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.

If you are a Catholic Bishop and would like to add your name, please email Jane@TylerClementi.org

If you would like to share your gratitude to the Catholic Bishops who have boldly and courageously added their names to this statement, please click here.

If your Bishop hasn’t signed, please reach out and encourage him to join us in sharing love and hope into our world.

Participating Catholic Bishops
  • Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin
  • Archbishop John C. Wester 
  • Bishop Steven Biegler
  • Bishop John P. Dolan
  • Bishop Thomas Gumbleton
  • Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz
  • Bishop Robert McElroy
  • Bishop Denis Madden 
  • Bishop Ricardo Ramirez 
  • Bishop John Stowe 
  • Bishop Anthony B. Taylor
  • Bishop Edward Weisenburger

 


*If you are a Catholic Order, Organization or Institution and you would like to add your support, please email Jane@TylerClementi.org
Catholic Religious Orders and Institutions Supporting the Statement 
  1. The Leadership Conference of Women Religious
  2. Religious Brothers Conference
  3. Adorers of the Blood of Christ, U.S. Region
  4. Adrian Dominican Sisters
  5. Association of US Catholic Priests
  6. Basilian Fathers
  7. Benedictine Sisters of Chicago
  8. Board of Directors of the Religious Brothers Conference
  9. Catholic Committee of Appalachia
  10. Call To Action
  11. Center for FaithJustice in Lawrenceville, NJ
  12. Chestnut Hill College
  13. Christian Brothers University
  14. Congregation of the Holy Spirit
  15. Congregation of the Infant Jesus, Rockville Centre, NY
  16. Dominican Friars, Central Province
  17. Dominican Sisters – Grand Rapids
  18. Dominican Sisters of Hope
  19. Dominican Sisters of Peace
  20. Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa
  21. Edmund Rice Christian Brothers North America, Province Leadership Team
  22. Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, NY
  23. Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
  24. Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration
  25. Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart
  26. Ignatian Volunteer Corps
  27. IHM Sisters of Monroe, Michigan – Leadership Council 
  28. International Movement of Catholic Students – Pax Romana
  29. Jesuit Schools Network
  30. Leadership Team Sisters of Saint Joseph of Peace
  31. Leadership Team of Sisters of the Congregation de Notre Dame,
  32. Leadership Team of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, IL
  33. Lewis University
  34. Loretto Sisters/Loretto Community
  35. Marianist Province of the United States
  36. Mission Helpers of the Sacred Heart
  37. Paulist Fathers
  38. School Sisters of Notre Dame, Central Pacific Province
  39. Sisters of Bon Secours, USA
  40. Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word – San Antonio
  41. Sisters of Charity of Nazareth
  42. Sisters of Charity of New York
  43. Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
  44. Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
  45. Sisters of Divine Providence, Melbourne, KY
  46. Sisters of Saint Dominic of Blauvelt, New York
  47. Sisters of Saint Dominic of Caldwell, New Jersey
  48. Sisters of Saint Joseph of Baden, Philadelphia
  49. Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia
  50. Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chambéry
  51. Sisters of Saint Joseph of Orange
  52. Society of Saint Edmund (Edmundites)
  53. Sisters of the Good Shepherd New York/Toronto Province
  54. Sisters of the Holy Names U.S.-Ontario Province Leadership Team
  55. Sisters of Saint Ursula
  56. Society of the Divine Savior, USA Province
  57. Society of the Sacred Heart USC Province
  58. The Leadership Team of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (District of Eastern North America)
  59. Leadership Team of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, IL
  60. The Leadership Team of the Sisters of Saint Dominic of Amityville
  61. The Leadership Team of the Sisters of the Congregation de Notre Dame,
    Blessed Sacrament Province, USA
  62. The Presentation Sisters of Dubuque, Iowa
  63. United Catholic Youth Ministries in Evanston, Illinois
  64. Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland
  65. Ursuline Sisters of Louisville
  66. Ursulines of the Roman Union – USA Provinces
  67. U.S. Federation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph
  68. U.S. Province, Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
  69. Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER)
  70. Xaverian Brothers