General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBishop: No Prayers for Marriage Equality in Cathedral
The Roman Catholic bishop of Springfield, Ill., said a plan to pray the rosary for marriage equality was 'blasphemous,' and police were called to keep equality activists out of the city's cathedral.After Illinois marriage equality activists rallied in the capital city of Springfield Tuesday, some of them planned to pray the rosary for their cause at the citys largest Roman Catholic church but the local bishop said they werent welcome.
Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the diocese of Springfield said people wearing a rainbow sash, which is a symbol of a Catholic movement for LGBT equality, or otherwise identifying themselves with the movement would be barred from entering the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, The State Journal-Register reports.
It is blasphemy to show disrespect or irreverence to God or to something holy, reads a written statement from Paprocki. Since Jesus clearly taught that marriage as created by God is a sacred institution between a man and a woman (see Matthew 19:4-6 and Mark 10:6-9), praying for same-sex marriage should be seen as blasphemous and as such will not be permitted in the cathedral.
The Journal-Register had no figures on how many marriage equality supporters planned to enter the cathedral. At least one, activist Rick Garcia, came in for 5:15 p.m. Mass without incident, but he was not wearing a rainbow sash.
http://www.advocate.com/politics/marriage-equality/2013/10/24/bishop-no-prayers-marriage-equality-cathedral
liberal N proud
(60,336 posts)DevonRex
(22,541 posts)"Pope Francis referred back to this passage from Thursdays Gospel in his homily, moving from Jesus warning. He warned: When we are on the street and find ourselves in front of a closed Church, he said, we feel that something is strange. Sometimes, he said, they give us reasons as to why they are closed: They give excuses, justifications, but the fact remains that the Church is closed and the people who pass by cannot enter. And, even worse, the Lord cannot be close to the people. Today, the Pope said, Jesus speaks to us about the image of the [lock]; it is the image of those Christians who have the key in their hand, but take it away, without opening the door. Worse still, they keep the door closed and dont allow anyone to enter. In so doing, they themselves do not enter. The lack of Christian witness does this, he said, and when this Christian is a priest, a bishop or a Pope it is worse. But, the Pope asks, how does it happen that a Christian falls into this attitude of keeping the key to the Church in his pocket, with the door closed?"
http://en.radiovaticana.va/in2/m_articolo.asp?c=738150
And the Pope should find another job for this guy where he can't lock people out.
DevonRex
(22,541 posts)I've been to St. Margaret of Scotland in St. Louis that's on the list. So at least I can verify it's welcoming to LGBTs, as I went with a gay couple and their 2 sons. It also has a school and the boys go there.
GreatCaesarsGhost
(8,584 posts)blogslut
(38,002 posts)Better not make him mad:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/23/pope-suspends-german-luxury-bishop
In a press statement, the Vatican said it had been confronted with a situation in which Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst "could not follow his duty as bishop" and had decided to allow him "some time outside the diocese". A final verdict on the bishop's future is expected after the completion of an internal investigation into the Limburg building project.
Tebartz-van Elst has come under increasing criticism since the estimated cost of his new residence described by some newspapers as "palatial" rose to 31m (£26m) earlier this month.
He is also facing legal action for allegedly lying under oath about a first-class flight to India, in a row with the news magazine Der Spiegel...