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After attending Mass at my regular parish, I zipped on down the freeway to St. Paul to see what might be happening at the Cathedral of St. Paul where Rainbow Sash homosexual protestors (and their supporters) had promised to show up to make their annual statement to nobody that was listening about how persecuted they are.
As I crossed the street to the side entrance, a bit late, I noted a small group of demonstrators sunning themselves. As I approached them, I asked one wearing a sash if she was relaxing in the sun rather than attending Mass before going in to commit a sacrilege. She said "yes." I muttered something about hypocrites and entered the Cathedral. Later I found out that she was a nun and part of a group that had left St. Stephen's parish in Minneapolis with a group of 200 other apostates who have now formed their own religion. Don't ask me how she could be a nun. To say the least, she didn't look like one.
The Cathedral staff, having experienced quite a few of these events is well prepared, like a Special Forces A Team (12 soldiers, trained to do whatever needs to be done).
Right before Communion the celebrant, Father James Adams I believe (I don't go to the Cathedral that often), read a statement informing all that Holy Communion in the Church is only for those who acknowledge their communion with the Church and its rules and regulations and who are in a proper state of grace. Those individuals wearing rainbow sashes or buttons (a new twist this year, I believe) would not be given Communion. Displaying a sign of protest, Father said, is a statement that a protestor is not in communion with the beliefs of the Church. Then Father asked the protestors to remove their sashes and buttons before coming forward.
Of course, they didn't.
In Canon Law, only priests (and bishops, of course) and deacons are the official ministers of Holy Communion. No Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are used at Masses at the Cathedral where protestors are expected. Communion is given as the Sacred Body only as the Ushers stand on each side of the main aisle watching for protestors.
In the past, protestors not having sash or button have put the Sacred Host in their pockets or kept it in their mouth so that they could share it with protestors when they returned to their seats. That did not happen today, but I have seen it in past years. Ushers actually have used mild force to keep the Sacred Host from being desecrated.
Church regulars specifically state that Communion, a Gift of Our Lord, is to be given to the communicant by an ordained minister or by an Extrraordinary Minister. It is not to be taken. That is why, self-intinction, where a communicant receives Communion in the hand and then dips it into the chalice of the Precious Blood is strictly forbidden. If there is to be intinction, it must be done by the minister and then given to the communicant.
There probably were about forty or a bit more protestors present today at the Cathedral. A bit less than last year. It was difficult to count because last year they all stood up after Communion (when they should have been kneeling in thanksgiving) so that we shouldbe sure to count them.
Thanks be to God, no cases of attempts or actual sacrilege were observed.
5 comments:
Ray, the woman you called a "hypocrite" outside the cathedral didn't look like a nun because she's not a nun. Neither is she a member of the Spirit of St. Stephen's Catholic Community. She's my friend, Paula, and I was sitting with her and others when you came by and spoke to her in the decidedly unChristian way that you did.
Neither Paula nor I went into the cathedral for Mass. Instead, we and five others did our own Eucharistic celebration on the sidewalk.
Peace,
Michael
No "eucharist" was celebrated on the sidewalk. No holy orders, no Eucharist.
It probably was "un-Christian." I'm a sinner.
But not nearly as un-Christian as those apostates who formed their own religion because they weren't allowed to write their own liturgical services.
Nor is it as un-Christian and as un-natural as those who try to make their imperfections and faults into virtues.
Thank you for alerting me to this sacrilege. My family and I attended because I wanted to see what the protestors would do.
I had to see for myself if they would subject the entire Cathedral of communicants to an uncomfortable service. While the service for the most part was peacful, the Eucharist was so shameful.
All of the sash wearing protestors went up to the priest with their hands out. They forced him to rightly give them a blessing but turn them away from the Sacrament. If they think they will embarass Catholics into thinking their way, they are wrong.
If they really think it is a sin for the priest to refuse them the Eucharist, then they forced a priest to commit a sin. How shameful.
The sash wearers then proceeded to go back to the pews empty handed. When everyone else returned to the kneelers and gave proper creedence to the ceremony, they remained standing. A clear strategy to stand out in the crowd.
One thing I found interesting was the age of the protestors. Most were older than 50 or so. Are they gay themselves or simply in mourning over the loss of a loved one from the Church because they are actively homosexuals?
The clarity of the Church's teachings on active homosexuality and abortion and their commitment to not sway with the wind it THE reason that I converted over two years ago. I will continue to support the Church and priests who have to battle these insensitivities.
Thank you Twice!
And welcome home!
You very perceptively described what happened.
It is not uncommon that many of the dissident demonstrators seem to be much older. Jokingly, we refer to them as Vietnam War protesters looking for something to.
Some of them are parents of friends of active homosexuals. You have to give them credit for not abandoning their child/friend at a time of need.
But they don't understand that the Catholic Church is not a club that can change its membership requirements by popular vote.
By the way, they would be surprised if there were a popular vote because the Hispanic and African Churches are the most vibrant in the world and if there were a vote of all Catholics, the protesters probably would lose.
Thanks for posting your comment.
But as you are aware, Twice, and I congratulate you for having gone through a good catechumenate, there are no votes in matters of faith and morals.
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