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.''
"If you think the Pope, canon law, or the Church encourages this behavior, prove me wrong with facts."
I never said that canon law encouraged anything. I said I will leave it to the Church authorities to decide. You are the one who is insisting that the defenders broke canon law. I will wait for the proper authority to speak.
"I want to be Rambo of the Sacred Host on Sundays, just like everyone else."
Stop the hyperbole. It is not about Rambo, it is about standing with Christ against heresy.
"Instead I have to sit obediently in my pew, be contrite, and try to learn from the pastors."
Maybe those men should learn from you, being so very pious and all?
"The bishop has abdicated his authority. That's the problem in the Catholic Church.
"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.''
I'm a little confused since I do not know you.
Care to add your own comments to the quotes?
I am curious as to where you see your authority or your obligation arising to undertake such a defense. Does it advance Christ's message for you to judge, in spite of Christ's admonition not to judge? From where, really, does your anger and appetite for confrontation arise?
Christ fashioned a whip and drove people out of a Church. He called people vipers. Righteous anger is just. I am not saying that Pence was within his rights, but I am not saying he was wrong either. He seemed to be acting out of a conviction to stand with Christ. I will accept what the proper authorities say.
Too often today, Christ is manipulated into being a ultra soft wimp. He is not. He is mercy and justice.
I'm not peeing on your leg: it's raining...
bettnet has a thread about this topic:
I was one of the 35 men with Pence this weekend. I did not have the courage to do it either and last week spoke against doing it. I was going to go and pray the rosary. But when I got there could not just settle for doing that. Also the methods used were not all that disruptive. The Holy Spirit moved us. It was not our courage. These gays were definitely defient of Church teaching. Every one that I spoke to outside the Church denied one or another aspect of Church doctrine. None would agree that homosexuality was a grave sin as JP II recently said in his letter on homosexuality.
It seemed that somehow the Cathedral saw us as protesters and not the gays who had been there 3 years before. I do wonder how many people would have got up from the pews and threw people out wearing Nazi swastikas in WWII. I heard there were fist fights when Nazi’s tried to recieve communion.
A friend also made a good point. The Rainbow sash thing is like the Church going in the direction of the prodigal son, rather than he coming back in repentance. Further I look at 1 Cor 5 and Paul’s condemnatin of the whole community for not being merciful and dealing with the man who took his father’s wife. Paul’s concern in dealing with him was for his salvation.
God bless
Posted by: Thessalonian on Jun 01, 04 | 3:16 pm
http://bettnet.dyndns.org/blog/comments.php?id=3291_0_1_0_C
"But you cannot ignore the Church’s teaching on respecting and adhering to the leaders of our church. “
Yes, you can, Jaime. We should never want to do so, and we should never have to do so, but sadly, sometimes we must. It’s like in the army, where soldiers must follow orders - unless there is a grave moral lapse occurring. As a Catholic, I have taken no vow of obedience to any bishop (and would NEVER do so) - though priests are in a different spot that way. My loyalty is to God and Jesus Christ first, and to the authentic teachings of Christ’s Church. The bishop is flatly contradicting those teachings - by allowing obstinate, public and unrepentant sinners to take Communion. This is a scandal to parishioners and children - and teaches them exactly the opposite of what they are supposed to be taught. It is shameful in every way - regardless of what some cowardly bishop says. Look at the homosexual molestations scandal - parents were told by bishops not to go to the police - the bishops would handle it appropriately (yeah, right). Priests were told by bishops not to go public with their knowledge of the rape of children. In that case, obedience is just collusion with pure evil. Worst of all, the bishop’s inaction helps mar the souls of the sash protesters. It is a cowardly, unloving and wrong action which should never be supported by faithful Catholics.
Posted by: Sinner on Jun 02, 04 | 12:10 pm
http://bettnet.dyndns.org/blog/comments.php?id=3291_0_1_0_C
I read your post to him and the replies. The more I read, the more I tend to disagree with your view.
I agree.
I am one of Her biggest fans!! I have a particular devotion to our Lady of Akita.
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