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| | | Worshipping with pride | | January 18, 2010 | | | | Voice Correspondent | | St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Dupont Circle might seem an unlikely venue for a Catholic Mass, but for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, the sanctuary is a haven in a sometimes challenging effort to sustain their faith.
Thanks to the efforts of the group Dignity Washington, a Barracks Row stalwart, local LGBT Catholics join together in the glow of St. Margaret’s stained glass every Sunday.
Raymond Panas is Dignity’s president, a spokesperson for LGBT Catholics who seek acceptance from the faith in which they were raised, and endorsement of their desire to celebrate the Eucharist at Sunday Mass.
Speaking from St. Margaret’s library, the hushed background broken occasionally by strains of the choir warming up to pipe organ accompaniment, Panas expounds on Dignity’s mission.
“It’s not that we disagree with or want to go against the Catholic Church,” he says. “Many of us consider ourselves part of the Catholic Church, and technically we are. We were baptized Catholics, so we still are Catholics. Dignity Washington exists because of a difference of opinion with the archdiocese. There’s a big distinction.”
Part of a nationwide Dignity network of LGBT Catholics, the group bought its 721 8th St. SE headquarters nearly 10 years ago. Panas joined Dignity in 2002, shortly after his arrival in D.C. He served on its board for four years before taking the helm in 2006.
Though D.C.’s LGBT community has much to celebrate with the D.C. Council’s recent endorsement of same-sex marriage, many hurdles still exist, including a sense of exclusion from many spiritual venues.
With Dignity Washington, local members of the LGBT community can make their faith public at St. Margaret’s, maintaining hope that one day they will be able to worship with the support of the church’s hierarchy.
The organization also offers social activities at its Hill home, including potluck dinners, movie nights and a book club. A spiritual group also meets once a month for prayer and discussion.
For Panas, the Dignity group is just one facet of a busy life. He works for a Bethesda-based pharmaceutical company. He’s also an assistant professor in the health sciences program at George Washington University and a contributing faculty member at Walden University, teaching online courses in public health and clinical research administration. He seems soft-spoken and confidently relaxed, but he’s a man who thrives on activity.
As the pews at St. Margaret’s begin to fill with worshipers, Panas quietly circulates, greeting friends and introducing strangers, and spreading Dignity Washington’s mission. | | | | | Log in to comment on this article |
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