LOL! You're more charitable than I am. I didn't just sigh. Where did these pictures come from? What a pack of freaks? Are they doing this during a Mass? Oh Lord. Forgive us.
That is none other than Cardinal Mahoney and friends at the "arena mass" which took place during the Catholic Education Conference this year in February. The LA Diocese website proudly displayed these photos and published ones like it in the Tidings diocesan newspaper.
Seems not to be what you called freaks at all.
http://www.recongress.org/
WHAT IS CONGRESS?
Nation's Largest -- The Religious Education Congress, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Office of Religious Education, is the nation's largest annual gathering of Roman Catholics!
Over 38,000 in Attendance (See Congress 2005 registration statistics) -- Our last Religious Education Congress, held in February 2005, brought together 38,577 over the four-day weekend! We had 36,331 registered from across the country and as far away as Ireland and Singapore. Youth attendance at Youth Day topped at 12,222!
Variety of Topics -- Over the three days, Congress offers a variety of speakers (210 of them in 2005) presenting sessions from personal growth to music to "hot" topics -- in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.
Representing Many Cultures -- Congress annually offers a number of liturgies of different character. Congress 2005 offered 13 Eucharistic Liturgies including Contemplative, Jazz, Celtic, Hispanic, Samoan, Young Adult and Youth-led.
Free Exhibits (open to Registrants only) -- Congress 2005 showcased 214 companies as exhibitors -- ranging from religious art to music, and from publishing houses to educational institutions, in addition to our own represented Archdiocesan ministries. (See our 2005 Exhibitor Listing.)
Free Entertainment for Registrants -- Admission to Congress includes both free lunchtime and evening concerts -- ranging from contemporary Christian music to spirited bilingual (Spanish/English) to Vietnamese drum and dance!
They are from the Religious Educator's conference in L. A. I have associates who attended it. I did not.