Posted on 04/27/2007 7:55:09 AM PDT by NYer
The BBC is to relay a 'gay Mass' from San Francisco this Sunday, the first time such a service has been broadcast.
The 50-minute Mass at the Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in the predominantly gay Castro district of the city will feature prayers and readings tailored for the gay community.
The church has been described as an "inspiration" to gay and lesbian Christians around the world because of its ministry to homosexuals.
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The BBC is to relay a 'gay Mass' from San Francisco the first time such a service has been broadcast. Above, Members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
Its parish priest, Father Stephen Meriweather, blesses participants in the San Francisco's annual gay pride march.
But it has also infuriated many Catholics in the U.S. who have complained about such activities as transvestite bingo nights during which sex toys and pornographic DVDs were handed out as prizes.
Last night a media watchdog said Sunday's radio broadcast was "bound to cause offence" to mainstream Christians.
John Beyer of Mediawatch UK, an organisation which campaigns for standards in the media, said he thought it was a mistake to broadcast the service.
"Religious broadcasting, apart from Songs of Praise, tends to focus on the out-of-the-ordinary and having this particular service I think will cause offence to people who feel that such practices are wrong and are taught as such in holy scripture," Mr Beyer said.
Preaching on the BBC show: James Alison
"The BBC really ought to be focusing on mainstream services which are more in keeping with the public service requirement that it has."
However, Father Donal Godfrey, the U.S. Jesuit priest celebrating the Mass, said he was delighted the BBC was "exploring how gay people fit into the perspective of the Christian narrative".
"Being gay is not special," he said. "It's simply another gift from God who created us as rainbow people."
The recording will go out at 8.10am to two million listeners on the BBC Radio 4 Sunday Worship programme.
The preacher will be James Alison - a homosexual British Catholic theologian and author of 'Is it ethical to be Catholic? - Queer perspectives'.
Weeks after the BBC finished recording the service last October, it emerged that a transvestite group calling themselves the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence regularly staged lewd and irreverent bingo nights on the church premises.
The San Francisco archdiocese-stopped the events when it was discovered that prizes of a sexual nature were being handed out by the group, who dress as nuns.
In the past members of the group have paraded naked through the city advertising a 'hunky Jesus' contest. Their motto is: 'Go and sin some more.'
A spokesman for BBC Radio 4 said: "The strength of Sunday Worship is its diversity. It aims to reflect a variety of Christian spiritualities, and for that reason, when editorially appropriate - on average about once a quarter - comes from outside the UK.
"Taking the theme "Finding a place in the Christian narrative" this programme comes from the largest and oldest predominantly gay area in the world, from a Catholic community which has an experienced and developed understanding of the issues of being gay and Christian.
"As far as we know this is the first time the subject of being gay and Christian has been explored by the programme."
The Roman Catholic Church holds that sex belongs in the context of heterosexual marriage and that gay sex is "objectively disordered".
However, it also teaches that homosexual orientation is not in itself sinful and that gays and lesbians must be treated with respect and be free from unjust discrimination.
Oh brother!
Let's not go there.
It looks like that “church” has been taken over by demons.
The Vatican ought to send an exorcist, pronto.
That's an intersting "tradition."
One Roman Church, all in lock step with Rome.
That didn’t take long.
Note to Pope Benedict, close this “church” down.
I totally disagree with the gay lifestyle even though a number of associates are gay and some of the best people I have ever known. Are they sinners? IMHO yes, who reading this website is not? We make the choice to sin, they have too.
* FYI ping *
You forgot the sarcasm tag. :-P
Sometimes, I’m entirely toooooo visual.
The title can be quite disturbing, if one contemplates it a few microseconds too long.
I SURE do NOT want to see them descend on all churches en masse!
Archbishop Niederauer...paging Archbishop Niederauer...Where IS the Archbishop? Nowhere to be found? Time for Rome to skip the “collegiality” routine and step in on this one directly!
>>That’s an intersting “tradition.”
One Roman Church, all in lock step with Rome.<<
Every denomination has wackos.
Just as you won’t stand behind Fred Phelps, we don’t stand behind this and look at it as something to be done away with.
Don’t you see how UnChristian this makes you look? Honestly, debating doctrine is one thing but kicking a denomination just for fun is not a WWJD moment for you.
Homosexuality is merely a beautiful expression of diversity while creationism is an evil Protestant attack on the magisterium!
“Every denomination has wackos.”
Yes, but only one has a Pope who speaks with infallible authority on Faith and Morals. This situation has very much to do with faith and morals. The bishop who grew this plot of weeds is promoted to high office (Levada). I do wish the Pope would speak out loudly and clearly, and very visibly as a teaching moment. I doubt that will ever happen, a sad situation.
>>That’s an intersting “tradition.”
One Roman Church, all in lock step with Rome.<<
Every denomination has wackos. Just as you won’t stand behind Fred Phelps, we don’t stand behind this and look at it as something to be done away with.
Don’t you see how UnChristian this makes you look? Honestly, debating doctrine is one thing but kicking a denomination just for fun is not a WWJD moment for you.
I am neither a Calvinist nor a Protestant, but you must realize that one of the selling points stressed by Catholics is the "unity" of their church (unlike de-centralized, often congregational, Protestant denominations). If you're going to make this claim then it actually needs to be scene in the real world. If the Catholic Church is so united then why aren't people like this ever disciplined? Why are the authorities of the Catholic Church such pansies (no pun intended)?
I can assure you that if a Catholic mass were to be held promoting creationism that bishops and theologians would be heard from in no time at all and their condemnation would leave no doubt whatsoever that creationism is "un-Catholic."
Reign in the weirdos or stop boasting of your "oneness."
Rome ought to send men in dark suits (cassocks) and sunglasses to break some legs or something.
Excellent point. Rome owes Martin Luther an apology for his excommunication considering what is tolerated today.
who isn't by any stretch of the imagination a die hard Calvinist...
is not a WWJD moment for you.
I'm not at all impressed with the entire WWJD movement. It was rank legalism and takes the focus off of What Jesus Did. It does nothing but make him a role model, which is what much of the liberal wants to do with Him.
Ya know, all that hatred is bad for you. Just a bit of health advice.
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