Man Disturbs Mass to Defend Gay Marriage

AP via yahoo News ^ | 3/28/04

[marshmallow]

CANTON, Mass. - A gay man interrupted a church Mass on Sunday when he told congregants he objected to a video opposing same-sex marriage that was shown moments earlier.

 Chuck Colbert created a brief disturbance when he stood up after the eight-minute video, identified himself as a Catholic and said he objected to the video, said the Rev. Michael Doyle of St. John the Evangelist church.

"We called police to maintain order," Doyle said. "We had no interest in pressing charges against anyone." Canton police said they went to the church but made no arrests.

The video was shown during the 9 a.m. Mass and Doyle decided to not show it during the 11:30 a.m. service.

The video was shown a day before the Massachusetts Legislature renews debate on a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage.

In the video, a female voice, played over various images, urges listeners to contact lawmakers to urge them to vote against gay marriage and civil unions. It says civil unions "discriminate against the poor and needy," and will hurt the economy by paying out Social Security (news - web sites) survivor benefits.

"I just found it to be such a scurrilous, scandalous piece of misinformation," Colbert said. "For me to sit there and take it is out of the question."

Colbert is a freelance writer who contributes stories to the National Catholic Reporter, an independent weekly newspaper that has endorsed same-sex marriage.

"My life is very similar to the people in there," Colbert told New England Cable News outside the church. "I want to be married, I have a wonderful partner, we're building a life together, it in no way threatens anyone else."

Archdiocese spokesman the Rev. Christopher Coyne said it was appropriate to show the video and said only Colbert objected.

"He's not even a member of that parish," he said. "He doesn't even worship in Canton. He was obviously alerted and decided to disrupt that Mass."

Colbert acknowledged he was alerted about the video, but that he's free to attend any Mass.

"I wanted to see how it was presented," he said. "I've never seen anything like that."

Doyle said the video was supplied by the Massachusetts Catholic Conference.

[biblewonk]

What!!?? Your response doesn't even match what I said. What hatred you have.

[Bon mots]

How about if we start disturbing gay marriages to defend heterosexuality and/or mass?

[thegreatbeast]

Who are you, Father, to say what goes on in this particular church? Tend to your own parish, Padre.

[little jeremiah]

Homosexual Agenda Ping ---

Let me know if aynyone wants on/off this pinglist!

[Coleus]

St. Pat's in NY uses TV monitors throughout the Cathedral during times when church attendance is large: Midnight mass, Easter Vigil, etc. I don't know whether using video's is good or bad but it's being used. Many churches now use electric candles in front of the saints. The church still mandates wax candles on the altar.

[Phx_RC]

In Phoenix, our new holy Bishop Thomas Olmsted used a short video tape presentation in all parishes at every Mass requesting pledges/donations to the CDA, a yearly diocesan appeal. It has been used occasionally but seldom, as a part of or in place of the homily (after a brief introduction).

In this present time in the USA and especially in Massachusetts, it seems to me that it would be a Sin of Omission if the bishops did not Require that a strong presentation against Same Sex Marriage be made in Every parish at Every Mass. This would be especially true just prior to any legislative study or action/vote on an issue as critical as this is now.

Our battle against modernism does in no way conflict with a bishop Preaching the "mind of the Church" in the most Effective way possible with all the talents (technology) that he can put to use in these Critical Times.
It can reasonably be expected that this kind of bishop will be following the GIRM if instructions regarding video/film/slides,etc are contained within it.

If the GIRM or other applicable documents make no mention of the use of Brief video presentations during the homily/sermon time to assist in the Teaching of Faith and Morals then I believe that God and the Magisterium would be most pleased if he made the decision acting as the Ordinary of his Diocese to show the video.

Also refer to and post on the thread: The anti-Catholicism of the "National Catholic Reporter" This is a gathering place of NCR information.

[longtermmemmory]

Forgive his sin for interupting mass and press criminal charges but with love.

[Aquinasfan]

Our battle against modernism does in no way conflict with a bishop Preaching the "mind of the Church" in the most Effective way possible with all the talents (technology) that he can put to use in these Critical Times. It can reasonably be expected that this kind of bishop will be following the GIRM if instructions regarding video/film/slides,etc are contained within it.

Bump

[fatima]

Coleus,Bump.Are they allowed to show video's at Mass?

[Coleus]

It was a video with the bishop's message instead of reading a letter from the pulpit, the Archdiocese of Newark had a vidoe with the bishop's annual appeal and St. Pat's in NYC uses tv screens during mass at midnight when the church is packed.

[NeoCaveman]

Colbert is a freelance writer who contributes stories to the National Catholic Reporter,

I'm not suprised he writes for NCR.

[fatima]

Never heard of video at Mass,I have been at a Mass when Homosexuals stood up and did not nice things.

[BlessedBeGod]

What on earth were they showing a video during Mass for?

So what if some guy disrupted it? Mass was already disrupted by the video. Sheesh.

[Phx_RC]

"What on earth were they showing a video during Mass for?"

Well I guess it just depends.
It depends, on whether you are a bishop like Hubbard or a bishop like Abp O'Malley.

If you are a bishop like Hubbard you might show a video of your latest vacation to Florida or of an earlier vacation to Cape Cod with one of your closest friends.

If you are a bishop like Abp O'Malley you would only use a video in a way that helps you carry out your vocation as God intended and His Church and the Magisterium expects of you.
God would expect of you to use the most effective tools available at your moment in time to do His work in ways most pleasing to Him and His Church.

[EsclavoDeCristo]

"My life is very similar to the people in there," Colbert told New England Cable News outside the church. "I want to be married, I have a wonderful partner, we're building a life together, it in no way threatens anyone else."

Why go to Mass? Isn't church supposed to challenge you to live a rightous life? This guy just needs to "church shop" till he finds a preacher or dissenting priest that will make him feel all warm and fuzzy and condone all of his sins so we can all go frolicking through the meadow, holding hands while singing Simon and Garfunkel.

[rogator]

"Who are you, Father, to say what goes on in this particular church? Tend to your own parish, Padre."

First of all, I am not a padre.
Secondly, I am a Catholic who would like to be able to attend a traditional Mass according to the rubrics wherever I go.
Thirdly, this "particular church", assuming it is Catholic, is bound to observe the GIRM like any other Catholic church.
I have seen nothing in the new GIRM authorizing the use of videos in any part of the Mass.

[Phx_RC]

In Post #74 I needed to identify this paragraph as sarcasm:
If you are a bishop like Hubbard you might show a video of your latest vacation to Florida or of an earlier vacation to Cape Cod with one of your closest friends. .../sarcasm.

Regarding Posts #66 & 74:
I want to say that it might be best that Hubbard and other bishops like him, with marginal relationships to the Magisterium, should not be allowed to ever use video.

However, I would not want to restrict a bishop, that cherishes his good relationship with the Magisterium, from using video to fight an Evil that is an immediate threat to the Faith and/or Morals of the faithful entrusted to him.
Sometimes a bishop has to (morally obligated to) use the most Effective tools available to make the Maximum impression on the faithful so that the expected response from the faithful (to defend the Faith) will be the greatest.

Of course if all bishops were good this wouldn't be a problem.

[Romulus]

Just checking in to report that I was not able to find anything in canon law or the GIRM that would prohibit a video being shown as an adjunct (not substitute) to the homily. So I guess it's OK. Still, I can see where this could get out of hand if lazy priests pushing who-knows-what agendas start subcontracting their homiletic duties to a DVD machine.

[marshmallow]

Thanks for your efforts. That was pretty much my understanding as well.

I see it as something which needs to be tightly controlled but could be used in exceptional circumstances and therefore not something which could be banned outright. For instance, the ability to bring an episcopal countenance to a congregation in time of religious persecution or other situations where movement and/or contact with a flock is limited.

I understand your reservations, though. It's something which holds great potential for abuse and the recent history of liturgical experimentation demonstrates that this would probably appeal to the "innovators".

"Let's sit back and watch a movie" is not something I'd care to hear in church.