective on just where we of names should not be construed as an indication of sexual orientation. Taking Responsibility continued on page 2 Taking Responsibility continued from page 1 CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP Membership is $45 for individuals and $84 each come from. -He was asking us to draw from the for couples. We will ~ help anyone parallel of the gospel story outlining the genealogy of who needs assistance paying. Your Christ from the time of Abraham to Joseph (the begats membership demonstrates a commitment of the Christmas liturgy). to furthering our goals and supporting local As we shared some of our own genealogical insights - activities. To update your directory info, or including the observation that our own lines seem to be for any questions, contact Mike Noll at "dead ends." (713) 880-2872 or [email protected] With that, Bill suggested that we look at our genealogy as the "roots" of our life. Those roots, through us, SATURDAY MASS become the trees of our lives. We celebrate mass EVERYSaturday night Instead of concentrating on the fact that we do not at 7:30 p.m. Our schedule at press time: have progeny to add to the genealogy, we have our very lives to show and display our own generative acts, Presider Host Music Date actions, and contributions to our world. 01/04 Fr. Don Mike N Greg G There are those in our society and in our church who 01/11 Fr. Paul Bill M Greg G claim that we have nothing beneficial to add to the mix of our times - and to prove their point, they are 01/18 Fr. Maurice Jim L BJ adamantly opposed to many attempts to do just that. 01/25 Fr. Eddie Scott Mike C One tactic used here in Texas is to claim that what we do in the privacy of our bedrooms should remain a SUNDAY SERVICES crime (yes, Virginia, if heterosexuals do the same Join us select Sundays at 5:00 p.m. thing, it is not a crime). 01/05 Fr. Bill Phil H Another tactic is to claim that we have an "agenda" - as if seeking normal relations, rights, and privileges is 01/19 Fr. Bill Phil H some how suspect in our state or our religion. OFFERTORY Look carefully in the coming year to how you can 11/30 214.00 12/07 289.00 contribute to our world and our people. 12/14 220.00 12/21 285.00 Happy New Year! .:. 12/25 155.00 12/29 217.00 HAPPY BIRTHDAY We thank members for their generosity! Jan 19 Bill G LET Us HEAR FROM YOU! Jan 23 Kevin K This newsletter is the voice of ALLour members, and first-time submissions are highly encouraged. Please submit articles ARE YOU ON THE DIGNITY NEWS ~IST? and news items by the third Saturday of the month. Send to Bill Moon, at We offer a monthly newsletter and periodic email updates. To sign up, contact us at (713) 880-2872 or [email protected] or through the web site by logging on to www.dignityhouston.org [email protected] or www.dignityhouston.org DHN • January 2003 • Page 2 DIGNITY/HOUSTON WINTER RETREAT December 13-16, 2002 Thousand Trails Park, Columbus TX Joel, perched above the Thousand Trails sign, waves as Carolyn, Dave, Joe, Jim, Margaret, and George pose for a group photo. Above: Margaret and Fr. Bill Middle Right: Carolyn, Joel, Joe, and Dave Bottom Right: Jim, George, and Fr. Bill DHN • January 2003 • Page 3 HOLIDAYS WITH DIGNITY Gene starts the serving line at Randy, Joe, Jean-Louis, and Bob share a laugh. Thanksaivina Dinner. Jose, Kevin, and Randy Joe, Brent, and Bernard Dignity Group enjoys food and fellowship. Jim, Bill, and Scott DHN • January 2003 • Page 4 Schedule of Events A Voice in the Desert: Dignity/USA National Convention WEEKLY MASS AND DINNER August 7-10, 2003 EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT 7:30 P.M. Wegather for masseach Where's the one place in the world you can experience Saturdaynight and then go to New York, Paris and Venice? Or, return to the days of dinner at a variety of Caesar, Egyptian Pharaohs, Knights in King Arthur's Court \restaurants. Joinus! and Arabian Nights? Dignity/USA will hold its 1.6th Biennial - SuNDAY MASSES SELECT SUNDAY AmRNOONS Convention in Las Vegas! JANUARY 5 AND 19 The host hotel is the Alexis Park Resort, an all suite hotel 5 PM and resort. The convention theme is "A Voice in the Fr. BillTarter will celebrate Desert." We will have guest speakers, seminars, liturgies, masstwo Sundaysthis month. presentations and, of course, a lot of fun with family and friends. Join us and plan today to attend. Keynote Speaker Richard Sipe- Mr. Sipe is a psychotherapist and former Benedictine monk and priest BoARD MEETING married to a former Maryknoll nun, Marianne Benkert, MD., a psychiatrist at UCSD's Owen Clinic. For more than THURSDAY - JANUARY 9 30 years, he has been engaged in research on the 7:30 P.M. institution and practice of priestly celibacy. All are invited to attend our monthly meeting. 2003 Dignity/USA Convention Central-The Alexis Park Resort is the premier non-gaming, all suite hotel in Las SPRING SALE FUNDRAISER Vegas. The hotel is located two blocks from the Las Vegas SPRING 2003 Strip and four blocks from the Gay Quarters. Room rates for the all suite hotel begin at $89/night (single or double TBA occupancy) plus 9% room tax. Additional guests are $20 As part of our ongOing each per night and children 12-years of age and under fundraisingefforts, DHwill stay free. Plan ahead by calling 800-582-2228 (in the conducta yard/garage sale. Continental US) or 702-796-3322 (outside the continental Membersare askedto begin US) to make your reservation today. setting asideany items they Important note: In order to receive the advantage of wishto donate. the Convention Rate, all hotel reservations must be Date/TIme/Locationwill be made via phone (not the hotel website). announcedsoon. For more information, log onto www.dignityusa.org VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Dignity/Houston is seeking volunteers to launder and iron altar linens. Those interested in assisting our liturgy team are asked to contact a board member. We thank you for your service! DHN • January 2003 • Page 5 DHN PO Box 667235 Houston, Texas 77266 ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED ) 20 Robert Heer 20481/2 Colquitt St Houston, TX 770983406 HAPPY NEW YEARI DHN • January 2003 • Page 6 Q~grtltYJtQ.!!~ Newslet-t-er June 2003 We are many parts; we are all one body. DignitylHouston. Inc. THIS MONTH AT DIGNITY ... is a not for profit organization dedicated to the spiritual welfare of gay and lesbian Bill Moon Catholics and friends. All are invited to our religious services and social gatherings. DHN Editor Dignity Center: 1307 Yale, June is Pride Month in Houston, and the Houston Houston Heights Pride Committee celebrates its Silver Anniversary Mail: PO Box 66821, on Saturday, June 28, with the annual Pride Houston TX 77266 Phone: (713) 880-2872 Parade along lower Westheimer. Web: ww"'! .dignityhouston.org Email: [email protected] We at Dignity are proud to celebrate our organization's 29th Anniversary the next day, Memberships: Individuals / $45 year Couples / $84 Year Sunday, June 29, with a special Pride Mass followed by an ice-cream social.