Catholic Bishop Peter Jugis of Charlotte, N.C. canceled a scheduled speech by a nun who has openly challenged traditional Catholic doctrine on homosexuality for years, according to the Catholic News Herald. Sister Jeannine Gramick, who has been censured by the US Bishops’ Conference and the Vatican, was scheduled to speak St. Peter Church; the May 16 event was organized by St. Peter Church's gay and lesbian ministry and the Charlotte chapter of PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), according to LifeSiteNews.

The talk was planned by St. Peter Church's gay and lesbian ministry and the Charlotte chapter of PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays).

Gramick is the co-founder of the homosexual advocacy group New Ways Ministry, which refers to itself as a "gay positive ministry of advocacy and justice for lesbian and gay Catholics and reconciliation within the larger Christian and civil communities.”

Diocesan Director of Communications David Hains stated bluntly, "News Ways does not speak legitimately for the teaching of the Catholic Church and therefore cannot be allowed to hold gatherings on Church property.” He told the Charlotte Observer, “We are not going to have someone who opposes Catholic teaching to be teaching in a Catholic diocese.”

In 2009, Cardinal Francis George, Archbishop of Chicago, condemned "New Ways Ministry" for claiming to be Catholic while fighting against Church doctrine saying that homosexuality was objectively immoral. He added, "I wish to make it clear that, like other groups that claim to be Catholic but deny central aspects of Church teaching, New Ways Ministry has no approval or recognition from the Catholic Church and that they cannot speak on behalf of the Catholic faithful in the United States." He was not the first Catholic official to condemn New Ways; in 1984, the archbishop of Washington D.C. rejected official authorization or approval of New Ways Ministry; in 1999 the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, approved by Pope John Paul II, condemned the group. In 2011, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, denounced New Ways’ booklet titled, Marriage Equality: A Positive Catholic Approach, written by Francis DeBernardo, who is currently New Ways Executive Director.

PFLAG-Charlotte President Diane Troy issued a statement condemning Jugis, claiming he was out of touch, and adding that the gay rights groups’ position echoed that of Pope Francis. She stated: “Sr. Jeannine’s message is very much in line with Pope Francis’ message of welcoming LGBT people to the Catholic Church. Her message of inclusion and acceptance has been well received by LGBT Catholics, the Catholic Church and its hierarchy for decades. It’s unfortunate that the Bishop, as our spiritual shepherd, has chosen to turn his back on so many.”

DeBernardo chimed in, “It’s disappointing in the era of Pope Francis where we see many Catholic leaders taking a more open approach to find out that Bishop Jugis has taken a more old-fashioned approach of silencing rather than [engaging in] dialogue and encounter, which are the words Pope Francis uses.”

Sister Gramick and DeBernardo joined in 2012 to write a Washington Post op-ed in which they insisted “Many Catholics…understand that lesbian and gay love is as natural as heterosexual love.”