DignityHeroes: Francis DeBernardo

Our DignityHero this week is Frank DeBernardo, executive director over at New Ways Ministry. New Ways Ministry is a gay-positive ministry of advocacy and justice for LGBT Catholics, and reconciliation within the larger Christian and civic communities. The organization is a member of the coalition Equally Blessed with Call To Action, Fortunate Families and DignityUSA. 

Perhaps you’ve been on a retreat that Frank DeBernardo coordinated, or heard him speak at a conference, attended a New Ways Ministry Symposium (happening soon, see *** below) or you get the hard-copy Bondings newspaper on occasion through the year. But what brings us to honor Mr. DeBernardo these days is his dogged--and always insightful--presence recently in cyberspace. Lately, he’s been “out there” a whole lot, and we hope he stays! Catch him and his New Ways colleagues on Twitter, Facebook, and, especially, a new blogsite called Bondings 2.0. www.newwaysministryblog.wordpress.com

The Bondings 2.0 blog keeps us current on media releases, articles, blog columns, hierarchical statements and asundry events that resonate directly with LGBT issues as they intersect with all things Catholic. Frank is a frequent commentator here, offering us not just what is in the news, but how the “what” might be understood in the context of reasoned, theological and spiritual reflection. He works tirelessly to bring LGBT dignity/rights into mainstream Catholicism and does it with impeccable grace.

Thank you, Frank, for bringing us up-to-date on current events, but most compellingly for providing us with intelligent, reasoned, faith-filled insight. And doing it day in and day out. You continue to be a gift to the entire Catholic community (whether or not some Bishops will agree with that) and beyond.

***New Ways Ministry’s 7th National Symposium:

From Water to Wine: Lesbian/Gay Catholics and Relationships

March 15-17, 2012

Baltimore, Maryland

Plenary Session speakers: Bishop Geoffrey Robinson, Luke Timothy-Johnson, Patricia Beattie Jung, Richard Rodriguez, and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. 

For more information or to register online, go to www.newwaysministry.org