Father Unni Stands Up To Catholic Bigotry

It seems that the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, responding to criticism that it was actually sanctioning a Gay Pride celebration, has announced that it had ordered a South End church to cancel a Mass scheduled for next weekend that was themed, “All are Welcome."

And perhaps subtitle it, *"Unless You're Queer."

Well, the LGBT community is not amused. 

It seems that St. Cecilia Parish in Boston had planned a “liturgy to commemorate Boston Pride 2011" and, in a church bulletin, announced: “The Rainbow Ministry of St. Cecilia Parish invites all friends and supporters of the LGBT community to a Mass in celebration of Boston’s Pride Month. 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 St. Cecilia."

What a lovely message, and one that was obviously culled form the Book of God Is Love. But then the conservative members of the Church, got their collars and shrouds and granny pants in a twist, and demanded that the archdiocese intervene.

And they trotted out their spokesbigot, Terrence Donilon, who is rereading the Book Of God Hates Fags, to say: “The wording and placement of a bulletin notice announcing that the St. Cecilia Rainbow Ministry will be joining the parish at a Mass on June 19 may have given the unintended impression that the Mass is in support of Gay Pride Week; it is not."

Father Unni, the pastor of St. Cecilia's has not commented, but Donilon said that he spoke for the parish and that the decision was made by senior officials at the archdiocese.

Foot stomp. Head snap.

Donilon, of course, took no questions about the apparent contradiction of the church’s bulletin and his statement, but did say that there would be a Mass sometime in the future to welcome the community, though not specifically the LGBT community.

It is written in The Book Of God Hates Fags, you know.

But then, just as the conservative Catholics railed about homosexuality and sin and pride, and how they loved the sinner but hate the sin, except if the sin is hate, Father Unni had something to say, and, upon finishing his sermon, received an actual standing ovation from his parishioners.

Father Unni:. “You are welcome here, gay or straight, rich or poor, young or old, black or white. Here, you all can say, ‘I can worship the God who made me as I am. [G]ood love always requires sacrifice. We are being called to do not what is easy, but what is holy.’’

“We are not this renegade, crazy, liberal church. We’re just Christians trying to live the gospel."

And preach the word of The Book Of God Is Love.

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