Free Republic

ST. PAUL, Minnesota (AP) -- A Roman Catholic priest denied communion to more than 100 people Sunday, saying they could not receive the sacrament because they wore rainbow-colored sashes to church to show support for gay Catholics. Before offering communion, the Rev. Michael Sklucazek told the congregation at the Cathedral of St. Paul that anyone wearing a sash could come forward for a blessing but would not receive wine and bread. A group called the Rainbow Sash Alliance has encouraged supporters to wear the multicolored fabric bands since 2001 on each Pentecost Sunday, the day Catholics believe the Holy Spirit...

The people who wore rainbow sashes to the Cathedral of St. Paul on Sunday were denied Communion. The archbishop, Harry Flynn, following the instructions of his superiors in America and in Rome, made it clear that the wearing of the sashes was a protest against doctrinal teaching and therefore Communion would be denied and that, furthermore, Communion was not the time to stage a protest. And what were the sashes if not a protest? Of course it was a protest. The people who wore the sashes could have received Communion by not wearing the sashes. Or they could shop around...