Dignity Washington marks 25 years since expulsion from chapel

Gay Catholic group Dignity Washington is scheduled to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the group's ouster from a Georgetown University chapel. (Washington Blade file photo by Doug Hinckle)

The gay Catholic group Dignity Washington on Sunday, May 27 is scheduled to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington’s decision to oust the group from its use of a Georgetown University chapel to celebrate its Sunday Mass for D.C. area gay Catholics.

At the time, the Archdiocese said it acted on orders from the Vatican, which banned gay Catholic groups from using church facilities for meetings or religious services. Vatican officials said individual gay Catholics could continue to attend Mass at Catholic churches.

Dignity Washington spokesperson Tom Bower said the anniversary of the 1987 ouster from the Georgetown chapel as well as the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Dignity chapter in Northern Virginia and the 20th anniversary of the founding of the D.C. gay Catholic group Defenders would be held together May 27 at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church at Connecticut and Florida avenues, N.W. He said the anniversary commemorations would be held immediately following the group’s regularly scheduled 6 p.m. Mass at St. Margaret’s Church.