Gay Activists Welcomed in LA, Not in St. Paul or Chicago

Catholic World News ^

[marshmallow]

May. 16 (CWNews.com) - Homosexual activists of the Rainbow Sash movement were denied Communion in St. Paul, Minnesota, but welcomed at the cathedral in Los Angeles, during their annual Pentecost Sunday protest.

Each year, members of the Rainbow Sash movement stage major demonstrations on Pentecost Sunday, wearing their distinctive sashes to advertise their disagreement with Church teachings regarding the morality of homosexual acts. In 2004, the group had its most noteworthy confrontation in St. Paul, where Archbishop Harry Flynn administered the Eucharist to protestors wearing their sashes, over the protests of other Catholics at the cathedral. Later, in response to a query from an American journalist, Cardinal Francis Arinze (bio - news), the prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, said that the protestors should not have been given Communion, since they were flaunting their rejection of Church teaching.

This year, Archbishop Flynn warned activists that they could not receive Communion if they were wearing sashes. In Chicago, Cardinal Francis George issued the same warning.

But in Los Angeles, a spokesman for Cardinal Roger Mahony issued a statement saying that members of the Rainbow Sash group would be welcomed into the cathedral. The archdiocesan statement did not directly address the question of whether protestors were welcome to receive Communion while wearing their sashes. The Rainbow Sash movement announced because of the "warm welcome" they had received from Cardinal Mahony, members chose not to wear their sashes during Mass at the cathedral there.

In Minnesota, however, the protestors pressed their point, and Father Michael Sklucazek, the celebrant for the Sunday Mass, issued a warning that those wearing sashes would not be able to receive Communion. About 100 protestors came forward nonetheless, and stood silently for several minutes, their hands outstretched, before returning to their pews as Mass ended.

[marshmallow]

Mahony is surrounded by homosexual priests and his performance on this issue raises serious questions, in my mind, about his own orientation.

[Pyro7480]

Catholic ping!

[onyx]

They didn't wear their sashes, thanks to Mahoney's "warm welcome."

[kstewskis]

They didn't wear their sashes, thanks to Mahoney's "warm welcome."

No. Wonder if they wore their "fish" instead.

/gag me

[JustMytwocents70]

and the fact they call that monstrocity a "cathederal" really is a smack in the face!

[undirish01]

"We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church..."

Well, maybe not in LA huh?! :)

[onyx]

Gawd. In all seriousness, Mahony actions are reprehensible.

[onyx]

Indeed. It's a real smack in the face. Mahony knows better too.

[siunevada]

Looks like St. Paul did an about face:

2005:

In Minnesota, however, the protestors pressed their point, and Father Michael Sklucazek, the celebrant for the Sunday Mass, issued a warning that those wearing sashes would not be able to receive Communion. About 100 protestors came forward nonetheless, and stood silently for several minutes, their hands outstretched, before returning to their pews as Mass ended.

2004:

In St. Paul, Minn., people wearing the rainbow-colored sashes were given communion Sunday despite protests from some parishioners who kneeled in front of the altar blocking their way.

The Rev. Michael Skluzacek said in a written statement that both sides were “mistakenly using the Mass and the Eucharist to make their own personal statements.”

[Romulus]

Sash movement announced because of the "warm welcome" they had received from Cardinal Mahony, members chose not to wear their sashes during Mass at the cathedral there.

The point was never to receive the Sacrament; it's to provoke an embarrassing public incident.

[murphE]

Is anyone obligated to obey this cardinal, if so why?

And if his actions are so reprehensible why is nothing done to him?

[onyx]

Obey him?
Whatever do you mean?

You tell me why nothing has been done to him... yet.

[FormerLib]

The point was never to receive the Sacrament; it's to provoke an embarrassing public incident.

Actually, I'm convinced that desecration of the sacrament is one of their primary goals.

[murphE]

Do you always answer questions with questions?

[onyx]

Only the silly ones.

[WriteOn]

So you saying Mahony outsmarted them?

[marshmallow]

And if his actions are so reprehensible why is nothing done to him?

The alotted time for this trial is not yet complete. Satan has been loosed for a time and the testing is not yet over. Just as Judas was allowed free reign to betray Christ, so modern day Judases are given free reign to betray Christ's Mystical Body.

That's the theological answer.

The practical answer is that Mahony is a clever operator. He sails close to the wind and is nuanced and careful about his deconstruction of the faith. Take the present incident, for instance. What could he be nailed for? The article states that gays were "welcomed in LA". So? He can argue that it's the Church's job to welcome all those who feel drawn to her. Note that Communion was not given to anyone in a Rainbow Sash. Thus, he can rightly claim that he has done nothing in contravention of Cardinal Arinze's directive, if indeed it even was a directive. There were no Rainbow Sashes, no incidents, no confrontation. Just a Pentecost Mass at which there were present unidentified homosexuals. He could claim that this situation is repeated in every diocese.

That's typical of Mahony.

[murphE]

I read in an old article that he welcomed "rainbow sash activists", not just the run of the mill homosexuals.

[murphE]

There is nothing silly about my questions, and I asked them because I don't know the answers, which you do not either apparently.

[Diago]

Two seperate tid bits from the John Carroll University website. The first notes that seminarians are studying at JCU, the second sets forth the events for Allies, JCU's gay group:

1.

In cooperation with the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, the University provides the academic component of the formation program for college-level seminarians of the Diocese.

2.

 

First Semester Recap:

Queer Eye for the Straight Guy

Movie Night

Washington D.C. AIDS Walk

"The Queer Monologues"

The "Real" Girl Drag Show

Browns vs. Steelers Party

Second Semester Tentative Events:

Gay Film Fest

Day of Silence

Tunnel of Oppression

"The Queer Monologues: The Abridged Classroom Version"

The First National Gay and Lesbian Conference

for Jesuit Universities - at John Carroll

 

 

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