A parish in Boston is holding a Mass in celebration of Boston’s Pride month. I’m not kidding.
Homosexual acts are a sin and pride is one of the seven deadly sins. So one parish in Boston decided to put the two together! What could go wrong?!
I’m quoting from the bulletin of St. Cecilia’s:
The Rainbow Ministry of Saint Cecilia Parish invites all friends and supporters of the LGBT community to a Mass in celebration of Boston’s Pride Month. The liturgy will take place on Sunday evening, June 19, at six o’clock, with a reception following. The theme of the liturgy, “All Are Welcome,” honors Christ’s message of hope and salvation to all people. We will also celebrate the diverse community that finds its home at Saint Cecilia and acknowledge, in a special way, the generous and warm welcome extended to the members of the Jesuit Urban Center in 2007. The Mass will be celebrated by Father John Unni and concelebrated by several of the priests who faithfully ministered at the Jesuit Urban Center for many years. Please plan to attend this special liturgy and support the diversity that makes Saint Cecilia such a special place.
Something tells me the homily won’t be quoting much from the Catechism unless there’s a serious misreading of “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF”.
But what’s next, a “friends with benefits” Mass? How about a “Masturbator” Mass. (Although the sign of peace might be a little weird, huh?) Seriously. Why not just have Mass celebrating all sorts of sins.
I don’t want a religion that accepts me for who I am. I know who I am and am unimpressed. I want a religion that calls me to be better than I am even as I resist it.
I understand that many people struggle with homosexual urges. Look, we all watch “Fight Club” for different reasons but having the Church push sinners to take pride in a sin just seems a bit like a bad idea, doesn’t it? Convincing people that they’re not sinners, they’re just diverse is damaging to the Church and it’s damaging to the people buying this pc hogwash.
And just in case you think that’s an aberration, the bulletin also invites everyone to “A June evening with the Boston gay men’s chorus. The Saint Cecilia Rainbow Ministry is purchasing a block of tickets for the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus concert to be held at John Hancock Hall on Thursday, June 9th at 8 p.m.” In case you’re interested, they’ll be doing a Beatles Medley. I guess the Judy Garland medley is a little too 90’s.
HT Pewsitter
June 10, 2011 at 11:54 am
It is true that Our Lord came for sinners but His Church is the arbiter of judging sin from virtue and leading the sinner to atonement.
Christ and His Church do not lead sinners to take pride in their sins. In fact, He does not even lead them to take pride in their virtues.
It doesn't take a brain surgeon to recognize that a pride Mass is in the same category as a gluttony Mass, a lust Mass, an envy Mass.
Catholics have the duty to make the judgment that priest is a false shepherd and to warn all those who have ears to hear.
Everyone Cardinal O'Malley has appointed rejects Church teaching on morality and abortion. It is a prerequisite for a leadership appointment.
This is his agenda.
June 10, 2011 at 12:27 pm
Don't know if anyone is interested, but here's the link to 'The Pilot' – "Official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston".
http://www.thebostonpilot.com/
Please let your concerns be known in a Loving and Christ-Like way. DO NOT Condemn the sinner, just the sin.
A Concerned Bostonian
June 10, 2011 at 12:55 pm
Interesting discussion. Go on the website of the Diocese of Boston and send the Archbishop a respectful, careful and well-reasoned letter or email requesting that the Diocese intervene to stop these kinds of sin-celebrations within our churches. Send a copy to Rome.
We can lament all day long about activists who are constantly attempting to alter the character of Catholicism in America. Unless we try to do something about it, we will be left with what THEY want. Empty, "consolidated" into oblivion, childless, parishes (but with $$) that are all about feeling good and doing good without any of those pesky rules or sacraments.
http://www.bostoncatholic.org
cdf@cfaith.va
Cerdinal Levada, Prefect
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
11 Palazzo di S. Uffizio
00193 Vatican
Italy
June 10, 2011 at 2:05 pm
Boston, leader is progress:
where gay marriage was first legalized
where the pedophile priest scandal started
where FBI was found in league with gangsters
where the 911 hijackers took off
Don't know much about the man, but I sure don't envy Cardinal Sean.
June 10, 2011 at 2:06 pm
oops, meant leader IN progress
June 10, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Two things:
We once had a Sodom & Gomorrah. It seems we have not yet learned from it.
Also, what would Fr. John Corapi have to say about this? His comments are most always right on.
June 10, 2011 at 4:23 pm
I for one use the church to worship God. I do not use it as a setter of standards for moral behavior. If I did I would be sorry, look at our history, recent as well as ancient.
What none of you thumpers realize is that Pride in this sense is about being recongized as full human instead of some freak as you would have it. Further, it is very moral to be a Gay member of the Church, practising our faith as do all of you, practising.
June 10, 2011 at 4:49 pm
There is more to this gay Mass than meets the eye. Cfr. "Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi." Loosely translated means: How we worship reflects what we believe and determines how we live. Video found at http://divine-ripples.blogspot.com/2011/06/how-we-pray-what-we-believe-video.html or click here
June 10, 2011 at 6:53 pm
I agree with sending a brief and polite note to the CDF about this. They never throw anything away. If enough notes come in it will get addressed the next ad limina. The Pope wants to clear the filth from the Church.
Catholics afflicted with same sex desires should live in continence and chastity. They are not necessarily to blame for their disorder, but we can't approve of homosexual acts. That's the truth and anything else is pandering to sin. Sin never leads to happiness. If you love them then don't approve of their sins. That doesn't help them and that isn't love. Is that judgmental? Of course, everyone judges morality. The homosexual activists judge those who disagree with them and call them "haters." The real question isn't judgment, but whose judgment is correct. We Catholics believe that the Church's teachings are correct. Pride was the first sin btw. Maybe a little humility would serve better?
June 10, 2011 at 8:01 pm
The ugly truth is that many Dioceses sanction this type of "ministry" or at least willfully ignore it in hopes that it doesn't come to light. Whether it comes to light or not depends on the brazenness of the "parish" which then forces the Bishop's hand to "discipline" them (i.e. cancel the current events and please don't publicize such events in the future).
File under Pastoral Errancy.
June 10, 2011 at 9:17 pm
Go ahead and write to the CDF. See where that gets you. The Boston Archdiocese knows and approves of this liturgy. It's no big deal. You are all seen as just a bunch of crackpots.
June 10, 2011 at 9:42 pm
Just because Boston knew does not make it OK with the CDF(Vatican). If may make it worse. So, reporting to the CDF is doing due diligence.
Better still, infiltrate the Mass and record it to capture any heresy or abuse. Then send that to the CDF.
The Pope recently shut down a monastery in Rome that had a lot of liturgical dancing. Who knows, we may get lucky and have the entire Boston clergy sent to Egypt for a Sabbatical.
June 10, 2011 at 10:37 pm
Well, Rick, put your money where your mouth is and attend this Mass and see just how orthodox it is and how well they perform the liturgy over at St. Cecelia. If you're expecting all sorts of aberrations from the Roman Rite, you're in for a surprise. There are few churches in the Archdiocese of Boston that perform the liturgy as well as St Cecelia. So, go ahead, and bring your camera, recording device, and paper and pen. You'll have a better liturgical experience than you will in nine out of ten other parishes.
June 10, 2011 at 10:40 pm
What on earth?
http://dir.groups.yahoo.com/group/5rgroup/message/17174?var=1
http://reseaucitadelle.blogspot.com/2011/05/update-derniers-nouvelles-sur-la.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/5rgroup/message/17554
http://dossiergeilenfeld.blogspot.com/
http://reseaucitadelle.blogspot.com/2011/03/haiti-pedophil-rev-john-unni-and-kay.html
June 10, 2011 at 11:01 pm
@Anon 537: Gay pride mass and orthodox are a contradiction in terms.
It's like pedophile pride Mass – to welcome in the loving arms of the Church those pedophiles who are living chastely and struggling against their disordered nature, to remove any stigma from their brokenness, to affirm that they are whole and can be holy. The liturgy may be perfect but the whole event is just not right. You don't need to be a theologian to see that.
June 10, 2011 at 11:04 pm
so I guess that means you won't bother to attend. I thought so. And, comparing homosexuality to pedophilia is absurd.
June 10, 2011 at 11:11 pm
Unfortunately, Archbishop O'Malley knows exactly what is going on down there……"gay" messes and all.
A lesson in human nature is in order:
You'd be surprised what someone will tolerate or endure to pay their bills and the last time I checked, Cardinal O'Malley was human and his Diocese had big bills.
This "parish" can clearly bring in the dough and the Diocese takes their cut.
You may ask, "why does the Diocese have such big bills to pay?"
Sadly, this brings the conversation full circle in that it tolerated, in its priests, the very behavior being celebrated by this "parish".
Does the phrase "chasing your tail" come to mind?
June 10, 2011 at 11:11 pm
@Anon 604 "comparing homosexuality to pedophilia is absurd." You are entitled to your opinion but not to your facts.
June 10, 2011 at 11:23 pm
One involves a victim who is a child. You are unbelievable.
Also, Anonymous 6:11, this parish is hardly rich and sends very little to the Archdiocese. You have no idea how these things work, do you?
June 11, 2011 at 12:45 am
@Anon 611: I was not referring to active pedophiles but to those who have the tendency just like the homosexual tendency. So, there is no victim to speak of.
You are the one who is unbelievable as you support to legitimize this orientation through the liturgy. Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi.