Head of Oldest US LGBTQ Catholic Group DignityUSA to Step Down

Marianne Duddy-Burke, who has led DignityUSA, the oldest organization for LGBTQ Catholics in the US, for over 17 years, has announced her departure as executive director. In an open letter to the community on September 17, 2026, she stated that she will step down after a successor is chosen and will assist with the transition.

Duddy-Burke has held various leadership roles within the organization for over forty years. She was the first woman elected president of DignityUSA, holding the position from 1993 to 1997. Since 2007, she has served as executive director, becoming the public face of the movement. In her announcement, she referred to DignityUSA as “the Catholic Stonewall,” noting that the organization sparked a global movement of queer Catholics who refused to accept second-class status in their church and society.

DignityUSA is one of the most prominent and oldest organizations of LGBTQ Catholics in the world, founded in 1972. The group advocates for the full inclusion of LGBTQ people in the life of the Catholic Church. During Duddy-Burke’s tenure, the organization navigated numerous challenges, from the HIV/AIDS pandemic and the expulsion of its chapters from Catholic parishes to the fight for marriage equality and recent debates over transgender rights. DignityUSA President Meli Barber noted that the board of directors has been preparing for this leadership transition for some time and will soon begin the search for a new executive director.

Previously, DignityUSA representatives, including Marianne Duddy-Burke, have frequently commented on Catholic Church initiatives, including sharply criticizing Donald Trump’s attacks on Pope Leo XIV and welcoming the Vatican’s shift away from abstract discussions toward the lived experience of LGBTQ believers.