Posted on 05/31/2004 9:03:06 AM PDT by Snuffington
Roman Catholic laymen formed a quasi-barricade at the Cathedral of St. Paul on Sunday, forcing gay-rights supporters to step over, around and through them to receive Holy Communion.
As the extraordinary action unfolded, men broke out in spontaneous prayer, women wept and the presiding priest shifted back and forth in an attempt to offer the Communion host to those coming forward.
What is typically an orderly line of communicants became jumbled along the center aisle, as a group calling itself Ushers of the Eucharist knelt and blocked a direct path to the priest.
No one appeared to be denied Communion, and no physical altercations were reported.
Although some bishops of the Catholic Church have debated whether it is appropriate to deny Holy Eucharist to those opposed to church teachings, it was 35 laymen on Sunday who confronted fellow laypeople during Communion.
About 2,000 people attended the Mass, roughly twice the normal attendance of a noon Mass at the Cathedral, spokeswoman Sheryl Rose said. No mention was made of the gay-rights issue during any part of the Mass.
About 80 people wearing rainbow-colored sashes attended the Mass, an annual worldwide practice of gay-rights advocates in many Catholic churches on Pentecost Sunday — the day Christians celebrate the Holy Spirit and the founding of the church.
The Rainbow Sash Alliance says that by wearing the sashes to Mass, it seeks to increase the awareness of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Catholics in the church and calls for a dialogue with church leaders.
Rainbow Sash members have been denied Communion in some dioceses for making a political statement during the Mass. In Chicago, priests at Holy Name Cathedral refused Sunday to give the Eucharist to about 10 people wearing the sashes.
An internal memo from Chicago Cardinal Francis George that became public last week, instructing priests not to give Communion to people wearing the sashes, says the sashes are a symbol of opposition to church doctrine on homosexuality and exploit the Communion ritual.
The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, however, said in a statement it would not deny Communion to those wearing sashes because "members of this group have previously assured us, in writing, that their attendance at the annual Pentecost Mass … is not in protest of the Church's teachings.''
That is what prompted a group — Ushers of the Eucharist — led by layman David Pence, 56, to gather Sunday to keep those wearing the sash from the Communion table.
"Those who object ask how we can disobey the bishop's authority,'' Pence said. "The bishop has abdicated his authority. That's the problem in the Catholic Church.
"Bishops have not protected the flock from this large predator movement of sexual dissent and homosexuality in the priesthood and in the church bureaucracy.''
Some members of Pence's group began reciting the Hail Mary at the priest's feet as he attempted to serve Communion.
As they did so, sisters Anne and Sarah Kosel of St. Paul, both 21 and regular worshippers at the Cathedral, wept in the second row. They were not identified with either group.
"The Eucharist is not a war zone,'' Sarah Kosel said afterward. "This is our church, and an attempt to block the Eucharist should be the last place to demonstrate.
"We didn't think it would be this bad.''
Regina Martino of Afton came to Mass specifically to support Pence's group and decided to kneel next to them.
"I just saw (Rainbow Sash members) were getting through, so I tried to kneel and block a spot,'' Martino said. "I don't feel they have a right to come and disrupt the most sacred part of what Catholics believe in.''
Pence conceded some worshippers considered his group's actions disruptive, too.
"I apologize to those who feel we disrupted Mass,'' Pence said. "But the weakness of the bishops in responding to this very aggressive social movement has to be responded to with courage, even if it's from laymen.''
Pence's group chose not to receive Communion.
Members of his group engaged in discussions — some heated — with Rainbow Sash members outside the Cathedral before Mass.
"Confrontation is difficult,'' Rainbow Sash organizer Brian McNeill of Minneapolis said afterward. "I'm stunned these men feel like they know the state of my soul. They told me I need to go to confession. The fact is how could they know the last time I went to confession? They simply don't know.''
Meanwhile, nearly 100 people prayed the rosary on the Cathedral steps before the Mass. Calling themselves Catholics Against Sacrilege, the group in a statement said Rainbow Sash members should adhere to church teaching declaring that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.''
"They're praying for us over there. I'm praying for them,'' said Pepper Wolf of Red Wing, as she put on a rainbow sash about 100 feet away. "I believe Catholic social teaching says all people deserve respect and dignity.''
In a private interview, the presiding priest, Monsignor James Habiger, said there is a place for protest and opinion, but not at the Eucharist. "Let's not be injurious to the integrity of the religious service,'' he said.
A letter from the Cathedral rector, the Rev. Michael Skluzacek, was given to all worshippers as they arrived, alerting them to the possibility of protest or disruption. He asked worshippers to pray that "nothing will occur here that takes our focus off our worship.''
His letter also asked prayers for "all those who, well intentioned though they may be, are mistakenly using the Mass and the Eucharist to make their own personal statements.''
So much for Chaput and Dolan.
I'm tempted to post the Mummers Mess but it's too much even for me.
Can. 1369: A person is to be punished with a just penalty, who, at a public event or assembly, or in a published writing, or by otherwise using the means of social communication, utters blasphemy, or gravely harms public morals, or rails at or excites hatred of or contempt for religion or the Church.
That sounds like you're referring to the openly proud homosexuals who defiantly oppose church teaching and are recieving Communion. Why do you seem to have a problem with the traditional folks, but not with the radicals?
okay.. well you give a very convincing arguement for your point of view. thanks!
In reality, like others have said, the Bishops are the ones who should take a stand.
I still think these people are well intentioned, though. But you gave me something to consider. :-\
These are the same people who rant and rave about separation of Church and state too! This isn't about communion with them at all. It is political blackmail at it's worst. I don't care what these people do in their spare time, but I resent like anything their pushing their perversion on the Churches and in the American political system. I am so tired of this, and wonder what we can ever do to regain OUR rights back again, or if they are lost forever in a PC black hole of liberalism.
It is every Catholic's job, both lay and clergy, to defend the sanctity of the Eucharist. If the clergy won't do it then the lay people are the only one's who can defend the desecration of the Blessed Sacrament.
There is a conflict going on in American society among liberals about whether sexuality is merely a private matter ("privacy of the bedroom") or is something which should be an issue of public policy ("gay marriage"). They need to make up their mind.
Um...I sympathize with those upset with homosexual activism taking place at Catholic Mass. And I have tended to express what I consider the "orthodox" direction for the church to take in the U.S. At the moment, a significant portion of the neo-modernist AmChurch is either in a state of schism or deplorable heresy. The Vatican seems to be reluctant, for whatever odd reasons, to do anything about the Bishop Hubbard types and it looks like some bishops are prepared to assist the fraud of John Kerry.
I have suggested that John Kerry be THROWN OUT of the Catholic Church physically if necessary. But as a technical point, it is up to priests and bishops to handle Holy Communion. The best thing for concerned, orthodox lay people is to shun and avoid dioceses, parishes, and liturgies where known irregularities tend to dominate. I do not agree with staging demonstrations at heretical liturgies. As a practical matter, American Catholics should only support parishes or institutions KNOWN for defending orthodoxy. Don't go where there are homosexual priests or liberal bishops. Those institutions are NO LONGER "Catholic." It is pointless to waste your time grieving over heretics.
If the Vatican and the bishops do NOTHING about these problems, "who ya gonna call?" I am not going to listen to people whining about what a great champion of orthodoxy JP II is while these outrages go on and Rome does NOTHING. I'm not sure JP II has all his marbles together. But the American laity are not in a position to be making decisions about Holy Communion. THAT leadership MUST come from orthodox clergy BY NATURE, BY DEFINITION, and, ultimately, BY CANON LAW. If the priests no longer follow Catholic teachings, that parish, school, or college is NO LONGER "Catholic." It's sad, but this is the situation. People must find and attend orthodox parishes ONLY.
It appears they want it both ways. (no pun intended of course)
Of course it is up to the clergy. But, part of the reason they seem to be so "tolerant" is because they think it will win them popularity points. When they realize it won't, things might change.
From the article: “As the extraordinary action unfolded, men broke out in spontaneous prayer, women wept and the presiding priest shifted back and forth in an attempt to offer the Communion host to those coming forward.” and Some members of Pence's group began reciting the Hail Mary at the priest's feet as he attempted to serve Communion.
I see nowhere in the article that profanity was used. Since when did reciting the Hail Mary and other prayers become profanity? Perhaps one could assume some profanity prior to Mass from this statement: Members of his group engaged in discussions — some heated — with Rainbow Sash members outside the Cathedral before Mass. These men did not cause more sacrilege with their profanity, because there was none.
Did they cause scandal? You bet! Did not St. Paul say that the Faith would be a scandal to some? Well it is about time that the sleeping sheep be scandalized and awaken to the dangers within the sheepfold.
If you mean, take physical action to prevent profanation of the Eucharist, then I agree with you. But these men did not take physical action to prevent profanation--they tried to close down the Church to spite the Bishop for a decision which they felt caused profanation.
From the article: 1)Roman Catholic laymen formed a quasi-barricade at the Cathedral of St. Paul on Sunday, forcing gay-rights supporters to step over, around and through them to receive Holy Communion. 2) a group calling itself Ushers of the Eucharist knelt and blocked a direct path to the priest.
Nowhere in the article does it imply that they tried to close down the Church. All they did was take the physical action of kneeling and form a “quasi-barricade” to prevent/hinder the rainbow sashers from receiving. My hat is off to these men for having the guts to do what their Bishop and priests should have done. They got their message out loud and clear, and according to the article: No one appeared to be denied Communion, and no physical altercations were reported. But believe you me, the Bishop and priests heard the message loud and clear.
I bet we will be hearing of more incidents in which the orthodox laity arise against these abominations.
Here's another site that with more on this score:
http://www.traditioninaction.org/RevolutionPhotos/ChurchRevIndex.htm
All these pictures are referenced - though I must confess I haven't checked out the original sources cited.
Too late. When bishops and priests refuse to guard the integrity of the Eucharist, they can no longer complain about a situation like this.
Another one from the horse's mouth. He ought to have said, "nothing will occur here that takes our focus off of GOD."
There is a vast difference between those who worship God and those who worship themselves worshipping.
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