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Archbishop tries to stop LGBT prayer service

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By Andy Birkey, Minnesota Independent
June 25, 2008
The Minnesota Independent reports on Archbishop Nienstedt's order to stop a GLBT Pride prayer service in a Catholic church, while the Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities plans a prayer/protest tonight in response.

June 25 Prayer/Protest at 6:30 p.m.

An excerpt from Michael Bayly's (CPCSM's Executive Coordinator) Blogsite, The Wild Reed (6-24-08):

". . . I commend the members of St. Joan of Arc for the many years they’ve held the Pride Prayer Service. I understand yet lament why they’ve been forced to discontinue it. I’m happy to announce, however, that the leadership and members of the Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities (CPCSM) agreed last night at CPCSM’s Annual Community Meeting to take up the reins of the Pride Prayer Service. And to honor the good work that the community of St. Joan’s has done in relation to initiating and hosting this service for many years, CPCSM’s inaugural Pride Prayer Service will take place at the entrance of the parish (4537 3rd Ave. S., Minneapolis) at 6:30 p.m., tomorrow, Wednesday, June 25.

This service will include, songs, prayers, and readings. Those who gather will do so not only to keep alive the tradition of a Catholic prayer service to mark the beginning of LGBT Pride celebrations in the Twin Cities, but to express their pride in their LGBT loved ones and to give thanks for the gifts that LGBT people bring to the Church.

So if you’re able, please come and join us."

As hundreds of thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their supporters descend on Minneapolis for Twin Cities Pride, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has made it clear that they are not welcome in Twin Cities' Catholic churches. St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church's "Annual LGBT Pride Prayer Service" that was to be held Wednesday evening has been canceled. The event has been held for several years.


"That descriptor (LGBT) was not possible on church property. We suggested they shift it, change the nature of it a little bit, and they did," archdiocese spokesman Dennis McGrath told the Pioneer Press. "The reason is quite simply because it was a LGBT pride prayer service, and that is really inimical to the teachings of the Catholic church."


Co-founder of the Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities, David McCaffrey, called the decision "yet another volley of dehumanizing spiritual violence directed at LGBT persons and their families under Archbishop Nienstedt's reign of homophobic hatred."


The archbishop told the church that it could hold a "peace" prayer service without any mention of LGBT people.


Michael Bayly, the committee's executive coordinator said in an email, "I've heard from a number of LGBT folks and family members that this 'solution' leaves them feeling once again abandoned, unnamed, expendable." He continued, "I'm even wondering if the 'Inclusive Catholics' banner that we're encouraging people to march behind at the Gay Pride Parade, is really an accurate description of any Catholic parish in the archdiocese."


Inclusive prayer services will be held on Sunday morning at Loring Park by All God's Children Community Church. In addition, Twin Cities Pride is hosting a screening of "For the Bible Tells Me So," a film that looks at the negative impacts that anti-LGBT religious views have on families with LGBT members. That screening is scheduled for Tuesday evening at Plymouth Congregational Church.

Copyright: 
©2008 Minnesota Independent
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Comment by David McCaffrey

Submitted by kilbarry1 (not verified) on Wed, 2008-06-25 17:23.
QUOTE: Co-founder of the Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities, David McCaffrey, called the decision “yet another volley of dehumanizing spiritual violence directed at LGBT persons and their families under Archbishop Nienstedt’s reign of homophobic hatred.” This hate-filled rhetoric is coming from someone who sees himself as "liberal". This is how Mr. McCaffrey reacts to the Catholic Church refusing to celebrate an anti-Catholic lifestyle. What would he say about Islamic governments hanging gay men from cranes - as occured in Iran? It's difficult to see how he could ratchet up the rhetoric any higher. It reminds me of the Communist Party in the Weimar Republic describing the Social Democrats as "Social Fascists". They were so blinded by hatred of their democratic opponents that they failed to see that the Nazis were the real danger.

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