Eatontown, NJ – The Leadership Team of the District of Eastern North America is proud to support “God is on Your Side,” a statement from Catholic Bishops on Protecting LGBT Youth, through the Tyler Clementi Foundation.
Twelve Catholic Bishops from the United States recently shared a statement of solidarity in standing up for at-risk and bullied LGBT youth throughout the country, in partnership with the Tyler Clementi Foundation. Since then, individuals and other religious orders have shared their endorsement of this statement, including our District’s Leadership Team.
The Tyler Clementi Foundation was founded by the Clementi family to prevent bullying through inclusion and the assertion of dignity and acceptance as a way to honor the memory of Tyler: a son, a brother, and a friend. Its mission is to end online and offline bullying, especially of LGBT individuals, in schools, workplaces, and faith communities.
To learn more about the Bishops’ statement, please visit the Tyler Clementi Foundation’s website
God Is On Your Side
A Statement from Catholic Bishops on Protecting LGBT Youth
As Catholic Bishops in the United States, we join with the Tyler Clementi Foundation in standing up for at-risk LGBT youth in our country.
As we see in the Gospels, Jesus Christ taught love, mercy, and welcome for all people, especially for those who felt persecuted or marginalized in any way; and the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that LGBT people are to be treated with “respect, compassion, and sensitivity.”
All people of goodwill should help, support, and defend LGBT youth; who attempt suicide at much higher rates than their straight counterparts; who are often homeless because of families who reject them; who are rejected, bullied, and harassed; and who are the target of violent acts at alarming rates.
The Catholic Church values the God-given dignity of all human life and we take this opportunity to say to our LGBT friends, especially young people, that we stand with you and oppose any form of violence, bullying or harassment directed at you.
Most of all, know that God created you, God loves you and God is on your side.
Thank you DENA for this example and leadership.
I firmly support and will do all I can to endorse this statement.
Bravo, DENA! Thank you for taking this courageous step and making this bold statement of solidarity. Your leadership is welcome! This is truly “together and by association” and the very best of Lasallian charism.
Thank you, Brothers, for your commitment to fighting bullying and harassment while standing up for compassion, respect and dignity.