No sanctions for Minneapolis church that ignored archbishop

inforum.com ^ | May 17, 2005

[murphE]

A church that granted Holy Communion to members wearing rainbow sashes on Pentecost Sunday will not be reprimanded by Archbishop Harry Flynn, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis said.

A handful of St. Stephen's members wore the multicolored fabric bands, according to members of the south Minneapolis Roman Catholic church and Brian McNeill, organizer of the Rainbow Sash Alliance.

The alliance has been encouraging supporters to wear the multicolored fabric bands each Pentecost Sunday since 2001 to show support to gay Catholics, but Flynn had told the group this month that they would not receive Communion because the sashes appeared to have become a protest against church teaching.

Archdiocese spokesman Dennis McGrath said he had asked the archbishop if there would be repercussions for churches that granted communion to sash-wearing congregants. Flynn's reply was no, McGrath said.

More than 150 alliance members were denied Communion at the Cathedral of St. Paul.

[murphE]

Archdiocese spokesman Dennis McGrath said he had asked the archbishop if there would be repercussions for churches that granted communion to sash-wearing congregants. Flynn's reply was no, McGrath said.

There should be no consequences for "the churches," "the churches" didn't allow this, but how about the pastors of those churches who did?

"You must not allow this, but if you do no biggie."

[te lucis]

"You must not allow this, but if you do no biggie."

Behold the power of collegiality.

The chain of command no longer has a top & a bottom. Things don't travel up & down on it, just around in a circle. Hence, the "chief link" link can have all the opinions it wants. If there isn't unanimous agreement from the other links, nothing happens. Authority is meaningless, directives are worthless, and the lunatics are in charge of the nuthouse.