Finding Aid for the Lesbian Catholics Together records, 1986-1997 LSC.1951
Finding aid prepared by Stacy Wood, 2011; Sabrina Ponce, 2017; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé.
UCLA Library Special Collections
Online finding aid last updated 23 August 2017.
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1575
(310) 825-4988
spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
Title: Lesbian Catholics Together records
Identifier/Call Number: LSC.1951
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
0.4 linear feet
(1 document box)
Date (inclusive): 1986-1992
Abstract: The group Lesbian Catholics Together was concerned with carving out space for discussion and community specifically geared
towards Lesbian Catholics. This collection contains liturgical materials, bulletins, brochures, and retreat information, all
which reflect their mission.
Physical location: COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library Special
Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Creator:
Conference of Catholic Lesbians.
creator:
Lesbian Catholics Together
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library Special
Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Conditions Governing Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright
and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
[Identification of item], Lesbian Catholics Together Records (Collection 1951). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles
E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Provenance unknown.
This collection is part of an outreach and collection-building partnership between the
June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives , the
UCLA Center for the Study of Women (CSW) and the
UCLA Library .
Processed by Stacy Wood, 2011. Description enhanced and further physical processing completed by Sabrina Ponce in 2017.
The
June L. Mazer Lesbian Archive at UCLA is an outreach and collection-building partnership between the
June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives , the
UCLA Center for the Study of Women (CSW) and the
UCLA Library . These collections expand the pool of primary source materials available to researchers and to the community at large. This
partnership was initiated by CSW and is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to inventory, organize,
preserve, and digitize more than eighty Mazer collections pertaining to lesbian and feminist activism and writings.
UCLA Catalog Record ID:
6956723
Lesbian Catholics Together is a group that was formed out of Dignity USA. Dignity USA began in 1969 as an extension of Father
Patrick Nidorf's work. It began as a word of mouth, in-house, membership-based ministry organization that has grown into a
national educational, religious, social, and political organization striving to work from within the church to change official
policy and opinion. Lesbian Catholics Together began informally in the summer of 1986 when a small number of longtime Dignity
members started to hold women-only liturgies and services, attempting to ameliorate the low attendance of women at Dignity
functions. In the beginning, the goal remained to expand the community of Dignity, introducing women to its services. In 1987,
direct association with Dignity ended and Lesbian Catholics Together (LCT) became its own organization. Informally organized,
it relied on individual member contributions and volunteer support. With the purpose of "providing a safe and accepting atmosphere
in which to socialize, worship and share spiritual journies [sic]," LCT provided monthly liturgies and paraliturgies as well
as retreats, monthly support groups, and collaborations with other Catholic organizations and gay and lesbian organizations.
In their fourth year, LCT became affiliated with the Conference of Catholic Lesbians.
The idea for a national meeting of Catholic Lesbians was first discussed at a retreat for lesbians sponsored by New Ways Ministry
in May 1981. Six months later, members from New York City drew up a proposal for a national conference for Catholic Lesbians,
held in November 1982 at Kirkridge Center in Bangor, Pennyslvania. Over 100 women participated in that historic gathering,
coming from throughout the United States, Canada, and Argentina. The catalyst for the conference came from the fact that none
of the group's participants belonged to women's, Catholic, or gay–encouraged activities or environments, either social or
spiritual, that affirmed this unique identity. Shortly after the Kirkridge conference the organizers met to form the Conference
for Catholic Lesbians. The original goal of the organization was to act as a clearinghouse of information and resources for
Catholic Lesbians. Over time, this expanded to the formation of local groups, bi-annual national conferences, a quarterly
newsletter, regional events and retreats, and participation in a number of Catholic coalitions.
This collection contains promotional and outreach materials for Lesbian Catholics Together (LCT) as well as liturgical and
service documentation. Also included are newsletters from the Catholic Conference for Lesbians as well as some materials from
Dignity, the organization from which LCT formed.
Arrangement follows original order of materials.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
June L. Mazer Lesbian Archive at UCLA.
June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives.
Lesbian Catholics Together -- Archives
Catholic gays--Religious life.
Lesbians--Pastoral counseling of.
Box 1, Folder 1
Box 1, Folder 2
Box 1, Folder 3
Box 1, Folder 4
Box 1, Folder 5