A hush-hush Catholic mass geared toward gay parishioners is no more in San Antonio, with the 15-year program coming to an end after the interim archbishop caved to pressure to nix the service, which did not mesh with proper Catholic teachings or whatever.
The weekly Mass at St. Ann Catholic Church was the subject of periodic complaints to the archdiocese. But until last Sunday, the local hierarchy had declined to shut it down. A handful of local priests sympathetic to the gay and lesbian community had conducted the Mass.
Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Cantú, the interim head of the archdiocese, told church officials the Mass conflicted with Catholic teaching because it was offered for the gay Catholic advocacy group, Dignity San Antonio. Part of the national organization, DignityUSA, it seeks the acceptance of alternative lifestyles in the Catholic Church. “The Mass … continues to send conflicting messages about the Church’s official teaching concerning the proper celebration of the Eucharist and living an active homosexual lifestyle,” Cantú wrote in an Oct. 13 letter to the St. Ann pastor, Father John Restrepo.
Which means gay Catholics who wish to continue worshiping at St. Ann’s will have no choice but to join the regular crowd on Sundays. Say goodbye to separate but equal, and say hello to sharing the pew with your neighborhood gays. [San Antonio Express News]
the crustybastard
Gay Catholics are like black Klansmen.
Steven E
I don’t understand the big deal here. Why were there separate mass services for gay people? Is gay mass different than straight mass? Why do gay people need to be kept separate?
emmy
Stereotyping serves no one, whether gay or Catholic.
Interestingly, St. Vincent’s in New York City and St. Paul’s in Vancouver were two of the first hospitals to respond to the AIDS crisis in the 1980s. These two hospitals provided medical treatment to AIDS patients at a time when the disease was not well understood. Both of these hospitals were founded by religious orders, and in the case of St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, it continues to do good work.
American artist Andy Warhol was a gay artist from Pittsburgh, PA, yet produced the most religious themed art of any American artist of the twentieth century. He was a faithful Catholic who went to mass on Sunday, and even helped out at a neighbourhood soup kitchen. The book, “The Religious Art of Andy Warhol” explores Andy Warhol’s faith and faith-filled art works.
In every community, there are some bad apples, but to demonize all members of a community is a misguided gesture.
Syl
@the crustybastard: Oh come on, half our saints are gay! Joan of Arc? St. John the Evangelist (“beloved” of Jesus)? What do you think the clergy was except a societal outlet for incompetents, noblemen’s second and third sons, and, of course, us queers? I mean, you get an education, room and board, respect, and an excuse to never marry and spend your time with people of the same gender…!
Then again, my grandfather *was* a black klansmen, so I’m hardly one to talk.
GlacierGuy
I’m with No. 2 Steven E. on this – what was the purpose of having a “separate” mass all about anyway? If the main church doesn’t support the gay members, having a separate mass doesn’t help solve the issue of acceptance what so ever. Either the church is welcoming of all or they aren’t! That’s that! Everybody needs to put their big boy pants on and GET ALONG, for Christ’s sake!
the crustybastard
@emmy:
You should be aware that Catholic hospitals feel no obligation to respect any person’s advance directives that it feels are incompatible with Catholic teaching.
“Catholic health care services will encounter requests for medical procedures contrary to the moral teachings of the Church. Catholic health care does not offend the rights of individual conscience by refusing to provide or permit medical procedures that are judged morally wrong by the teaching authority of the Church…In compliance with federal law, a Catholic health care institution will make available to patients information about their rights, under the laws of their state, to make an advance directive for their medical treatment. The institution, however, will not honor an advance directive that is contrary to Catholic teaching. If the advance directive conflicts with Catholic teaching, an explanation should be provided as to why the directive cannot be honored.” [emphasis mine]
-http://www.nccbuscc.org/bishops/directives.shtml
This includes provisions within an advance directive where a mother places her own health and safety above that of her fetus.
This includes provisions within an advance directive where a person chooses not to be kept alive by feeding tubes.
The latter is the case with my Catholic father, who simply cannot be persuaded that a Catholic hospital won’t feel bound to respect his advance directive.
Hyhybt
@GlacierGuy: The point is that it gave gay people a way to attend church without upsetting the “other” congregation that may not want them around.
ewe
You mean to tell me religious people object to gay people who worship? Well i never in my life heard such a thing in (the last 30 SECONDS)!!!!
ait10101
This just shows once again that the Catholic authorities, unlike Catholics in general, are committed bigots. (Or should that be bigots who should be committed?)