Over 650 concerned Catholics gathered in Pittsburgh March 7-9 for the Fourth National Symposium sponsored by New Ways Ministry to discuss lesbian and gay issues and the Church. The symposium, entitled "The Church Teaching/Teaching the Church", included Bishops Thomas Gumbleton of Detroit and Matthew Clark of Rochester, N.Y., as plenary speakers. Attendees were 51 percent laity, 27 percent religious, 18 percent priests and 4 percent brothers. The majority work in pastoral ministry; many others are employed by dioceses or religious congregations.

The conference explored current scientific, theological, social justice and pastoral considerations in ministering to gay Catholics. The speakers emphasized the need for outreach ministry for gays, lesbians and their families, especially for teenagers who often feel so isolated and stigmatized that they commit suicide. Theologian Margaret Farley from Yale University called on the Church to reevaluate sexual ethics in light of recent social science research and theology. Father Richard Peddicord from Aquinas Institute of Theology encouraged Catholics to see civil rights for gays and lesbians as a social justice issue.

What made headlines in secular newspapers was Gumbleton's call to gay and lesbian church members, including bishops, priests and nuns, to publicly declare their sexual orientation, and his plea to the church to create the community in which this can happen. Gumbleton admitted it would take courage to "come out," as his brother did five years ago. The bishop said he has since heard from countless gay priests who are afraid to step forward. "What a loss that is to our Church," he said. "Because if they were willing to stand up on a Sunday morning in front of their community as who they really are, our Church could much more fully and quickly appreciate the gifts that homosexuals can bring to the whole community of our Church and to our society as well." Gumbleton said that the "fear and loathing of gays is as big an ethical problem for the Church as it claims homosexual activity to be." Bishop Clark, who presided at the liturgy on Sunday, said that the Church needs to reflect on the experience of the people of God before making pronouncements which so greatly affect people's daily lives.