Roughly a dozen members of SoulForceNYC, a chapter of the nationwide group working to end what it calls “spiritual violence” against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, turned out for a morning and evening vigil in chilly temperatures Wednesday to bring their concerns to the attention of Cardinal Edward Egan, the Roman Catholic archbishop of New York City.
According to SoulForce members who participated in the silent vigils, outside the Catholic Center at First Avenue and 55th Street, Egan has rebuffed several written efforts to establish a dialogue on issues of concern to the group.
The group’s action in Manhattan comes one week before the nationwide SoulForce group will mount its fifth annual direct action at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops meeting, held this year in Washington. For more information on plans for that event, visit soulforce.org/denomination/rc/usccb2004/.
